SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam

SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam
Xbox Live cover art
Developer(s)	Blitz Arcade
Publisher(s)	THQ (until 2013) THQ Nordic (2018)
Director(s)	John Jarvis
Producer(s)	Team Bubble
Designer(s)	Jonathan Biddle
Programmer(s)	Michael Higgs Duncan Fewkes Alex May
Artist(s)	Rich Jones
Composer(s)	Matt Black
Series	SpongeBob SquarePants
Engine	BlitzTech
Platform(s)	Xbox 360 (XBLA)
Release	December 26, 2007
Genre(s)	Action
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam is an action puzzle video game developed by Blitz Arcade featuring licensed characters from SpongeBob SquarePants. The game was released on Xbox Live Arcade on December 26, 2007.^[1][2] The game, along with Screwjumper!, is publisher THQ's first game designed for download.^[3] It was delisted from the Xbox Live Marketplace in January 2013 after the bankruptcy of THQ. It was later relisted on September 24, 2018, by its successor company THQ Nordic,^[4] and was also made available on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S via backwards compatibility on November 15, 2021.^[5]

Plot

A current storm has spread a shipment of the undergarments of Lord of the Sea Neptune's underwear, spreading them across the ocean floor. Neptune has called upon SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Plankton, and Sandy to collect the lost undergarments, with a reward offered to the one who collects the most underwear.^[6]

Gameplay

Screenshot of gameplay.

Players progress through 9 levels of play by collecting 99 pairs of underwear in each.^[7] Playable characters include SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Eugene Krabs, Sheldon Plankton and Sandy Cheeks.^[6][8] Levels are populated by jellyfish, who can swim away with pairs of underpants. These stolen underpants can only be retrieved by attacking the jellyfish, failure to attack at the right moment results in an electrical shock. Most pairs of underpants are scattered around levels, though several are hidden in objects such as pipes and boxes which must be destroyed. Power-ups such as a magnet to draw in nearby bloomers can be collected throughout the levels,^[9] though some can have negative effects such as reversing the controls.^[8]

Reception

Underpants Slam has a score of 55 on Metacritic^[10] and a score of 3.5 out of 5 on GamesRadar.^[7]

References

1. Kietzmann, Ludwig (2007-12-21). "This Wednesday: SpongeBob gives XBLA 'Underpants Slam!'". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
2. "SpongeBob SquarePants Underpants Slam!". marketplace.xbox.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
3. Sinclair, Brendan (2007-10-24). "SpongeBob launches THQ XBLA efforts". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2019-03-01. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
4. Smith, Rebecca (2018-09-05). "August 2018 Delistings: Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved and Relistings". Archived from the original on 2019-08-14. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
5. Lo, Peggy (2021-11-15). "Celebrate 20 years of Xbox with over 70 new Backward Compatible Games". Retrieved 2021-11-15.
6. "SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam - Game Detail Page". Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
7. Sewart, Greg (2008-01-02). "SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam! - Xbox Live Arcade review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
8. Chapman, David (2008-01-03). "SpongeBob SquarePants: bloomers Slam! Review (Xbox 360)". TeamXbox. Archived from the original on 2008-01-07. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
9. Ahearn, Nate (2008-01-02). "SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam! Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-01-04.^{[dead link‍]}
10. "SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam! For Xbox 360 Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2019-03-31. Retrieved 2019-10-09.