Spongebob Squigglepants was recently released for the Nintendo Wii utilizing THQ’s uDraw Game Tablet. Patchy the Pirate has invited you to join the SpongeBob Squarepants Fan Club. There is a catch though which is you have to prove that you are a true fan. This game will have you traveling from one picture frame to the next, each with unique nanogames and art styles. One set of nanogames is done in a comic book style, one a punk rock aesthetic, one in 8 bit pixilation and more. As is the case with most games, not all of the picture frames are unlocked at once and they will slowly become available as you pass different levels.

In addition to the standard picture frames there is also the nanogame replay menu. To replay your favorite nanogame, simply go into this replay menu and select the game you would like to play. There is also Remix mode where it takes every game that you have played so far and randomly selects which one you will get to try. Each nanogame lasts approximately five to ten seconds long and you are given a quick hint before so that you know what is expected of you. There is one game where Spongebob is running away from someone and to get him to run faster you have to repeatedly tap on the game tablet. There is another game where SpongeBob is walking on a tight rope and you have to tilt the game tablet appropriately to make sure SpongeBob doesn’t fall. As I mentioned above, the nanogames are really quick and, in some cases, a little too quick. There might be times where you are sitting there quickly trying to figure out what to do and the game is already over. There will definitely be a lot of trial and error until you essentially memorize what you have to do for every game. The games themselves are incredibly simplistic and the only thing that makes them difficult from time to time is the amount of time (or lack thereof) that you have to complete your objective.

In addition to the main “story” of the game there is also the art studio. The art studio mode will allow you to use a variety of tools to create a SpongeBob themed picture for the art gallery. Kids and SpongeBob fans should have a lot of fun here as they can draw whomever they want from the series and have their artwork displayed in the art gallery. Younger kids will probably get a kick out of seeing their own artwork on the television. The art studio itself is pretty simplistic and has a button for “fill bucket,” “paint brush” and things of that nature. This is definitely a title that is made for a younger audience and the development team did a nice job trying to make it as simple as they could so kids could have fun with it.

Overall, SpongeBob Squigglepants is a great game to get for the young SpongeBob fan in your life. This title was made with a younger audience in mind so please keep that in mind if you pick it up. Also, the UDraw Game tablet is required to be able to play this game. If you are a parent that wants to pick up this title for your child be sure that you own a UDraw tablet as well. Fans of the series should definitely get a kick out of interacting with SpongeBob and his friends through the various nanogames and this is a title that parents can feel safe and secure about their kids playing. If you have a young one at home that enjoys this series be sure to give this game a try.

Score: 7.5/10

Originally posted on Totally Gaming Network