I didn’t catch the SpongeBob fever until last year. Previously I would just flip past SpongeBob when it was on TV never thinking that one-day I would enjoy the show. Needless to say with my son now controlling the TV SpongeBob has become an icon of my house. Just as I was a late bloomer in watching the TV show, I’m a late bloomer in playing the SpongeBob games. Lights, Camera, PANTS! for the GameBoy Advance is the first SpongeBob game I’ve played. While the game doesn’t provide the same humor and wittiness of the TV show it does provide a solid, if unspectacular, gaming experience.

The premise of the game revolves around the filming of the newest episode of “The New Adventures of Mermaidman and Barnacleboy.” However production on the show has stopped because the stars have disappeared. It’s up to SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy and Squidward to bring the stars back to the set to finish filming. The game has several different types of gameplay modes that you must play in order to complete the game.

The game starts off as a side-scrolling platform game where you can play as one of the four characters (SpongeBob, Sandy, Patrick or Squidward). You can select from any of the characters at anytime during the game by pressing the “R” shoulder button. Since you can play as one of the four characters in the game the strength of the different characters is limited when compared to other side scrolling platform games. For example each character might be able to take three hits from an enemy before the game switches you to the next available character. You can compare it to having one character with four different personalities to use during a level.

Each of the characters in the game has their own unique moves, abilities and attributes. SpongeBob swings his arm to attack an enemy, while Patrick throws ice cream and Squidward plays his clarinet. Each character in the game has three different attacks: a basic attack, a jump attack and a dash attack. Since each attack is different for each character, learning the multiple attacks can be helpful for making it through some of the levels. At the beginning of the game you will probably be surprised just how quickly you’re changing between the characters because your characters are dying after a few attacks. Squidward is the slowest of the four characters, which can make it a tiny bit difficult in adjusting to him when you’re trying to run from the enemies in the game. Just don’t expect to play through the entire game as SpongeBob since he seemed to be the weakest of all the characters. Maybe it was just because he was always the character I selected when I would play a level.

Besides the game offering multiple characters to play as, there are also several different styles of gameplay. The basic gameplay, as I mentioned earlier, is a side-scrolling platform game. The level designs for the platform sections are rudimentary and nothing to surprise gaming veterans. Younger gamers probably won’t even notice the simple level designs. Another gameplay mode included is a dancing/rhythm game that has you hitting certain button(s) at just the right moment. These levels are called Button Battles and offer a good diversion from the platform section. It seemed no matter how bad I did in hitting the buttons at the right time I was able to complete all of the battles on the first try, except for one. A racing gameplay section is included that seems really unbalanced at certain parts of the races but still not too difficult to defeat on the first attempt. The racing levels are presented in a top-down mode and played similar to the old classic Spy Hunter. The reason I mention Spy Hunter is because of the oil spills on the tracks. If you hit one of the oil spills your car (actually it’s a boat) will go spinning all over the track. As your boat sustains damage you will switch to a different character automatically and each character handles differently. The rubber band rule was in effect that always kept you close to your opponent during the race. Two mini games are unlocked as you progress through the game, Burger Builder and Bully Ball. Burger Builder has you building Krabby Patties from ingredients falling from the sky. Bully Ball has you bouncing beach balls back to bullies. Both mini games are simple, easy and offer a nice change of pace. But none of the gameplay offers anything new or exciting that will make you keep playing.

The graphics in the game are well done with each character looking almost exactly the same as their cartoon counterpart. The only character that looked off from the cartoon version was Sandy, her eyes and face just didn’t seem right. The animation of the characters was well done and smooth during the majority of their moves. The background graphics are nothing to write home about with most of the levels appearing plain and lacking detail. The racing level’s graphics were boring looking when compared to the side-scrolling game. It was almost impossible to tell which character you were controlling during a race and there was almost zero detail besides the other boats on the track. The camera angle during the races would move constantly, which made it difficult to keep track of where you were going.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, PANTS! isn’t the best game on the GameBoy Advance but it will probably offer a few hours of satisfying entertaining for fans of the show. Nothing is perfect in this world we live in and knowing that fact can help certain games from being a total disaster. Lights, Camera, PANTS! isn’t a total disaster but it doesn’t stand above the crowded GBA game list. If you’re a fan of the show then check it out, but if you’re not a fan then you can pass it by without a second thought.

Gameplay: 6.5
The platform sections of the game were adequate but pale in comparison to other platform games on the GBA. The levels can be boring and repetitive at times. The racing levels and other mini games offer a nice diversion but nothing spectacular enough to have you talking for weeks about the game. The controls were solid for the majority of the game but the camera angle during the racing game could get a little crazy.

Graphics: 7.2
The majority of the characters in the game look almost identical to the TV (except for Sandy). The stages just don’t have the same amount of detail as the main characters and lack the colorfulness of the cartoon show.

Sound: 6.0
The sound effects and music in the game did a capable job but will probably disappoint some gamers. There are hardly any noticeable themes from the TV show used during the game. There is zero voice acting or phrases spoken by the characters during the game.

Difficulty: Easy
This game probably won’t take more than a couple days (at the most to complete). The game does include a difficult selection mode in case you find the game too easy.

Concept: 7.0
The game tries to give you a nice package of different gaming elements in one game. You get the standard GBA 2D side-scrolling game, a racing game, a rhythm button-pressing game, and Space Invader & Breakout influenced mini games.  It’s an admirable package but the core gameplay just doesn’t help the premise.

Overall: 6.7
If you’re a fan of the show or know a younger gamer that’s a fan then they should enjoy this game. The characters look just like the show and controlling all four of the main characters is a great treat. The different gameplay elements offer a broad gaming experience for just one game. But no matter how varied the gameplay of the game doesn’t stand above or side to side with other games on the GBA. The core gameplay for each level in the game is boring, repetitive and lacking imagination. You will probably mention to yourself  “Hey this isn’t that bad but I can play something else on the GBA much better than this.”