View source for Employee of the Month (video game)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Employee of the Month'' (video game)}}
{{D|the video game|Employee of the Month}}
{{VTab}}
{{Video game
|name = ''Employee of the Month''
|Image = <gallery>
SBSPVGEmployee.jpg|Cover
SpongeBob Employee of the Month - Logo 1.png|Logo
</gallery>
|Developer = AWE Games
|Publisher = [[THQ]]<br>{{Flag|UK}} Focus Multimedia<br>{{Flag|RUS}} 1C-SoftClub
|Series = {{SBSP}}
|Released = {{Flag|USA}} {{Time|October 1}}, {{Time|2002}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061210145126/http://pc.ign.com/objects/664/664072.html SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month - IGN]</ref><br>{{Flag|RUS}} {{Time|March 26}}, {{Time|2010}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130403100954/http://www.snowball.ru/gubka/?page=news Губка Боб Квадратные Штаны. Работник месяца — в продаже - Snowball]</ref>
|Genre = {{W|Adventure game|Point-and-Click Adventure}}
|Modes = {{W|Single-player video game|Single-player}}
|Ratings = ESRB: {{Ratings|ESRB|E}}<br>PEGI: {{Ratings|PEGI|3}}<br>ACB: {{Ratings|ACB|G}}
|Platforms = {{W|Personal computer|PC}}
|Requirements = Windows 98/ME/XP<br>Pentium II 266 MHz<br>32 MB of RAM<br>4 MB video card<br>8X CD-ROM Drive<br>16-bit sound card<br>500 MB hard disk space
}}
'''''Employee of the Month''''' is a {{SBSP}} video game that was released on {{Time|October 1}}, {{Time|2002}} in North America for the {{W|Personal computer|PC}}. The video game was developed by AWE Games and published by {{W|THQ}}. This is also the second licensed [[List of games|''SpongeBob'' video game]] to be developed and published by them (the first being ''[[Operation Krabby Patty]]''). It is a point-and-click computer game.

Despite its title, it is not related to the [[season 1]] [[Employee of the Month|episode of the same name]].

===Characters===
*{{Link|SpongeBob SquarePants}}
*[[Sandy Cheeks]]
*[[Patrick Star]]
*[[Squidward Tentacles]]
*[[Eugene H. Krabs]]
*[[Sheldon J. Plankton]]
*[[Gary the Snail]] {{Mentioned}}
*[[Incidental 157|4,133 twins]] {{Debut}}
*[[Incidental 41|Marty]] {{Debut}}
*[[Nelson]] {{Debut}}
*[[Incidental 211]] {{Cameo}}
*[[Carlton Ritts]] {{Debut}}
*[[Incidental 7|Dame Mackerel]] {{Debut}}
*[[Eugene the Cashier]] {{Debut}}
*[[Rock Bottom information lady]] {{Debut}}
*[[Tiffany the Receptionist]] {{Debut}}
*[[Jojo the Repairman]] {{Debut}}
*[[Marlin the Weather Wizard]] {{Debut}}
*[[Soil]] {{Cameo}}
*Stella {{Debut}}
*[[Grandma SquarePants]]
*[[Larry the Lobster]]
*[[Flying Dutchman]] {{Sup|(voice only)}}
*[[Mermaid Man]]
*[[Barnacle Boy]]
*[[SquidBob (Employee of the Month)|SquidBob]] {{Debut}}
*[[Shapiro the Maitre'd]] {{Debut}}
*[[Cowfish Craig]] {{Debut}}
*Snake
*[[Ray]] {{Debut}}
*[[Federico the Waiter]] {{Debut}}
*[[Incidental 150|Lisa the Coat Check Girl]] {{Debut}}
*[[Tony the Bouncer]] {{Debut}}
*[[Mohawk brute 1|Big Mac the Bartender]] {{Debut}}
*[[Incidental 214|Gary Gulper]] {{Debut}}
*[[Incidental 150|Pretty jewelry girl]] {{Debut}}
*[[Intercom]] {{Single appearance}}

==Story==
==="Chapter 1: Employee of the Year"===
SpongeBob wins the "Employee of the Month" award once again, so Mr. Krabs decides to name him the "Employee of the Year." He then receives a mysterious mail package containing two free tickets to "[[Neptune's Paradise]]," and later gives them to SpongeBob for winning the ''"Employee of the Year"'' award, with SpongeBob saying they must've cost a fortune; however, they were free.

====Locations====
*[[Krusty Krab]]
*[[Bikini Bottom|Downtown Bikini Bottom]]
*[[Goo Lagoon]]
*[[Grandma SquarePants' house]]
*[[Barg'N-Mart]]

==="Chapter 2: Hitting Rock Bottom"===
SpongeBob and Patrick get on the [[bus]] but suddenly, the weather gets really bad, so they get lost and end up stuck in [[Rock Bottom (city)|Rock Bottom]] (again). The bus driver refuses to drive out of Rock Bottom until the storm passes, so the goal is to figure out why the weather is stormy and to try and fix it.

