10 More Shameless Video Game Rip-Offs (That Were Actually Great)
Palworld is FAR from the first.
As we've mentioned on a previous list, the success of a video game is destined to spawn a slew of imitators. Doom gave birth to an avalanche of first person shooters. Every fighter owes their existence to Street Fighter. Dark Souls is responsible for popularising a whole new genre of gaming.
Although it's understandable why gaming studios create their own version of a lucrative title, this strategy can backfire. If a platformer, RPG, or a beat 'em up replicates the style and mechanics of a recognised game, it can easily come across as a lazy rehash.
Games like these sound like they're guaranteed to fail, especially when they brashly admit they're a carbon-copy of a well-known IP.
Against the odds, some rip-offs have enough positive qualities to stand on their own. Not only that, there are certain clones that surpassed the very game they were imitating, (which must be a real kick in the teeth for the original creators).
Nobody is going to pretend the entries on this list are bringing anything new to the table. Having said that, it doesn't change the fact they're fun as hell.
10. Simpsons Hit & Run (Grand Theft Auto III)
Since The Simpsons is a titan IP, it's no surprise Matt Groening's cartoon has birthed a myriad of video games. But even when The Simpsons was in its prime, most of the games ranged from okay to terrible. (Seriously, how did they screw up Simpsons Wrestling that badly?)
Although it sounded odd to create a Simpsons title inspired by the hyper-violent Grand Theft Auto franchise, The Simpsons: Hit & Run turned out great.
Like Ubisoft's South Park games, the creators worked directly with The Simpsons' writers to ensure Hit & Run invoked the spirit of the show. The town of Springfield is so vast and detailed, players feel like they're in a Simpsons episode.
Of course, none of this would matter if the gameplay wasn't up to scratch. Though Radical Entertainment bungled the driving mechanics in The Simpsons: Road Rage, they worked out most of the bugs this time around. Although the odd glitch still occurs, it's not enough to ruin the gaming experience. (And if it does, we can always blame Flanders.)
It may not give GTA a run for its money, but Simpsons lovers were more than satisfied by what they got. Thanks to Hit & Run, fans of the iconic tv series can finally say they have a Simpsons game they truly love.