Parents' Guide to

SpongeBob Moves In

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Build your own Bikini Bottom, but beware in-app buys.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire Paid Simulation Games
SpongeBob Moves In Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • SpongeBob Moves In App: Screenshot #1
  • SpongeBob Moves In App: Screenshot #2
  • SpongeBob Moves In App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent
January 24, 2022
age 6+

Terrible, the worst SpongeBob movie ever

There’s barely any plot. SpongeBob and Patrick go on a road trip to find the mountain of custard and end up lost in the jungle. I could forgive the absence of a plot if it were funny, but it’s not even that. It’s just a bunch of unfunny scenes of them trying to get back home. The only time I laughed was the Rick And Morty cameo where SpongeBob and Patrick accidentally walk into the “crossover section” of the woods. But apart from that, this movie is just boring and unfunny, just watch the other SpongeBob movies.
T J.
T J. Adult
September 24, 2018
age 6+

This is the best spongebob app to date!

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Too much consumerism
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Players are regularly tasked with challenges -- whether it's collecting rent or making five Krabby Patties -- and must tap on the appropriate building to do so. Each building has only a limited number of open slots for cooking or building items. To use other slots, players must pay to unlock them. Feeding characters what they want at just the right time results in bonuses, which range from more cash or starfish (which help you level up) to secret recipes. As the game moves into higher levels, players attempt to expand Bikini Bottom from a tiny town to one with a thriving population that is seen in the show.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (7):

SPONGEBOB MOVES IN doesn't break any new ground as a city-building app, but overall gameplay is solid. Unfortunately, the game also is plagued with an in-app purchase model that borders on greedy, especially since players must pay $3.99 to download the app in the first place. Once you've sunk an hour or two into the game, the build times for anything of note become significant. That might be fine for players who only check in once or twice a day, but those players won't build a city anytime soon. To succeed otherwise, you'll almost have to spend money. 


SpongeBob fans may appreciate the animated shorts as well as the use of the show's voice actors -- but there are only a few small vocal phrases repeated again and again. There are plenty of free city-builder games that follow this same formula, so, unless you're a die-hard SpongeBob fan, you're better off with one of those. 

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about in-app purchases and whether it's OK to use real money to buy things in this game.

  • Families also can talk about saving, budgeting, and spending, which kids get a taste of playing this game.

App Details

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