Core gameplay involves collecting items and defeating the robots which have attacked various areas in Bikini Bottom, whilst crossing platforms and avoiding environmental hazards like spikes and flames. Some areas require different characters to beat, as each character has their own unique abilities. The player can control SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy, except in the Game Boy Advance and PC version, in which the only playable character is SpongeBob. Switching characters in console versions require the player to find a Bus Stop. Upon using the said Bus Stop, the current character will switch to another, and using it again will switch back to the previous character, giving the player an option of two characters in each level. The default character throughout the game is SpongeBob; Sandy and Patrick do not appear together as playable characters in any of the same levels.
The core gameplay is based on a 3D platformer, requiring players to collect three main types of items. Shiny objects are the game's currency and can be used to pay tolls within game areas or to buy golden spatulas from Mr. Krabs. Golden spatulas are used to grant access to new areas, they are hidden throughout the game and can also be earned by completing tasks set by Squidward Tentacles and several other characters from the cartoon. Patrick's socks are spread throughout the game. Patrick will reward SpongeBob with a golden spatula in exchange for 10 of his socks. SpongeBob can also blow bubbles to form different shapes as special attacks/moves which can be used to advance further in the game, and can learn two new bubble moves from Bubble Buddy as the game progresses.
Props are also included in the game. Trampolines help the player bounce to further ledges or platforms, buttons activate certain things throughout the game, and pressure pads are like buttons; however, the effects of it are only active while the player stands on the pressure pad, or there is another object placed on top. Once whatever is holding down the pressure pad is removed, the effects of it are undone. There are also character specific abilities, such as Sandy being able to swing from Texas hooks, SpongeBob being able to dive downward on a bungee hook, and Patrick's ability to pick up and throw melons called "Throw Fruits" and ice cubes called "Freeze Fruits". Though some areas can be navigated by any character, several sections can only be completed with a specific character, due to each one having unique abilities. SpongeBob can create a bubble helmet for head-butting enemies. Patrick can throw objects at buttons, robots, and pressure pads, and can throw "Freeze Fruits" into bodies of Goo to freeze them. Finally, Sandy can glide over large gaps and destroy enemies and objects with her lasso.
The Windows version features a series of mini-games and greatly differs from the console versions. Gameplay for the GBA version is much different as well, as it is simply a 2D game.
Plot
The Game Boy Advance version is a 2D platform game with four chapters, each containing seven levels, all of which have their own unique puzzles. In the game, Mr. Krabs thinks the robot invasion is putting him out of business, so his assignment for SpongeBob is to fight the robots to get into the Chum Bucket to shut down Plankton's Duplicatron with the help of Mystery the Seahorse. In some levels, SpongeBob can jump on Mystery and can glide, jump higher, and eat coral and robots, while SpongeBob can only jump and glide.
In the PC game, SpongeBob and Patrick have a robot tea party with toy robots and SpongeBob wishes upon "the first falling clam" that robots "were people too." The next day, Bikini Bottom gets attacked by an army of robots. Patrick, Sandy, Gary, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs are captured by robots and locked inside cages. SpongeBob works his way through Bikini Bottom, the Flying Dutchman's Graveyard, the Kelp Forest, the Chum Bucket, and the Mermalair to locate his friends and various objects stolen by the robots. To free his friends from captivity, the player must play a game show-style trivia game where he must score 500 points to free the character from the cage. Then the player plays as the freed character in a game where the character locates more objects and battles the robots. Once all items are collected (money, magic shop items, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy's gadgets, SpongeBob's dressing clothes, and various pieces of a machine), SpongeBob must return the items to their rightful owners. After all locations' games are played, a video is unlocked for the end of the game where SpongeBob and Patrick discover that Plankton was the one behind the robot invasion. Plankton admits that it was his fault and that the robots are not listening to him and the only way to control the robots is to set the switch to "obey" mode. Instead, Patrick fools around with the machine, accidentally pulling its obey switch off, which turns off the machine and deprograms the robots. After SpongeBob and Patrick leave, Plankton tries to tell them that he will be back with another plan.
Reception
The home console versions of Battle for Bikini Bottom received mixed or average reviews from critics, according to Metacritic. The game holds a 4.5 out of 5 from the Official PlayStation Magazine. IGN rated the game a 7.3 out of 10, praising the sound, graphical style, and gameplay, saying, "While it's generic collect, jump, and kill mechanics, the variety and general SpongeBob zaniness keep things fresh." The game has won numerous awards, including favorite video game at the 2004 Kids' Choice Awards, and entered the Player's Choice, Platinum Hits, and Greatest Hits for GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 respectively. The Game Boy Advance version sold an estimated 710,000 copies, while the PlayStation 2 version sold an estimated 880,000. In 2006, Edge magazine ranked the Game Boy Advance version at number 34 on its list of "The Century's Top 50 Handheld Games," while placing the PlayStation 2 version at number 67 on its list of "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century," both lists arranged by the number of copies sold.
Years after the game's release, it has gained a cult following and a large speedrunning presence, with Heavy Iron Studios expressing interest in a remake or sequel, as well as requests from the game's fans for a remake. The latter was granted nearly two decades after the game's original release, with the announcement of Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated ahead of E3 2019.
