Who lives in a pineapple under the sea and hopes to win the Bikini Bottom Typing Tournament? SpongeBob SquarePants, of course! He doesn't know how to type, but he won't let a little thing like that stop him, and besides, that's where you come in; your job is to bail SpongeBob out while you polish your typing skills. If you do well, SpongeBob may win a Seanut Butter and Jellyfish sandwich. If your typing leaves a lot to be desired, SpongeBob will soon be known as SpongeBob LoserPants.

SpongeBob SquarePants Typing 2008 puts its own twist on typing drills. Instead of typing about quick brown foxes and lazy dogs, you'll be typing tidbits about SpongeBob's life under the sea.

There are 17 typing lessons and five challenge levels. The interface is colorful, cheerful and simple enough for most children to navigate. The lessons cover the basics -- including good posture and proper hand and finger placement -- and automatically adjust in difficulty to match a child's progress. Kids can proceed through in a linear fashion or use the "freestyle mode" to complete lessons in any order they choose. The emphasis is on learning to type accurately rather than quickly, with an ultimate goal of typing 15 words per minute. Kids earn a certificate for each lesson they complete successfully.

The games area rewards kids for their efforts and encourages them to keep working their way through the lessons. SpongeBob himself provides plenty of support, although his comments don't always match the action. The practice area includes a collection of short stories and poems that can help reinforce skills learned so far.

SpongeBob SquarePants Typing 2008 offers an entertaining, light-hearted way to entice younger kids to learn how to type.


Pros: Good value and lots of fun, interface is easy to navigate, kids won't need much help from Mom and Dad
Cons: Not as comprehensive as other typing tutors, the characters' constant commentary can get repetitive and annoying