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Bikini Bottom and beyond

THQ prepares for a SpongeBob Squarepants blowout

Bikini Bottom and beyond

There aren't that many things you need to know other than he's a sponge called Bob who wears square pants. What could be simpler? Well, certainly not the number of games THQ is releasing that are based on the yellow-skinned, suited-and -tied, fast-food cooking hero of Bikini Bottom. Although in its defence, THQ has sold over 10 million SpongeBob Squarepants games to date, so it probably has a good idea of the audience.

Anyhow, first up will be the intriguing SpongeBob Squarepants: Lights, Camera, PANTS! for GBA. Based around the arrival of a special episode of SpongeBob's favourite superhero show, The Adventures of Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy, your mission is to impress the talent scouts who are filming in Bikini Bottom. Based around a mini-game style of gameplay, you get to play as various characters such as Patrick, Sandy, Squidward, Mr Krabs, Plankton and SpongeBob (but of course), who have to perform various tasks as part of the show. Replayability comes into it, as to get the full experience, you'll have to play through the different characters in all their available roles.

But to really confuse you, THQ is also releasing a DS SpongeBob game a week later (on the 25th of November). Continuing the superhero theme, this time you head into action as SpongeBob Squarepants The Yellow Avenger.

Here, your mission is more of a straightforward plot-based adventure - rescue Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from the clutches of the Dirty Bubble. Your only weapons are the legendary powers of Mermaid Man's belt. Usefully, though, these include such wizzbang effects as (deep breath) Shrink Ray, Water Ball, Raging Whirlwind, Summon Sea Creatures, Sulphur Vision, Magnetise, Super Speed, Super Jump and Super Super Strength. Surely the days of the Dirty Bubble are numbered.

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.