It's an age-old maxim, one that has rarely done anything to reassure the imitated party. I think maybe the phrase was coined by a famous imitator who wanted to avoid a punch in the nose (or a lengthy legal battle). In any event, imitation is a ubiquitous force in the world. It affects fashion, technology, literature, and other works of art, including video games. In fact, imitation is woven into the history of video games. As early as 1974, Magnavox sued Atari over PONG for infringing on its patent for an electronic ping-pong game (Atari settled out of court). And in the mid-1990s, first-person shooters that appeared on the PC were, rightly or wrongly, derided as "DOOM clones."
There is a fine line, in all media, between imitation and innovation. Some games borrow from their predecessors and use that foundation to make significant leaps forward. Others simply steal ideas and present them as their own. Where the following ten games fall between those two categories is up to you, the reader, to decide. I've included side-by-side comparisons to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the knock-off and the original.
10. Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
Up first is Sony's upcoming cross-over brawler, a game clearly inspired by Super Smash Bros. Now don't get me wrong. I expect Playstation All-Stars to be a very good game -- I included it in my list of most anticipated games -- but that doesn't change the fact that it's an obvious knock-off of Nintendo's own cross-over series.
9. N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
The developers at Gameloft should be ashamed of themselves. Name a popular video game franchise and the odds are they've copied it. Call of Duty, God of War, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, they've stolen from them all. One of their most blatant rip-offs is N.O.V.A., a first-person shooter that borrows heavily from Halo. Even the subtitle Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance is similar to Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, which makes up the acronym from Halo: ODST.
8. Fighters History
Street Fighter II is probably the most influential fighting game of all time -- all modern fighting games owe something to it -- but some copycats went a little too far. The most egregious example is Fighters History, a fighting game that borrows much of the music, animations, and backgrounds from Capcom's seminal fighter. Capcom sued Data East over Fighters History for copyright infringement but lost its case in court.
7. The Simpsons: Road Rage
In 2003, Sega filed a law suit against Fox Interactive, Electronic Arts, and Free Radical Design over The Simpsons: Road Rage. Sega claimed the game was eerily similar to their own Crazy Taxi. Both games require players to pick up passengers and deliver them to their locations in the shortest time possible. The case was settled in private for an unknown amount.
6. The Krion Conquest
Ever wondered what Mega Man would be like as a woman? Well, wonder no more. Just take a quick look at Vic Tokai's The Krion Conquest, which is a shameless rip-off of Capcom's classic platform game. Movements, models, and levels appear to be carbon copies of those found in the first three Mega Man games. The heroine even changes color based on which magic attack she is using.
5. 3D Cartoon Land: Safari
What's that game with the plumber? You know the one. He wears a red cap and blue overalls. He jumps across platforms and has to deal with turtles and walking mushrooms. Come on, help me out here. He collects coins. What on Earth was his name? I want to say Samus.
4. Kong
Remember the ZX Spectrum? In 1983, the home computer hosted Kong, an action game so similar to Nintendo's Donkey Kong it's difficult not to laugh at the comparison. I guess it's not a total rip-off. The villain on top looks less like a giant ape and more like a deep-sea diver circa 1900.
3. Golden Axe Warrior
Golden Axe Warrior is a spin-off of the famous Legend of Zel--oops!--Golden Axe series of hack-n-slash video games. The overland map, dungeons, and enemies in Golden Axe Warrior are obnoxiously similar to those in The Legend of Zelda. At least Sega changed the appearance of the hero so he doesn't look like Link. No, they stole THAT design from Dragon Warrior.
2. Mole Kart
What can I even say? This Chinese rip-off of Mario Kart Wii was originally released on iOS in January. Mole Kart steals mechanics, power-ups, and even entire tracks wholesale from Mario Kart. Apple removed the app only after Nintendo filed a complaint. But don't worry! A new version called Mole Kart I was re-released in May.
1. The Great Giana Sisters
Ah, finally. The Cadillac of video game rip-offs. It's The Great Giana Sisters. Let me describe a little of this game. Players control Giana or her sister Maria. Enemies can be jumped on or shot with power-ups. There are two types of levels: above-ground levels with pipe-shaped objects and bottomless pits, and underground levels with hazards like fire and water. Oh, and those aren't Goombas in the screenshot. They're owls. Walking owls.
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