Reviews// SpongeBob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab (Wii)
The horrible truth
The puzzles are intuitive enough and the gameplay, in the 3D areas, works rather well. The camera is controlled using the Wii Remote as a pointer though the angle and zoom work very well if left to their own devices. One positive thing about this game is that it's a 3D platformer you can trust. The scale of the character movement, their jumps and actions, are predictable and controllable, something that even top-tier offerings in the genre have struggled to lock down.
Other interesting asides feature SpongeBob in a series of races, with 3D quests to soup-up his car, which is controlled using the Wii Remote horizontally as a steering wheel. But again, this feature fails both as a game and a representation of Bikini Bottom. For a start, SpongeB’ is racing a car, not a boat. Every SpongeBob fan knows that even in the relatively inconsistent submarine world, cars are replaced by boats, ergo racing cars are just boats with big rear wheels and sidepipe exhausts. The actual driving is formulaic (you can acquire the ability to boost, there are boosts on the road surface and players can drop hazards) though the controls are, ahem, Spongy and unresponsive.
There are development oversights throughout the game world, and these come as either glitches (for example, solid walls are penetrable, the camera can get locked in a corner and the game will require a reset to free it) or sloppy programming. The Plankton levels include text bubble hints at his feet, blocking the view of the environment. It’s okay though, just keep jumping and firing... jumping and firing… jumping and firing…
This review was conducted by a dedicated SpongeBob fan and lifelong gamer, and it offered absolutely nothing of reward except the odd scripted witticism. Fans of SpongeBob spend so much time with their brains holidaying in Bikini Bottom that anything not dedicated to the cause is obvious to them within minutes. The best thing you can say about Blitz's offering is that at times, it's an acceptable platformer. I could not have given the game a fairer run out; I was even fired with optimism when I embarked upon CFTKK.
The publisher, developers and I.P. holder will probably argue that this is a game for children and as such, should be reviewed with them in mind. It seems a fair point on the surface, but in truth, that's a weak excuse for churning out a game that bring nothing to the user, the new Nintendo platform, the SpongeBob merchandise library and fans of the series. It's also somewhat disingenuous as everyone involved in the project knows who consumes SpongeBob products - and it isn't only the under-tens, nor is this game particularly accessible to players of that age-group. The required actions are at times difficult, the puzzles, while usually smoothly presented, can sometimes baffle a group of three adults working co-operatively.
SPOnG rating: D
SpongeBob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab isn't the worst game ever made, though it's has to be a strong candidate for the worst Wii game at launch. It fails SpongeBob fans and gamers of all ages. The voice acting is shonky, the game is glitchy and under-polished and long-winded as a result of endless time-wasting filler gameplay.
Other interesting asides feature SpongeBob in a series of races, with 3D quests to soup-up his car, which is controlled using the Wii Remote horizontally as a steering wheel. But again, this feature fails both as a game and a representation of Bikini Bottom. For a start, SpongeB’ is racing a car, not a boat. Every SpongeBob fan knows that even in the relatively inconsistent submarine world, cars are replaced by boats, ergo racing cars are just boats with big rear wheels and sidepipe exhausts. The actual driving is formulaic (you can acquire the ability to boost, there are boosts on the road surface and players can drop hazards) though the controls are, ahem, Spongy and unresponsive.
There are development oversights throughout the game world, and these come as either glitches (for example, solid walls are penetrable, the camera can get locked in a corner and the game will require a reset to free it) or sloppy programming. The Plankton levels include text bubble hints at his feet, blocking the view of the environment. It’s okay though, just keep jumping and firing... jumping and firing… jumping and firing…
This review was conducted by a dedicated SpongeBob fan and lifelong gamer, and it offered absolutely nothing of reward except the odd scripted witticism. Fans of SpongeBob spend so much time with their brains holidaying in Bikini Bottom that anything not dedicated to the cause is obvious to them within minutes. The best thing you can say about Blitz's offering is that at times, it's an acceptable platformer. I could not have given the game a fairer run out; I was even fired with optimism when I embarked upon CFTKK.
The publisher, developers and I.P. holder will probably argue that this is a game for children and as such, should be reviewed with them in mind. It seems a fair point on the surface, but in truth, that's a weak excuse for churning out a game that bring nothing to the user, the new Nintendo platform, the SpongeBob merchandise library and fans of the series. It's also somewhat disingenuous as everyone involved in the project knows who consumes SpongeBob products - and it isn't only the under-tens, nor is this game particularly accessible to players of that age-group. The required actions are at times difficult, the puzzles, while usually smoothly presented, can sometimes baffle a group of three adults working co-operatively.
SPOnG rating: D
SpongeBob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab isn't the worst game ever made, though it's has to be a strong candidate for the worst Wii game at launch. It fails SpongeBob fans and gamers of all ages. The voice acting is shonky, the game is glitchy and under-polished and long-winded as a result of endless time-wasting filler gameplay.
