4 ms·
> I am curious to know what would happen if someone decided to clone the exact level design of a game but changed all the audio/visual assets. This actually ha
by mathgeek 12y ago
> I am curious to know what would happen if someone decided to clone the exact level design of a game but changed all the audio/visual assets.
This actually happened quite often in early generations of computer games and consoles. Super Mario Bros had quite a few clones where all that changed were the visual assets.
More recently, there are many examples of this happening on the iOS App Store and other venues with a low barrier to entry.
- ambler0 12y agoI seemed to recall such Mario clones as well. Nintendo is quite protective of their IP, so I have to think that they must have threatened legal action. Does anyone know? Is there precedent for legally protecting the layout of a level?
- emodendroket 12y agoAre these bootleg carts? Otherwise they had to approve of everything that was sold on the NES.
- ambler0 12y agoI think the clone I'm semi-remembering was a PC game. Regarding your second question: There were very many unlicensed Nintendo games. I don't know how many of these Nintendo fought. They very famously battled Tengen over this issue in the courts.
- emodendroket 12y agoWell, yes, that's what I meant by "bootleg."
- GeneralMayhem 12y agoThat such people got away with it doesn't mean it's not a violation of copyright law, just that nobody invested the time and money to sue them.