SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam! - Xbox Live Arcade review

Jan 2, 2008

THQ’s post-Christmas present to you is the first of no doubt many downloadable games featuring the SpongeBob SquarePants license. But unlike most previous games starring Bikini Bottom’s most famous inhabitant, Underpants Slam is actually a pretty decent time-waster.

The general idea in Underpants Slam is to move about each new level avoiding jellyfish, finding items to break, and collecting 99 pairs of underpants. Once all 99 unmentionables are found, SpongeBob and his friends can move on to the next locale.

Obviously, this game isn’t meant for the 20- or 30-something, hardcore player. But as a kids’ game, Underpants Slam gets the job done. The controls are tight and easy to learn, the graphics are just about perfect, and the game play is challenging without being too difficult.

Along with a time trial mode, Underpants Slam includes multiplayer options such as “it” and a fighting mode that can both be played either on a single system, or over Xbox Live. These are just as enjoyable - and similarly easy to play - as the single-player game.