20 Video Game Clones Better Than The Original
It's hard to hear but Pokemon is no longer the go-to animal-taming title.
All video games, grand and small, must be built on the foundations of an earlier model. Every platformer owes their existence to Super Mario. If it wasn't for Dragon Quest, role-players like Final Fantasy and Pokemon may not exist.
It's fine to draw inspiration from another game, but things get messy when developers flat-out steal the style, gameplay, or mechanics of a recognised property.
Although rip-offs can lead to legal trouble, it's not always a concern. After all, trailblazers like Overwatch and Gran Turismo left such an incontrovertible impact on the gaming world, it seemed unfeasible for the imitators to compete.
But as this list proves, it has happened time and time again. Even though some IPs were regarded as untouchable at one point, a similar title came along and stole their thunder, turning the once unstoppable force into a relic in the blink of an eye. In fact, some clones turned out so well, casual gamers mightn't realise they borrowed their whole shtick from another brand.
These 20 entries score zero points for originality, but it doesn't change the fact they've outperformed their predecessors.
20. Absolum (Streets Of Rage)
In 2020, Guard Crush Games and Dotemu launched Streets of Rage 4, reviving one of the most beloved beat 'em ups of the '90s. The long-awaited sequel had tight combat, hand-drawn art, co-op play, and modernised mechanics, while staying true to its roots. Basically, it felt like SOR4 was as good as beat 'em ups could get.
But this year, the same developers did one better with a brand new property called Absolum. Rather than following a linear path, the fantasy side-scroller incorporates branching paths, maximising replayablity. Each playable character can be upgraded and modified, so no two runs feel the same.
The D&D-themed setting provides more environmental variety than Streets of Rage's urban streets. Enemies have more diversity, since you're battling goblins, ogres, and monsters of all shapes and sizes rather than a never-ending wave of goons. The fighting system has more range, since you can unleash magical counters, elemental powers, complex parrying techniques, as well as standard combat.
Even though beat 'em up fanatics are pumped for Dotemu's next project, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, it's going to be tough to surpass Absolum.