Let's talk about: The best of the copycat games

[Cheebs]

I was playing alot of SOR and Outrun tonight. As I was playing SOR I got to thinking that it has to be one of the all-time best straight rip-off games I've ever played. Sure, it copies Final Fight from the character designs to the weapons to the move list right down to the play mechanics and 80's cheese. But it just does it all so good. Better than Final Fight in many regards. As I was playing Outrun I got to thinking about Rad Racer. Everything about Rad Racer was one big ol' "Tribute" to Outrun. The hills, the turns that suck you over to the side, the dust kicked up under your car when you accelerate or skid. And yet, it is a great game regardless.

I suppose most copycat games grow from system exclusives. Nintendo needed an Outrun and the Genesis needed a Final Fight. So, anybody have a favorite copycat game? Possibly a game that one-upped it's source material?

[Jimmy Carter]

Mario Golf > Hot Shots

Final Fantasy > Dragon Quest

[OmegaFlareX]

Originally posted by Jimmy Carter
Final Fantasy > Dragon Quest

Uh-huh. That's a definitely a well-thought-through answer. Other than the job class systems in certain titles of both series, they're nothing alike. If you're only referring to the first games in both series, well, guess what? Dragon Quest came way before Final Fantasy, so there's no way DQ rips off FF. I wouldn't say it's the other way around, either, since I'm not pretentious enough to compare two strikingly different RPG series that way.

My picks for worthwhile copycat games:

Legend of Zelda > Neutopia
Pokemon > Dragon Quest/Warrior Monsters
R-Type > Pulstar

[lithium]

The one that really sticks out for me is Pulstar. Whether it's a copycat or unofficial sequel is up for debate I suppose. But I sure like it more than R-Type.

[Jimmy Carter]

Uh, that's what I said, smarts. FF came out after DQ. And as for my opinion, I liked FF better.

[xS]

Those 16 bit tiny toons games played an awful lot like sonic.
Sonic wings (aerofighters)was a strikers rip off(or was it the other around?)
Shining in the darkness was a very good zelda rip off.
Gunforce ........played alot like contra
eliminate down and blazing star played alot like r type leo
Xexex was a rip off of R type.

[Sqoon]

Shining in the darkness was a very good zelda rip off.

Did you mean Shining Wisdom? Either way, you're wrong because Darkness is a first-person RPG and Wisdom is a terrible, terrible game.

[lithium]

Through the years Capcom and SNK sure copied each other, lots of similiar games released in about the same timeframe...

Street Fighter 1 / Street Smarts
Final Fight / Burning Fight
Street Fighter 2 / Fatal Fury
Capcom Bowling / League Bowling
1942 / Ghost Pilots
Xmen Vs Street Fighter / Kizuna Encounter
and some others...

Of those, I think Capcom had the better game. Except for bowling, League Bowling rocks!!

[Josh]

The eternal Capcom/Snk debate has reared its ugly head.

Who copied who! Yarrrg!

[padman]

The Neo Geo is the ultimate copy cat system.



I know its not the whole game but Yoshi is a totally rip off of a Don Doko Don/Fairyland Story character but to be fair Bob did steal Marios overalls.