Parents' Guide to

SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off: Extra-Krusty Edition

By Paul Semel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Simple controls limit tasks of kid-friendly cooking game.

Game Nintendo Switch 2021
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off: Extra-Krusty Edition Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

age 10+

Disappointed

Although the flame of my unabridged passion for this sentient sponge shall not cease to squelch my thirst for purpose in this fleeting existence, my impression of this game left me feeling extremely uninspired. After completing the game for the first time, I soon found myself lying face down on my wretched carpet once again, inhaling the sweat-infused fibers of my Persian carpet. I had bought it new from Shadik, a vendor who I passed every day on my walk to work. He insisted his carpet was the best around, and, despite its lofty price, was a great investment. Every day he asked, and every day I politely declined. But the seed of my ruin had been planted, and before I knew it, thoughts of his magnificent carpet swirled endlessly around my head. No thought, no experience, no drug could free me from this desire, until one day I decided I had had enough. I approached Shadik and his carpet once again, but this time it was different. Clutched in my right hand was $7500 dollars in cash – the last of my savings, which was supposed to be used to furnish my empty one-room apartment. Handing the cash over, I welcomed the carpet into my warm embrace and took it back to my desolate apartment, laying it carefully down on my bare, cool wood floor. At first, I was satisfied. Looking at this carpet, I felt my life was complete. Its vibrant colors and intricate patterns served as my entertainment, and the soft fibers felt just as good as the warm embrace of another human. But slowly, over time, the bright colors faded, and the pleasant softness of its exterior morphed into a crusty assembly of threads. Like life itself, the carpet no longer had the same appeal to me, and I was stuck searching for a reason for humanities endless toil under the sun. Nevertheless, the question "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" still gives me a sufficient dose of serotonin despite my negative experience with this offshoot of the SpongeBob franchise.

This title has:

Too much consumerism

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

It isn't the best version of this entertaining cooking game, but this arcade game is still a fun time with the friendly sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea. Previously available on PC and mobile devices, SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off: Extra-Krusty Edition has Mr. Krabs opening a pancake stand outside the Krusty Krab and assigning SpongeBob to man it. Er, sponge it. Using simple controls, you not only have to make pancakes -- pouring the batter, taking them off the grill, adding jelly when requested -- but also serve coffee. Performing these tasks means that he'll not only earn the money for some new sunglasses, but also move up to making burgers and other food. In other words, this is just like Cooking Mama with SpongeBob, with all the frantic foodie fun that implies.

The problem is that this version of the game doesn't work as well as either the mobile version or Cooking Mama. For starters, you use the buttons and thumbsticks of the Switch to do things as you move around the kitchen. This works fine, but not nearly as well as the far more intuitive touchscreen would for this kind of point-and-click game. Secondly, the challenge is lessened when hitting the "serve" button gives pancakes to whoever wants them, even if they're not first in line. If the first customer orders plain pancakes, and the second orders them with jelly, and you hit "serve" when there's only jelly pancakes waiting, customer #2 gets served while customer #1 has to wait. Which means you're less likely to mess up someone's order. While the mobile version may work better (and be free), SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off: Extra-Krusty Edition is still a tasty treat.

Game Details

  • Platform: Nintendo Switch
  • Pricing structure: Paid
  • Available online?: Available online
  • Publisher: iLLOGIKA
  • Release date: April 29, 2021
  • Genre: Arcade
  • ESRB rating: E for No Descriptions
  • Last updated: May 5, 2021

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