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SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox)/Unused & Hidden Objects
This is a sub-page of SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox).
There are many unused objects hidden in the data for this game, ranging from unused power-ups to early versions of used items, as well as many objects obscured from normal view.
Unused Models
sundae_smelly
An unused model of the Smelly Sundae from the episode Something Smells. It was intended to be a power-up, and can be seen in pre-release footage on SpongeBob's chair.
It can be spawned into a level as a pickup; the sundae allows SpongeBob and Patrick to run faster and destroy Stone Tikis with a basic attack for about 10 seconds, all while leaving behind a trail of rancid breath. It's possible the powerup was removed because it was slightly overpowered. Strangely, the Xbox version has a higher resolution texture for the model than the other versions.
worm_bind
A textureless model of a worm can be found in Shady Shoals. This may be Mr. Krabs' worm, Mr. Doodles, from the episode As Seen on TV, although he's never seen in Shady Shoals in that episode. There are four animation files for itː two idle animations, an 'attacked' animation and a walking animation, though all are broken. The worm can be spawned into Shady Shoals as an NPC.
boss_sb_muscle_bind
An unused model of the Robo-SpongeBob boss with Anchor Arms, inspired by the episode MuscleBob BuffPants. While in the final game it does get Anchor Arms, they're only seen in a cutscene between the first and second phases of the fight. Additionally, Robo-SpongeBob doesn't wear a speedo in that cutscene. Like in the first phase of the fight, the final phase can be seen within Robo-SpongeBob's eye sockets.
Beach Fish
fish_g_beach_bind01
fish_e_beach_bind01
Two versions of the fish NPCs have Goo Lagoon variants that aren't seen anywhere in that area.
shiny_flowers
A row of early, crudely drawn shiny objects.
sign_exit_sm01
An exit sign meant for the entrance to Sand Mountain that can be found in the hub world.
shiny_object_gate
A shiny object donation box can be found in the files for the unused Patrick's Dream level. The final game uses clams for the same purpose.
boat_taxi
A model of a taxi with a UV map that does not fit the texture. While there is a taxi in the game at taxi stops, only half of it was modeled, while this unused mesh is fully intact.
sb_cabinet01 and SB_cabinet02
Two shelves meant to be seen in SpongeBob's kitchen. They can be seen outside of the kitchen via camera hacks, which suggests that they were misplaced. They are also misplaced like this in the game's remake.
Early Models
Early Flying Tiki
An early version of the Flying Tiki, which is pink and has lips. These can be seen in concept art in the Bikini Bottom Theater, as well as in the unused Patrick's Dream level. Interestingly, in the files, the used version is still called tiki_lovey_dovey.
Early Thunder Tiki
An early version of the Thunder Tiki. These can also be seen in concept art in the Bikini Bottom Theater, as well as in the unused Patrick's Dream level.
Gary Sign
An early hint sign with a picture of Gary instead of a question mark. These can be seen in the unused Goo Lagoon levels.
Soccer Ball
_3D_Patrick_%26_1_Soccer_Ball.jpg)
A soccer ball, which later became the throw fruit and took the form of a watermelon. It can be seen in several early screenshots as well as in the early Goo Lagoon level (although it doesn't load in properly), and it was likely meant to be a placeholder.
PUSH Buttons
Early buttons saying "PUSH", while in the final they have a picture of a hand. The texture for when it is pushed can be seen in an early version of the Goo Lagoon level.
Early Toll Gate
An early version of the toll gate, where the texture is different and the shell says "stop" on it. This can be seen in the early Goo Lagoon levels.
Fat Raft Guy
The fat raft guy in Goo Lagoon originally wore a shirt matching their skin color and green swim trunks.
Unused Details
Some models have parts of them that aren't normally seen in-game.
Squidward's Clarinet
Squidward's clarinet is part of squidward_bind_01.dff, but he's never seen holding it or playing it.
Hidden Objects
There are many obscured objects hidden throughout the game. These were usually placed for functionality purposes, although occasionally some of these objects were simply misplaced.
Hidden Button
A weird button hidden inside the second hole in Robo-SpongeBob's brain. It is internally named BRAIN_BUTTON_1. No attack is able to activate the button and there are no links or events associated with it, so whatever function it once served seems to have since been removed.
Hidden Checkpoints
A group of ten checkpoints, all in exactly the same position, can be found directly underneath King Jellyfish in Spork Mountain. The first three checkpoints are actually used by the game, but the other seven all take you to seemingly random locations on the map. These checkpoints can be exploited via a well-timed glitch to skip the entire level, as shown in the video to the left.
