Players control SpongeBob, Patrick and Sandy (except in the GBA and PC version, where in the GBA version, players controls SpongeBob only. In the PC version you can play as SpongeBob in various parts of Bikini Bottom.) Players also battle robot bosses such as Sandy, Plankton, Squidward, Patrick, and SpongeBob (Though you can only battle Robot Squidward in the GBA version). Players can also switch between characters at bus stops throughout the game. Core gameplay involves collecting items and defeating the robots which have attacked Bikini Bottom, whilst crossing platforms and avoiding environmental hazards like spikes and flames. A number of mini-games are also accessible throughout the game, like Whack-A-Tiki, The Rolling Ball, Ske-Ball, The Funnel Machines, or Cruise Bubble Challenge.
The core gameplay resembles other 3D platformers like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie, requiring players to collect three main types of items. Shiny objects are the game's currency, and can ...