====Locations====
*[[Rock Bottom]]
*[[Rock Bottom Bus Station]]
*[[WSEA TV]]
*[[Rusty Anchor]]
*[[Marlin's Cave]]

==="Chapter 3: Back to Square One"===
They get out of Rock Bottom, but SpongeBob and Patrick do some annoying things on the bus, so the bus driver tricks them and says that the bus ran out of gas. They get left behind and have to find a new way to get to Neptune's Paradise. The goal is to get on [[Sandy's rocket (object)|Sandy's rocket]].

====Locations====
*[[Diner]]
*[[Jellyfish Fields]]
*[[Conch Street]] ({{Link|SpongeBob}}, {{Link|Squidward}}, and {{Link|Patrick}}'s houses)
*[[Sardine's Sundries]]
*Squidward's Dream
*{{Link|Sandy's treedome}}

==="Chapter 4: Bottoms Up!"===
The oxygen fuel tank in Sandy's rocket runs out of oxygen (thanks to Patrick stepping on the gas pump) and they get stuck in [[Bottoms Up]]. The goal is to get the oxygen tanks filled at a place called [[Oxygen Springs]] so that SpongeBob and Patrick can get to Neptune's Paradise. But the real question is: "where will SpongeBob find a jacket?"

====Locations====
*Rocket Crash
*Oxygen Springs
*[[Waverly Hills]]
*[[Sublime Seafoods]]

In the ending sequence, SpongeBob, Patrick and Sandy get to Neptune's Paradise, but an employee tells them that the park is closed to make way for a private party, upsetting SpongeBob and Patrick and causing them to cry (although Patrick was only wailing and banging his arms and legs on the floor as if he was having a tantrum). He says it is "SpringBoob SquirePin's" party, but Sandy corrects him. SpongeBob and Patrick are overjoyed, and several characters that they met throughout the game jump out yelling "Surprise!" They all then enjoy the rides and attractions while having a good time.

The ending shows them all leaving [[Neptune's Paradise]], except Patrick, who is still in the bumper boats.

==Development==
===General===
*The bus schedule in the [[Rock Bottom]] bus station was intended to be an animated LED sign instead of a regular sign.
*There is a rough animation of the fountain in [[Bottoms Up]] filling itself with water.
*There's two unused models of Incidentals [[Incidental 111|111]] (tuxdude1) and [[Incidental 150|150]] (tuxdude2) dressed in tuxedo. They were most likely meant to be seen in Sublime Seafoods.
*A [[Jellyfish net]] and [[SpongeBob's glasses|jellyfishing glasses]] were planned to be items in the game.<ref>[https://tcrf.net/SpongeBob_SquarePants:_Employee_of_the_Month SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month - The Cutting Room Floor]</ref>

===Demo===
*The copyright screen is very primitive in the demo compared to the final version.<ref>[https://tcrf.net/Proto:SpongeBob_SquarePants:_Employee_of_the_Month Proto:SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month - The Cutting Room Floor]</ref>

===Prerelease===
*According to Kevin Prior, a game tester on ''Employee of the Month'', a lot of adult jokes were removed from the game before launch.<ref>[https://www.tiktok.com/@kpprior/video/7109272875059924270 Kevin P on TikTok: "My first video game testing job"]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWpYlmM8eX4&t=960s We go behind the scenes with Kevin Prior! (Actor, Video Game Tester) - Croaked]</ref>
*SpongeBob isn't wearing his Krusty Krab hat near the Krusty Krab.
*There is no telescope icon in all of the screenshots.
*At the bus stop, Patrick's hat is the same color as his pants.
*At [[Mussel Beach]], the shovel and pail next to {{Link|Larry}} are pink.
{{Section-expand}}

===Screenshots===
<gallery position="center" widths="180">
Sbemployee tuxdude1.png|Tuxdude1.
Sbemployee tuxdude2.png|Tuxdude2.
Sbemployee ifn1 model.grn.png|A jellyfishing net.
Sbemployee igl1 model.png|A jellyfishing glasses.
</gallery>

==Reception==
Tom King of {{W|Adventure Gamers}} rated the game 3 out of 5, and praised its fun gameplay and colorful graphics, but also called it, "Very easy, and extremely short." King wrote, "The replay value is moderate to low; it took some 3.5 hours for me to complete, and although the game is certainly fun enough to play more than once, you're not going to see anything different. Were this game just a little longer, I would add a half-star to the score."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160716084046/https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17610 SpongeBob SquarePants Review - Adventure Gamers]</ref>

The editors of ''{{W|Computer Gaming World}}'' nominated this game for their {{Time|2003}} "Adventure Game of the Year" award, but ultimately lost to ''{{W|Uplink (video game)|Uplink: Hacker Elite}}''.<ref>Editors from CGW (March 2004)</ref> During the {{W|6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards}}, the {{W|Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences}} nominated this game for "{{W|D.I.C.E. Award for Family Game of the Year|Family Game of the Year}}," but ultimately lost to ''[https://www.mariowiki.com/Mario_Party_4 Mario Party 4]''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050205041937/http://interactive.org/awards/IAA-6/winners.asp 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Winners - Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]</ref>

==Walkthrough==
[[File:SpongeBob SquarePants Employee of the Month - Longplay|thumb|center|340px]]

