10 Gaming Moments That Led To Massive Lawsuits

Copycat games are as old as gaming itself. But sometimes, the similarity is so glaringly obvious that you wonder if they just copied and pasted the original's code. And that has maybe never been more flagrantly obvious than in the case of Atari vs. North American Philips Electronics.

Pac-Man was one of the first products to really put video games on the map. The game was addictive as hell, gobbled quarters by the fist-full. Even the disastrous Atari 2600 home release sold record-breaking numbers. Everyone wanted in on the action.

Enter K.C. Munchkin for Philip's own Magnavox Odyssey, a game where you control a hungry circle eating dots and running from ghosts. If that doesn't convince you that it's a blatant rip-off, then just watch the video - it's the exact same game.

This case set the precedent for copyright law as it pertains to video games. While the idea of Pac-Man could not be protected, the total concept and "feel" of the game could be. In Philips's case, it was a mistake to copy not just the idea of the game, but even the art and character designs. Munchkin was ultimately pulled from the market.

Munchkin, did, however, include a level editor. So... that was pretty cool, I guess.