No matter how much time passes, you're never too old for SpongeBob SquarePants. The talking yellow sponge and his band of similarly odd sea creatures have been gracing televisions since 1999, with a little over 300 episodes having aired. And in that time, SpongeBob has also released a litany of movies, spin-offs, toys and video games.
Now, it looks like another SpongeBob game is on the way, except there's one big issue: gamers won't get to play as SpongeBob. Oh, and it's by the same group that brought us the Jumanji movie tie-in game and the recent Bluey game. In other words, no Cosmic Shake sequel.
Out With SpongeBob SquarePants, In With Patrick Star
As first spotted on Reddit's r/GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, a Twitter user found evidence of a new SpongeBob game that leaked on a European retailer website. The retailer is called Igabiba, and per its website, it's been selling video games since 1993.
The game is titled SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game. It has a PEGI 3 rating, and it's being developed by Outright Games. The studio has had a hand in several Nickelodeon-based video games, including ones centered around PAW Patrol and Nick Jr. properties. Based off the title, the game is presumably based off the spin-off "Patrick Star Show" that began airing in 2021.
Per the game's description:
Patrick fans, your time has come — and Bikini Bottom is your open-world playground! You can skydive with just a parasol (or nothing at all), search for buried treasure in the Dump, or release the rage in Mrs. Puff’s Rage Room. Use almost any item you find, – from the reef blower to a paint can, – to make the world more Patrick. And take on challenges only Patrick would attempt, set by SpongeBob, Sandy Cheeks, Mr. Krabs, and more.
So become the Star of the show, put your silliest ideas into action, and enjoy the physics-based chaos that unfolds all around you!
In other words, the game sounds nothing like Battle for Bikini Bottom, Truth or Square or the Cosmic Shake. Not getting a chance to play as SpongeBob is certainly a choice, though it seems like the game and Nickelodeon as a whole are solely focused on exploring Patrick. Perhaps the game will be good and judgment should be reserved. After all, more SpongeBob is never a bad thing.