==Trivia==
===General===
*The outfit that Patrick wears throughout most of the game, (a green baseball cap, a lavender shirt, a camera, and his usual green swim trunks with purple flowers), was first seen on him at the beginning of "[[Neptune's Spatula]]."
*When Mr. Krabs opens the envelope containing tickets to Neptune's Paradise, the name "Nickelodeon" can be identified on the blurred-out stamp.
*SpongeBob has a pinup of Sandy in his locker at the Krusty Krab.
*Up until the [[season 10]] episode "[[Whirly Brains]]," the [[Jewelry Store]] seen in the [[Bikini Bottom|Downtown Bikini Bottom]] area was only ever seen in this game and ''[[SuperSponge]]'', an earlier video game. While it has appeared in a few more episodes since, this is still the only time the store's interior has been shown.
**The location was originally created for the season 1 episode "[[Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II]]," in which it would've been featured in a robbery scene. However, this scene was cut from the final episode.
*In chapter one when Mr. Krabs is naked in the [[Barg'N-Mart]], a pile of cans in the foreground are covering his crotch. When pointing the cursor over them, the game will say, "Look at Strategically Placed Cans."
*This is the first ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' video game where [[Kelpo]] appears.
*At the [[Rock Bottom bus station]], if the player asks Marty what is he watching on TV, he says that he's watching "CHiMPS," which is a parody of the {{Time|1977}} television series ''{{W|CHiPs}}''.
*In the "Rock Bottom" level, all of the characters talk normally, while in the show the Rock Bottom citizens blow raspberries in between sentences.
*If the player clicks on the ''[[Operation Krabby Patty]]'' poster inside WSEA TV, SpongeBob breaks [[List of fourth wall breaks|the fourth wall]] by saying, "Ooo! ''Operation Krabby Patty''! That was my very first game... good times, good times."
**Technically, this is not true because ''[[Legend of the Lost Spatula]]'' was the first ''SpongeBob'' game to be released, and in Europe, ''SuperSponge'' also came out before-hand. However, ''Operation Krabby Patty'' was the first ''SpongeBob'' PC game.
*After talking to the information lady in Rock Bottom, she says, "You can check out any time you like - but you can never leave." This is a reference to the song "{{W|Hotel California}}" by {{W|Eagles (band)|The Eagles}}.
*In chapter two, there is a man named Jojo fixing an antenna who asks SpongeBob for a soda, and SpongeBob gets him a Diet Caffeine Free Coral Cola with a Lemon Twist; the drink is a reference to the episode "[[No Weenies Allowed]]."
*When pointing the cursor over the giant candle in the room with the slot machine in chapter two, the game will say, "Look at Giant Freakin' Candle."
*SpongeBob notices a calendar from {{Time|1969}} at [[Sardine's Sundries]] and if the player clicks on it, he says, "That calendar needs to be updated! Who are {{W|The Doobie Brothers}}?"
*The names of the two characters, Marty and Nelson, might be a reference to the actor and musician named Marty Nelson.
*When the rocket in Sandy's treedome is blasting off at the end of chapter three, there are two trees in the treedome instead of one. This is likely an error in scene production.
*The way SpongeBob cries and absorbs his tears in the ending after finding out that Neptune's Paradise is closed is a reference to the episode "[[Pizza Delivery]]."
*The "SpringBoob SquirePin" joke is taken from the episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II."
*In the ending cutscene, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, and Plankton can be heard talking, though they don't physically appear in Neptune's Paradise. 
**Additionally, [[Joe Whyte]]'s lines for Mr. Krabs are used in that cutscene, despite [[Clancy Brown]] voicing him in earlier parts of this video game.
*The plot of this game is similar to ''{{W|National Lampoon's Vacation}}'':
**In the movie, the Griswolds win a free trip to Wally World; in the game, SpongeBob wins free tickets to Neptune's paradise.
**Both parties face various obstacles when attempting to get to the destination.
**When the parties finally reach the destination, they find the park is closed (Wally World is closed due to a two-week repair, the tickets to Neptune's Paradise were for the next week), and the protagonist is upset (Clark threatens the owner with a BB gun, getting the family nearly arrested by the SWAT team; SpongeBob cries continuously).
**The families end up being let into the park anyway for special circumstances (The Griswolds when Roy Wally forgives them for all they've done to make it this far, SpongeBob when the park turns out to have a private party for him).
*Grandma SquarePants is listed as '''Grandma Sponge''' in the <tt>manual.txt</tt> file and the credits for this video game.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" captionalign="center">
Sb employee of the month cover RUS.png|Russian cover
SpongeBob- Employee of the Month - Back cover (Russian).jpeg|Russian back cover
Employee of the Month (PC, Hungarian).png|Hungarian cover
2439 30874624 1.jpg|Korean cover
SpongeBob SquarePants Employee of the Month PC disc.jpg|NTSC disc
SpongeBob- Employee of the Month - Disc (Russian).jpeg|Russian disc
Clock that uses the same art.jpg|Clock that uses the same art
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Wikipedia|SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month}}
{{Video games}}
[[Category:Games]]