SpongeBob's Truth or Square (2009)

Lisenced games with multiple console versions almost always differ from version to version due to the fact that each console has its own limitations. Spongebob Truth or Square surprises because of the fact that it keeps the same gameplay elements on every platform despite those limitations in hardware. The DS version that i played tries to be a 3d platformer, which is an impressive attempt in and of itself but that doenst mean it succeds all too well. The graphics are what you would expect from a 3d DS game and are honestly impressive compared to other lisenced games on the console. However, the controls are not good as the dpad is not made for 3d movement and the distance renders are pretty confusing. This results in a lot of pointless deaths that will definitely enrage the player and test their patience. The enemies are the same three robots copy and pasted, no variety whatsoever and the gameplay is veeeery repetitive with entire sections of it repeting in each and every stage. There are minigames that can be unlocked by coins that you gather in every level but they are very mediocre and are not as fun after a couple of tries. Another thing that i found completely pointless is the gimmick of super sponge and the friend power ups. They last for way too little and are only used to get through some puzzles. By the time the player begins to have fun with them they are already over. Super sponge is also not worth the amount of coins you need to collect to activate it as it only offers a one hit kill against specific enemies each time and can be over if you get hit even once. The story has a charm to it as it plays like an episode of the show and there are many references that will appease fans but in my case i found the twist in the end enraging because of how bad the gameplay loop was. Overall, small kids that are fans of the cartoon may be able to bypass all these negatives and enjoy the game but i would not recommend it to anyone above the age of 10 even if they are a fan of the show. SCORE: 57%