Dive Into Bikini Bottom: Make the Most of the New SpongeBob Movie
With The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants hitting theaters on December 19, 2025, now is the perfect moment to merchandise a family-friendly, high-recognition IP across your arcade floor. This blog post showcases the full lineup of SpongeBob-themed games available, highlighting how locations can leverage the movie to boost engagement, attract families, and increase revenue.
Why SpongeBob, Why Now
SpongeBob remains a multigenerational draw with strong awareness among families and young adults. A holiday theatrical release means fresh attention and organic demand, which operators can convert into plays, repeat visits, and birthday-party bookings by spotlighting SpongeBob games and cross-promoting showtimes.
The Location Playbook: Promotions That Work
Movie-Night Bundle: Offer a ‘Play & Popcorn’ package: X credits on SpongeBob titles + concession voucher. Promote from now through January to capitalize on holiday traffic.
Collect-to-Win: Where titles support cards/chips, run a punch-card promo: collect all cards → bonus tickets or prize (e.g., Pirates of Bikini Bottom).
Photo-Op + UGC: Stage a small Bikini Bottom photo backdrop near the games; encourage posts with a branded hashtag for weekly prize draws.
Beat the Bonus Nights: Schedule short competitions with leaderboard prizes to drive mid-week traffic.
SpongeBob Games
SpongeBob SquarePants: Wacky Racer (Andamiro) — Two-player whacking game with a racing twist. Players hit popping tire targets to advance up the track; the first to reach the lit trophy wins. A bright, vertical presence that’s easy to understand and spectate.
SpongeBob Pirates of Bikini Bottom (Andamiro): Ball pusher that uses miniature balls instead of tokens. Shoot into a moving treasure chest to fill the bubble meter and trigger a prize wheel. Includes a collectible 9-card set.
SpongeBob Swish (Andamiro): Compact basketball-style redemption game with joystick and button controls. Moving backboard, dynamic scoring, and a reel-spin bonus for big tickets.
SpongeBob SquarePants Ticket Coaster (Andamiro): Two-player island cabinet set in Glove World. Players drop a ball down a corkscrew ramp and time the landing into one of nine coaster cars for tickets.
SpongeBob SquarePants VR Bubble Coaster (Andamiro/Rilix): Unattended two-seat VR experience featuring hand-tracking bubble popping and haptic feedback. Includes multiple themed rides like Goo Lagoon and Krusty Krab.
SpongeBob SquarePants VR: Dynamic Duo – (Bay Tek): This 2-player VR game is attendant-free and jam-packed with thrilling motion and effects. Patrons play as SpongeBob and Patrick, working together to help jump-start Mr. Krab’s new delivery service.
Tie-In with the New Movie
Promote a ‘See it in Theaters, Play it Here’ message starting this holiday season. Highlight the new SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (in theaters December 19, 2025) across signage, social, and digital promotions.
Run the movie trailer on lobby displays and link guests to local showtimes.
Offer a bonus spin or free play on any SpongeBob title with proof of a same-day ticket stub.
Encourage staff to direct families to the SpongeBob area when asked about new attractions.
Don’t forget to fill your claw machines with SpongeBob merchandise.
Summary
The resurgence of SpongeBob through a major theatrical release presents operators with a powerful opportunity to leverage nostalgia, attract families, and refresh their arcade spaces. Betson’s SpongeBob lineup offers a range of games that pair perfectly with the renewed pop-culture attention around the franchise.
