SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge

Overly simplistic, tedious tie-in to the cartoon.
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SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is an action/adventure game that features plentiful cartoon violence. Players shoot and slap enemy robots as they attempt to recover a stolen recipe. The game is the latest marketing arm of the SpongeBob franchise, and kids who play it may ask for more toys or to watch the television show.
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What’s It About?
In SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: PLANKTON'S ROBOTIC REVENGE, the greedy Plankton once again tries to steal the secret Krabby Patty formula, this time with an army of robots aiding him. As SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward, or Mr. Krabs, players explore the campaign's three levels, attacking robots with a melee or a cleverly named weapon (all of which are basically cartoony versions of the weapons you'll find in any action game: an assault rifle, a shotgun, and so forth). Destroying enemies (or barrels) unlocks gizmos, which can be used to upgrade the weapons. Each level ends with a boss fight.
Is It Any Good?
Although expectations are generally fairly low for a SpongeBob game, SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge still fails to live up to them. It offers cooperative play (allowing siblings and friends to play together in the same room), but the gameplay is incredibly repetitive -- and the level design feels like an afterthought. Even the boss battles are similar.
To win, all you have to do is run around holding the "attack" button and dodging slow enemy fire. Should you move too slowly and fall in the field, friends can come stand near you and revive you. The game is short, uninspired, and graphically lacking -- with the exception of the introductory and cut scenes, which are much more polished.
Worst of all, though, the game's not funny, despite the presence of the show's vocal cast. Were it not for the constant shooting, this might be a good game for a 5- or 6-year-old, but, as it stands, it's not a good choice for anyone.
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Activision
- Release date: October 22, 2013
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Cartoon Violence
- Last updated: August 25, 2016
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love playing cooperatively with friends
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