Game Details
Price
  • $29.99–$39.99
Available on
Genre
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SpongeBob's Truth or Square (Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PSP, Nintendo DSi)

common sense media says

Goofy humor and enjoyably simple gameplay under the sea.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this silly, fun game utilizes the same type of humor that fans have come to expect from the SpongeBob TV series. That means you can expect burps, underwear, and anything else that would make a seven-year old giggle. In terms of violence, however, the game pales in comparison to the show. Here you get nothing more than exploded robot parts, while in the cartoon, characters have had their skeletal systems ripped out of their bodies and their eyeballs burst. For SpongeBob, this game is incredibly wholesome.

Educational value: Not applicable.
Positive messages: Outside of the puerile humor, there are no real negative messages. SpongeBob only wants to do a good job and not let his friends down. And they try to help him succeed.
Positive role models: SpongeBob may be a goofy half-wit, but he's infinitely earnest, good-hearted, and industrious. He only wants to help others, never wants to let anybody down. He's not very good at anything he tries to do, but that never stops him from trying.
Ease of play: The level of difficulty is set just right for the age of the intended audience. More experience players can get more out of the game by seeking out bonus items and attempting extra challenges, but none of that is necessary to finish the story.
Violence & scariness: Enemies -- all of whom are robots -- are dispatched by various forms of hitting, slapping, and pounding. SpongeBob changes his shape, becoming things like a spatula, spinning wheel, or water-balloon shooting cannon, to take on the bad guys. Robots explode when destroyed, leaving what SpongeBob refers to as "robot guts," but even those quickly vanish. Some of the bosses look menacing enough to be frightening to very young children.
Language: You'll hear name-calling along the lines of "weenie" and "twit." There's a lot of underwear-based humor, including one boss battle in which SpongeBob must cause the bad robot's pants to fall down in order to defeat him.
Consumerism: The game ties in to the already massive media presence that SpongeBob has.

More on SpongeBob's Truth or Square

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Parents can talk about comedy and what makes something funny. In the game, as in the show, lots of things happen that would be considered impolite if they happened in real life, but they're played for laughs. Why can such behavior be funny on TV or in a game, when it's not acceptable in daily life?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In SPONGEBOB'S TRUTH OR SQUARE, the titular hero is charged with safeguarding the secret recipe for Krabby Patties, but forgets where he puts it. He can only remember things when he's happy, so his friends try to jog his memory by reminding him of the best times of his past (all actual moments from the TV show). At the same time, his nemesis, Plankton, has injected his mind with nanobots, so the formerly fond memories SpongeBob relives in the game are now populated with attacking robots.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
SpongeBob video games have a very mixed record, but Truth or Square should be counted among the best of them. It's got simple-yet-fun gameplay, tons of side missions that add replay value, lots of genuinely funny moments (try keeping a straight face when SpongeBob sucks up water and inflates his body to ridiculous proportions), and more than enough show references to please true fans. There's a co-op feature, which allows a second player to function as Plankton and assist SpongeBob in blasting run-amok robots. And money earned in-game can be spent to upgrade the furnishings of SpongeBob's pineapple, buy new characters costumes, or purchase power-ups. Truth or Square succeeds as both an enjoyable game for young kids and a part of the greater SpongeBob mythology.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PSP, Nintendo DSi
Not available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: THQ
Released on: November 3, 2009
Price: 29.99–$39.99
ESRB Rating: E for Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief
Screenshots

This review was written by Christopher Healy
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

tryjonathantrey13
teen, 14 years old
 
Game On, Good
I Think Is The Cool Game I Ever Play Game On

Swit Swat
kid, 12 years old
 
Funny game for Spongebob fans!
This is a great game for Spongebob fans! It's funny and action-packed! The game has simple controls, so it's easy for young players. With the game's funny dialogue and cool environments, it is totally worth playing it. The game has some cartoon violence, but no blood, obviously.

LASTxULTIMATUM
kid, 11 years old
 
Cool
Funny and neat. Great game for younger children.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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