NEWS - Wednesday, November 5, 2003
SpongeBob SquarePants!
Games Hit PlayStation(R)2, Xbox(TM), GameCube(R) and Game Boy(R) Advance Backed By Critical Praise From Industry Press THQ(R) Inc. and Nickelodeon today announced that SpongeBob SquarePants(TM): Battle for Bikini Bottom for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, Microsoft’s Xbox(TM) game console, and Nintendo’s GameCube(R) and Game Boy(R) Advance is now available at retailers throughout North America. Similar to Nickelodeon’s chart-topping animated television show on which they are based, the titles appeal to gamers of all ages and have received high critical praise. "SpongeBob-branded videogames have achieved sales in excess of 3 million units at retail," stated Tiffany Ternan, Senior Vice President, North American Sales and Distribution, THQ. "We feel this year’s titles are poised to perform strongly at retail, as we have delivered an engaging platformer with fantastic game play that truly appeals to mature gamers as well as the large dedicated audience of the incredibly popular Nickelodeon show." "SpongeBob SquarePants continues to grow its audience and capture new viewers with its quirky humor," stated Steve Youngwood, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Media Products Group. "SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom perfectly replicates and expands upon that humor, translating it into interactive comedy for every major gaming system." In SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, the evil Plankton has set in motion his most diabolical plot ever to take over the world. The fate of Bikini Bottom has been put in the hands (or small tentacles) of three unsuspecting heroes - SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star and Sandy Cheeks -- all playable characters with their own special moves. Players can pull off insane new maneuvers like "tongue boarding," "underwear bungee jumping," and "lasso coptering," and enjoy power-ups like the "guided cruise bubble." They will encounter familiar friends as they explore 50 levels in 10 huge 3D worlds, looking for hidden items to unlock, secret rewards, soaking up SpongeBob humor, and finally putting an end to Plankton’s rotten scheme. The release of SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom is backed by a comprehensive, multi-million dollar marketing campaign targeting both the younger and twenty-something demographics. The campaign includes national broadcast exposure, print and online advertising, and promotional tie-ins. Critical response to SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom has been positive, including the following comments from the games enthusiast press: -- "Try it, you’ll love it, we promise it’s good. It plays just like platform games really should. 4.5 out of 5 stars." - Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine -- "The best game featuring a talking sponge ever!...Heavy Iron (has) to be one of the industry’s most underrated developers. They’ve taken SpongeBob...and somehow transferred every inch of its absurdity into an ageless video game. I never knew collecting gold spatulas or tongue boarding could be so much fun!" - Play Magazine -- "This game looks like it’s going to be a really solid, entertaining platformer. It has a sense of humor that plays well to both adults and children...Smart gamers will give it a try." - GameNow -- "Masterful stroke of kiddy genius...but SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom isn’t just for kids. It’s for all ages." - ign.com -- The PS2 SpongeBob game has more in common with something like Spyro or Crash than with the previous games, which were aimed square(pants)ly at kids....This is a cool platform game designed to appeal to real fans, of which there are many." - Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom is also currently available for PC. For more information on SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, or the rest of THQ’s upcoming adventures, please visit http://www.thq.com.Source: http://www.thq.com
