It is way past time us Bikini Bottom addicts were gifted with a SpongeBob cooking game. Tilting Point’s recent roll out of SPONGEBOB: KRUSTY COOK-OFF for iOS has been met with mixed reviews. Before we take a deeper dive into the actual components of gameplay, I want to address the ever-present issue of a free-to-play game.
I can empathize that the actuality of creating a free-to-play game is challenging. I get it—I really do, but maybe just charge people $4.99 for the game right off the bat and save everyone the agony of getting into a game, only to be stonewalled by purchase requirements, not to mention the hair loss from frantically pulling it out with constant advertisements. The market for paid features would not exist if it weren’t for folks who will hand over their money without hesitation, but it angers the majority of people, especially in a game like this where to essentially get any upgrades of value, you have to fork over real cash money. I am about to end my rant, but I say all this because it does tie into the ranking of the game as a whole, because left and right I am seeing people ditch this game as a consequence of paid features nearly essential to the enjoyment of the game.
Onto actual gameplay.
If you love the zany SpongeBob banter (and you would be crazy not to), your finger will never touch the “skip dialogue” button. Mr. Krabs is just as cheap as ever, Squidward as grumpy, Patrick as much of a doofus, and SpongeBob just as…well…SpongeBob-y. It’s great, I could play for the narrative alone. In true Krusty Krab style, the kooky culinary concoctions get stranger and more complex. All the quirks that you expect from our square-shaped friend are overflowing, and it is—indeed—a treat.
The pace of SPONGEBOB: KRUSTY COOK-OFF, free-to-play controversy aside, is spot on for the cooking genre. Stress levels spike as we progress further into the saga, but at a steady and reasonable rate. Who wouldn’t be a little stressed with a bunch of impatient sea creatures staring you down as you attempt to flawlessly execute their order? We can’t all be like Squidward, grumbling and groaning through our shift.
If SPONGBOB: KRUSTY COOK-OFF was an all-inclusive paid game, I would have very little, if anything, to complain about. The mechanics are clean, hilarious storyline, with graphics familiar to the cult-favorite cartoon. But the gameplay growth is significantly stunted with all the locked features that require real money and that is a real deterrent. Instead of giving this a numerical rating, I say if you are willing to pay, by all means, live it up with Bikini Bottom’s best fry cook. If you want satisfaction that is truly free, this is a pass.
Check Out the SPONGBOB: KRUSTY COOK-OFF Trailer:
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off is available for free via iOS and Android.
For more information, visit https://spongebobkrustycookoff.com/
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Kendra grew up in the era where playing Donkey Kong in the dentist's office was a thing. Her creative mind enjoys the imaginative genius that goes into the intricate worlds and enticing narratives that have become the new wave of gaming. Forever a devotee of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, Kendra has stepped into the next generation of gaming with favorites like God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Spider-Man. She is always looking for the next gaming challenge and utilizes her fancy English degree to articulate her detailed reviews for hungry gamers like you.
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