Nintendo Surprise-Releases SpongeBob Game

SpongeBob SquarePants is so ingrained into my generation’s culture that I hardly go a day without thinking of a quote from the show. Its legacy spread into video games as well, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom captured our hearts both as youngsters and in its remaster last year. So, I was surprised to see a SpongeBob game hit the Nintendo eShop today on a surprise release – is it worth picking up?

SpongeBob: Krusty Cook Off – Extra Krusty Edition, previously confined to mobile devices, launched on the eShop with a price tag of $29.99. Color me surprised, as the game is free-to-play on mobile. While the verdict is out on whether it’s pay-to-win (the reviews seem to confirm as much), I’m a bit befuddled as to why such a hefty amount is needed for this title. Perhaps the pay-to-win elements are toned down? I doubt it, as the game still has in-app purchases. At least it appears this version doesn’t have ads.

So, what warrants the “Extra Krusty Edition“? The Switch version of Krusty Cook Off boasts four new power-ups that can be utilized during the main gameplay. The gameplay is your standard pick-and-flick affair. Customers want a specific order, and it’s up to you to build it in a speedy manner. Your kitchen is customizable and upgradeable, and you’ll need these upgrades to meet higher and higher demands.

While we can consider a Nintendo Switch a mobile device, I’m hoping the business practices of mobile games aren’t going to be a regular thing on the device. While the history of SpongeBob games have been a mixed bag, I’d love to see The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie game get a fresh coat of paint, as it borrowed a good deal of gameplay from Battle for Bikini Bottom. However, it it looks like surprise releases of mobile games are what’s to be expected of the franchise at this point.