Honestly, if you grew up in the mid-2000s, your gaming diet was probably 50% licensed tie-ins. Some were masterpieces. Most were... well, they were definitely games. But then there’s Nicktoons Attack of the Toybots. Released in 2007 by THQ and developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment, it’s the third entry in that weirdly ambitious Nicktoons Unite! series. It’s a game where SpongeBob and Jimmy Neutron team up to fight an army of plastic clones.
It’s bizarre. It’s clunky. Yet, for some reason, it sticks in the brain like old chewing gum.
The Plot: Krabby Patties and Gas Power?
The story starts with Professor Calamitous—voiced by the legendary Tim Curry—competing on a reality show called The Biggest Genius. His master plan? He’s abducting Nicktoons characters and scanning them to create "Master Models." But here is where it gets truly unhinged: he’s feeding fairies Krabby Patties so they produce a magical gas. When you mix that gas with ghost energy from Danny Phantom's world, you get fuel for a toy robot army.
Yes. Farting fairies are the canonical fuel source for the apocalypse.
You start as SpongeBob, who has to sneak into the EvilToyCo factory disguised as a robot. Eventually, you’re rescuing a massive roster of characters. We’re talking Danny Phantom, Sam Manson, Timmy Turner, and Tak from Tak and the Power of Juju. Even Jenny Wakeman (XJ-9) from My Life as a Teenage Robot shows up.
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The Gameplay: Mechs and Repetition
Nicktoons Attack of the Toybots is basically a beat-em-up with some light platforming. On the Wii and PS2 versions, you’re usually swapping between two characters. Each has a unique ability. Danny can go through walls, while Tak can climb vines. But if we’re being real, most characters feel almost identical when you’re actually fighting. You’re just mashing the same button to smack a robotic teddy bear until it explodes.
Then there are the mechs.
Jimmy Neutron, being the resident genius, builds these massive mechanical suits. These sections turn the game into a third-person shooter. You’re stomping around Bikini Bottom or Amity Park, blasting giant toy versions of your favorite heroes. It’s actually pretty satisfying, even if the controls feel a bit floaty. The Wii version tried to use motion controls for aiming, which was... ambitious for 2007.
Why People Actually Remember It
While the gameplay might be repetitive, the fan service was top-tier for its time. This wasn't just the "Big Four" anymore. The developers dug deep into the Nickelodeon vault.
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- Invader Zim and GIR: Seeing Zim's Irken technology and having GIR as a playable character felt like a huge win for fans of the cult classic.
- Rocko's Modern Life: Rocko appearing as a cameo (or playable in some versions) was a massive nod to the 90s kids who were probably too old for this game but played it anyway.
- The Voice Cast: Most of the original actors returned. Hearing Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Tara Strong (Timmy), and David Kaufman (Danny) really helped sell the crossover.
The Hidden "Creepy" Factor
There’s a weird bit of internet history attached to this game too. On the back of the "Mr. Huggles" toy boxes in one level, there’s a wall of text. If you look closely, it’s not just nonsense. It includes a cryptic message about not letting a bear swallow its tongue. It’s the kind of tiny, unsettling detail that fueled early YouTube "creepypasta" videos and still gets discussed in niche gaming circles today.
The Technical Reality Check
Let’s be intellectually honest: the game hasn't aged perfectly. Critics at the time, like the folks over at IGN, gave it around a 6/10. The levels are surprisingly long—sometimes 20 minutes each—which can feel like a slog for a kid's game. The gravity feels weirdly heavy, so jumping doesn't always go where you want it to.
Also, if you played the handheld versions (DS or GBA), you had a completely different experience. The GBA version was a 2D platformer developed by Firemint. It was famously difficult and had some pretty ugly character sprites. The DS version was better, adding characters like El Tigre and Mr. Blik from Catscratch, which weren't even on the home consoles.
How to Play It Today
If you’re looking to revisit Nicktoons Attack of the Toybots, you’ve got a few options. Since THQ went through its massive restructuring and became THQ Nordic, these older licensed titles are rarely re-released due to complex IP rights between Nickelodeon and the developers.
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- Original Hardware: Tracking down a PS2 or Wii copy is your best bet for the "authentic" experience. They aren't particularly expensive on the secondhand market.
- Emulation: Dolphin (for Wii/GameCube) or PCSX2 (for PS2) can run this game beautifully in 4K. It actually looks surprisingly crisp when the resolution is bumped up, even if the textures are a bit simple.
- Steam/Modern Consoles: Don't hold your breath. Unlike SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated, there hasn't been any official word on a remaster for the Nicktoons Unite series.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re feeling the itch for some Nickelodeon nostalgia, don't just jump into the first eBay listing you see. Start by checking out a "Longplay" on YouTube to see if the gameplay is as fun as you remember—nostalgia can be a liar. If you do decide to play, try to find the Wii version over the PS2; the "Hero Zones" where you use specific character powers feel a bit more interactive with the remote. Also, keep an eye out for the Master Model collectibles. Finding all of them is the only way to unlock the full gallery and satisfy that completionist urge.
Whether it’s a masterpiece or just a cash-in is up for debate, but there’s no denying the weird charm of seeing Danny Phantom and SpongeBob team up to fight a giant mechanical Jimmy Neutron.
Next Step: You can look up the "Mr. Huggles" easter egg on YouTube to see the creepy texture for yourself, or check out the voice cast list to see which other 90s legends made a secret appearance.