At completexbox we are very much community driven, and welcome guest articles, opinion pieces and reviews. This Review of SpongeBob SquarePants: A Patrick Star Game developed by PHL Collective, Published by Outright Games Ltd, is written by the very talented Guggs.
When I first heard that PHL Collective had chosen to put the spotlight on Patrick Star, I expected an experience like SpongeBob SquarePants’ latest console outings. Purple Lamp’s ‘Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated’ and 2022 follow up ‘Cosmic Shake’, both felt like the SpongeBob franchise was making some progress after some not-so-fondly received entries in the series. Both games were relatively enjoyable platforming experiences that didn’t outstay their welcomes, although for anyone over a certain age, they lacked the basics of what make platforming games so enjoyable. Still, it seemed like a solid foundation for further adventures in Bikini Bottom to be built upon.
When sitting down with A Patrick Star Game, I found the traditional level-based formula had been replaced, instead I was granted freedom from the get-go, allowing me to explore and tackle quests at my own pace. Your main goal as you make your way through the six-hour adventure is to collect enough sand dollars to compete against SpongeBob at the illustrious Fry Cook Games, and while it offers a plethora of challenges and collectibles for you to earn the dollars, as well as a few genuinely fun moments, it soon became apparent that for all its effort, beyond the well-crafted recreation of Bikini Bottom, this is little more than a collection of mini games, with a few longer missions thrown in to try to break up the repetitiveness.
Whether I was playing with Gary at the park, finding treasure for that green menace Plankton or collecting gloves conveniently placed by SpongeBob to earn sand dollars, exploring was Bikini Bottom and interacting with locations and characters was never a chore, and this was largely helped by tight controls. Underwater platforming allows you more time to line up and land those precise jumps, and mistakes made by incorrect timing can be corrected mid-action if you’re quick enough, this is especially useful for younger players as it allows them to learn without being too punishing.

Most of the world around you can be interacted with and Patrick’s ability to lift and move objects means you can take different approaches to reach the intended end goal of your current quest, as well as allowing you to get creative when trying to reach more of those all-important sand dollars. If walking becomes like too much of a chore, a quick button press allows you to roll in to a ball for quick traversal between locations, but you can also feel free to cause chaos by rolling in to things around you, would this be Patrick Star without some sort of unmitigated chaos?
It isn’t just the controls that make exploration enjoyable. It’s impressive to see the level of detail that had gone into the environment. It’s as vibrant as you’d come to expect from the TV show, with plenty of references thrown in for good measure. Characters you know are dotted throughout, although there is a limited number of times you can hear Mr. Krabs and Sandy repeat the same limited voice lines before you start to actively avoid them as much as possible. Despite the voices did become a little grating, seeing the character in iconic locations was something I particularly enjoyed. was being able to acquire additional costumes from episodes that I remembered, such as super-hero alter-ego ‘Patrick-Man’, as well as seeing others that I’d forgotten about, I’m looking at you ‘Gorilla Suit’!
My joy at my surroundings was sadly short lived once I’d scratched the surface and began to make progress. The variety of mini games on offer was a surprise, but many of them were uninspiring and some even a little dull, a stark comparison to the vividness of the location they were taking place in. As I made my way through the various dollar earning challenges, things started to become a bit of a slog. Searching for treasure soon became tedious, repetitive and I found myself wishing that there was more quality, rather than quantity. Fortunately, the addition of longer quests was a welcome change of pace and helped break up the monotony. Plankton asking me to cook in his new outdoor restaurant reminded me of a less intense Overcooked, and Mrs. Puff transforming the demolition derby stadium into a therapeutic rage room, allowing me to cause destruction were two standouts.
Summary
In this review I’ve critiqued the game from a general standpoint. Ultimately, A Patrick Star game is a simplistic sandbox adventure which will fall short for most – however for its intended audience this will prove a hit. It’ll provide a challenge, as well as give them the chance to explore somewhere they know and love. Everything is straightforward and its free-roam design means that children of all ages will be able to find something they enjoy, without having their progress halted by a level they can’t get past. Outright Games have done a fantastic job in creating an experience for younger players.
Overall
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50%
Summary
Pros
- Presentation.
- Designed well for younger gamers.
Cons
- On the shorter side.
- Not enough content for many.