Developing games for children must be either hit or miss, but combining two solid ideas — an addicting casual game and a popular children’s TV show — can easily solve the crisis. The very popular casual game Diner Dash struck gold with players as it made its way to one of the top-selling downloadable games of 2004. Now with several sequels out on shelves, it was only a matter of time until this series jumped the shark to incorporate a big name. So in comes SpongeBob SquarePants: Diner Dash, which features over 50 levels in 5 underwater restaurants, 5 types of customers with their own unique stats and 2 modes of play. Overall, if your kids love SpongeBob and don’t mind some clicking, then this game is a sure-fire win for the younger (and casual) crowd.
The game’s story is very straightforward: you control SpongeBob as he works his way through the restaurants. The game follows as he serves customers, earns money and spends the money on restaurant expansions. Controlling SpongeBob is very easy; just clicking the mouse moves him to different areas and performs all tasks. As customers arrive in the restaurant, you’ll have to seat them at an empty and clean table. After the customers review their order, you take the order, hand it to the cook, deliver the prepared food to the customers, gather their check once they finished eating and then clean the table once the customers leave. Each successful action earns you money and stringing two actions together (i.e. taking orders from two tables at once) will earn you extra cash. Every level has a specific amount of cash needed to complete the level as well as an expert score so players can see how they stack up.
To add some strategy in the mix, there are 5 types of customers with different stats. These stats range from patience (either waiting in line or at a table) to the amount they’ll leave for a tip. If you use these to your advantage, you can milk the customers for what they’re worth. One specific type of customer has more patience while waiting but doesn’t tip too well, while another group may have low patience but tips very well. So you can have the patient customers wait a little longer while you serve the impatient customers to reap their higher tip. Customers have a line of hearts above their heads (or on the table while eating) which measures their mood. The longer a customer is forced to wait for anything, the unhappier they’ll get. If customers lose all their hearts, they’ll leave and you’ll lose points.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Diner Dash will be immediately familiar to fans of the show or even fans of the Diner Dash series. As far as non-casual gamers and the older crowd goes, I would advise skipping over this game, or at least trying the demo before purchase. The gameplay is very easy, the music is nice and the familiarity is very strong. Spend some time with your kids while they’re playing the game, since the fun is there. At a cheap price point, this game is a nice addition to any younger (or casual) gamer’s library.
