Games that were blatantly copied

edited February 2015 in Games
As a companion to the "one off games that were never copied" thread, how about a list of games that were blatant copies of something else?

Here's one: "Operation Hanoi" from Players. It looks kind of like...well, a lot like...another game. ;)

Post edited by Muig on
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Comments

  • edited February 2015
    Batty and Arkanoid

    I guess the basic bat n ball concept is ancient but surely the makers of batty were 'inspired' by arkanoid, specifically?
  • edited February 2015
    def chris wrote: »
    Batty and Arkanoid

    I guess the basic bat n ball concept is ancient but surely the makers of batty were 'inspired' by arkanoid, specifically?

    Oh yeah, definitely. Most of the power-ups in Batty were copied from Arkanoid.

    Batty's a rare case of a copy that was better than the original though. The horizontal screen layout is better for a home computer, the use of colour is perfect, and it brought at least one extra feature to the party: magnetic obstacles that distort the path of the ball.
  • edited February 2015
    Muig wrote: »

    Here's one: "Operation Hanoi" from Players. It looks kind of like...well, a lot like...another game. ;)

    Disgraceful!

    That's very clearly a copy of LA Drugs Bust!



    ;)
  • edited February 2015
    deadpan666 wrote: »
    Disgraceful!

    That's very clearly a copy of LA Drugs Bust!

    Even worse that's obviously a copy of Sharkey's moll



    :o


    ;)
    Every night is curry night!
  • edited February 2015
    deadpan666 wrote: »
    Disgraceful!

    That's very clearly a copy of LA Drugs Bust!



    ;)


    which is OBVIOUSLY a copy of!!

    http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0003427

    NightmareOnRobinsonStreetA.gif
  • edited February 2015
    JSW and Manic Miner had their clones, but Technician Ted was the closest I can think of in terms of the main sprite's walking and jumping movement. Was anything else an even closer copy?
  • edited February 2015
    Renegade was copied by Subway Vigilante.

  • edited February 2015
    Swainy wrote: »
    Renegade was copied by Subway Vigilante.


    Which makes me think that Yie Ar kung Fu was copied by Kickbox Vigilante.



    Any fighter would do for this really, but you can see the influences from the source.
    Every night is curry night!
  • fogfog
    edited February 2015
    my fav is "the hit squad"..... released by codemasters ;)

    loads of games used re-used engines though.. or well not overly modified.. and then re sold.. (excluding the infamous harry price)

    there is a silverbird game with a wizard right to left scrolling.. and the same game with different gfx was put out as a mag game.
  • edited February 2015
    Sceptre of bagdad.

    Was a blatant copy of the Wally Week games, but was so well done and released as a budget game so they got away with it.
  • edited February 2015
    chop983 wrote: »
    Sceptre of bagdad.

    Was a blatant copy of the Wally Week games, but was so well done and released as a budget game so they got away with it.

    So was the happiest days of your life, but that was sh*t.
    Every night is curry night!
  • edited February 2015
    It could be said that "Raw Recruit" from Mastertronic owes something to "Combat School"...

  • zx1zx1
    edited February 2015
    Who Dares Wins II was a rip off of Commando.
    The trouble with tribbles is.......
  • Obviously there's Bear a Grudge/Space Harrier :grin:
    Cheeky Funster (53)
  • edited February 2015
    There's Sword of the Samurai...



    ...An extremely bog standard Shinobi clone, but for 2 or 3 quid I suppose it was OK.
    Every night is curry night!
  • I know isometric games can look a bit samey but it appears that Submariner

    Submariner.gif

    took a little 'inspiration' from Hydrofool

    Hydrofool.gif
    Cheeky Funster (53)
  • edited February 2015
    chop983 wrote: »
    Sceptre of bagdad.

    Was a blatant copy of the Wally Week games, but was so well done and released as a budget game so they got away with it.

    And The Happiest Days Of Your Life also copied it. They also lied about the name.
  • edited February 2015
    Most obvious/blatant one - US Gold's World Cup Carnival
  • edited February 2015
    There's Sword of the Samurai...



    ...An extremely bog standard Shinobi clone, but for 2 or 3 quid I suppose it was OK.

    That doesn't look too bad :)
  • edited February 2015
    Oh crap...I just unearthed another game that "might" have been "inspired by" Operation Wolf, and this one really takes the biscuit. "Jungle Warfare" by Mastertronic (and Code Masters. According to the title screen, it can't decide.)

    I'll give it 1 point for using colour, and another point for the amusement provided by the very special animation of the enemy soldiers.

  • edited February 2015
    Muig wrote: »
    Oh yeah, definitely. Most of the power-ups in Batty were copied from Arkanoid..

    I'm sure I could never get past level 5 on Batty (or even 3?).
  • edited February 2015
    Talking about Operation Wolf clones: A-Team

  • edited February 2015
    Also, Stock Car Racing 3D, is pretty much a version of Super Sprint
  • edited February 2015
    Surprised no one has come up with Wizards Lair yet, which blatantly mashed both Sabre Wulf and Attic Attack. The curious thing is that Steve Crow actually knew his stuff, and made the excellent Starquake on his own. (Alright, it is slightly Underwurldy. But no eagles.)

    On strategy games, Vulcan had a few inferior copies from the same CCS label. EG Invasion Force, Crete 1941, Avalanche.
  • edited February 2015
    VanTammen wrote: »
    Talking about Operation Wolf clones: A-Team

    That can't be the real A Team, their shots always miss!
  • edited February 2015
    [FOAD]Iron wrote: »
    I'm sure I could never get past level 5 on Batty (or even 3?).

    That game is rock hard. I tried playing it with infinite lives once and still couldn't finish it. There was always one brick tucked away somewhere that I just couldn't get to.

    I'd say Batty was more a copy of Arkanoid II (Revenge of Doh) in terms of the paddle movement and screen backgrounds. Not that it makes that much difference when you compare similar breakout games of course.
  • edited February 2015
    Morkin wrote: »
    I'd say Batty was more a copy of Arkanoid II (Revenge of Doh)

    Probably, but Batty has a vastly better colour choice. In Arkanoid II, everything except the bricks is camouflaged against the "70s wallpaper" backdrops. :(

    Batty got it just right. The backdrops don't interfere with the action, and the balls have a solid shadow to help pick them out. The bricks look great, with a white highlight and black outine.

    Arkanoid-Arkanoid 2-Batty
    Arkanoid.gif Arkanoid-RevengeOfDoh.gif Batty.gif

    'course, they both ripped off Thro' the Wall.
  • edited February 2015
    [FOAD]Iron wrote: »
    I'm sure I could never get past level 5 on Batty (or even 3?).

    Gah, that's the one... Trying to get those last bricks at the end of the tunnel..!

    batty_zpsjjyykopz.png
  • edited February 2015
    Prophet wrote: »

    If only he hadn't taken so long to release them all that every single one of them actually came out after a game that was blatantly ripping it off he would have been hailed as a genius :)
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