SpongeBob SquarePants ships

THQ and Nickelodeon Ship ``SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman'' for GameCube Most Popular All-Ages Program on Nickelodeon Arrives on GameCube for First Time CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. - Dec. 17, 2002 - THQ® Inc. (Nasdaq:THQI - News) and Nickelodeon today announced the release of "SpongeBob SquarePants(TM): Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" for the Nintendo® GameCube(TM). This underwater adventure is based on Nickelodeon's pop culture phenomenon, "SpongeBob SquarePants" -- the highest rated program on kids' TV -- drawing 61.5 million viewers per month, more than 21 million of them aged 18-49. "SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" for GameCube is now available at retailers nationwide. "`SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman' for Game Boy Advance and PlayStation 2 have been solid performers at retail this holiday season," stated Peter Dille, Vice President, Marketing, THQ. "SpongeBob's appeal cuts across nearly every age group, and we're pleased to be able to offer gamers of all ages a chance to visit Bikini Bottom on multiple platforms." "SpongeBob has a proven appeal to adults and the number one Q-score among kids," stated Steve Youngwood, Vice President, Nickelodeon Media Products Group. "The property has had success in the videogame arena before, but now that SpongeBob has reached pop culture icon status, and as the installed base of videogame systems continues to grow, we anticipate a great holiday season for this title." In "SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" for GameCube, players assume the role of SpongeBob as he discovers a magic bottle and unwittingly unleashes the Flying Dutchman. Furious that he was disturbed, the Dutchman places a curse on SpongeBob and his friends. In this platform game, players must seek out lost treasures that have been scattered throughout Bikini Bottom in order to lift the curse. The game features authentic voice talent and all of the favorite characters from the television show including Sandy Cheeks, Squidward, Patrick Star and more. Players can explore huge worlds with multiple challenges per level. "SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" is also currently available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Game Boy® Advance. "SpongeBob SquarePants(TM): Employee of the Month" for PC is available at retailers nationwide as well. For more information on "SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" or the rest of the THQ holiday lineup, please visit www.thq.com.