A very similar group of checkpoints can be found underneath the beginning of the Sand Mountain slide. The first four checkpoints are used in-game, but the other six all take you to seemingly random locations on the map. As shown in the video to the right, it's possible to activate the sixth checkpoint without cheatcodes using a precisely timed glitch; it sends you near the top of a mountain around the center of the level.
Hidden Duplicatotrons
A Duplicatotron can be found in the large left-most fountain in Jellyfish Lakes' "Drain the Lake" task, which is used to summon the Ham-Mer's you fight during that challenge.
A Duplicatotron can be found underneath the one above it during the Downtown Rooftops level in the section with the purple trampolines. Because it is within the other Duplicatotron's radius, it explodes when the one above it is destroyed, giving the player 100 shiny objects instead of the normal 50.
A Duplicatotron can be found underneath a stalactite on the bottom of the Rolling Ball room in the Mermalair. Its only functionality is to summon a single Fodder. It's normally rendered invisible in-game; the screenshot to the left has modded the game to make the Duplicatotron visible.
A Duplicatotron can be found underneath a hill in Sand Mountain... right under another Duplicatotron. Although a link within the other Duplicatotron attempts to "pause" this one after it is destroyed, it doesn't appear to work in-game. This means that destroying the Duplicatotron on the surface won't stop the flow of robots being summoned, as they seemingly come from the side of the hill.
A Duplicatotron can be found under the one above it in Sandy's Dream during the "Swinger's Ahoy!" task. Like the Duplicatotron in Downtown Rooftops, this one also explodes when the one above it is destroyed.
Hidden Signs
An unused sign can be found inside the lighthouse in Downtown Rooftops. It has text detailing an unused game mechanic, where the player would have gotten more height out of a trampoline if they bubble bounced onto it. This mechanic only seems to work on the trampoline behind the vendors in Goo Lagoon Pier.
Hidden Shiny Objects
Underneath the entrance in Rock Bottom is a purple shiny object. Interestingly, this shiny object is linked to Mrs. Puff and instantly sets her mission's success value when collected, suggesting it was a debug tool used by the developers. Speedrunners use a floor clip to collect the shiny object so they can get the spatula from Mrs. Puff without collecting any of the paintings that are usually required for the mission.
Behind the ski lodge in Guppy Mound are several shiny objects, including a purple object underneath a rock. It's not possible to access these without cheat codes.
Hidden Tikis
A Thunder Tiki can be found underwater in Goo Lagoon, near the giant sand castle. It's possible to access this tiki by using a glitch which involves freezing the rising water in the giant sand castle area at a certain depth. The purpose of this tiki, however, is clear; directly above the tiki is an gap between a row of Thunder Tikis on the bridge leading to the Goo Lagoon Caves. It's very likely that the developers slightly misplaced the tiki, and simply forgot about it.
These two tikis can be found behind one of the ski lodges in the first Sand Mountain area. It's not currently possible to access these tikis without cheat codes. There's no other Floating Tikis or Shy Tikis in the level itself, which makes their existence rather odd.
Two tikis can be found just off the northwest section of the Kelp Forest Slide. It's possible to access these two tikis using a glitch called the "Bubble Bowl Boost" (jumping and bubble bowling just one frame after Hans brings you back).
Miscellaneous Objects
In the Poseidome, one of the crowd signs, reading "whisk", is hidden behind the bleachers. It's animated like the other signs.
A "nozzle" can be found in the second Mermalair level at coordinates 0,0,0. It's not clear at all what its purpose might've been. It's normally very difficult to see in-game as it's very small and outside of the normal boundaries of the level. The screenshot to the right has modded the game to have it appear next to SpongeBob.
In the second Mermalair level, you can use the camera to clip inside the Mermalair Computer to find... Barnacle Boy? Believe it or not, he's what you actually talk to when you speak to the computer. The developers likely did this so they didn't have to spend time making the Mermalair Computer its own NPC. He's still inside the computer in the game's remake, only now he's completely untextured and stuck in a T-pose.
Some flags can be found near the starting area of Flounder Hill. They can't be accessed without cheat codes.
Underneath the Flying Dutchman's Graveyard level is a shipwreck that's never seen at any point, not even when the lake is drained. It's identical to the teetering shipwreck above it, but it appears to be programmed slightly differently; it tilts by itself when the level is loaded, before stopping and staying immobile for the duration of the level.
In the level "The Small Shall Rule... Or Not", you can use the moonjump code to go underneath the Robot SpongeBob boss and find these texture-less platforms. They resemble the walkways used to get to the fuses, but with another platform underneath them. The bottom platform casts a weird light that you can actually stand on from the top. None of these platforms seem to have any purpose within the level itself.
