Generalising video game impostors throughout history - Double Pixels

My round-up of video game shoplifting continues...

Unless otherwise mentioned, all screen scenes are from the arcade.  In addition, many of these games were available on numerous home systems but I see no point in compiling such an exhaustive list so I've chosen the appropriate format.

Congo Bongo, Sega 1983

Congo Bongo (SG-1000)

Donkey Kong, Nintendo 1981

No matter what viewpoint Sega used, both feature the antagonist of an ape with the protagonist needing to make it to the top.  The prosecution rests...

Chuckie Egg, A & F Software 1983 (Spectrum)

For shits and giggles, the look was surely inspired by Nintendo's classic.  Also, you have to love that attribute clash...

Look at this next swirling shit storm.

China Miner, Interceptor Software 1984 (C64)

Manic Miner, Bug-Byte 1983 (Spectrum)

To me, Taito's Operation Wolf in 1987 is the original lightgun monster.  This is an example of an enemy solider living and then dying...

Observe how this was shamelessly duplicated in the Master System port of Rambo 3 in 1988.

We move on further proving that law suits didn't really happen in the 8-bit era...

Wizard's Lair, Bubble Bus Software 1985 (Spectrum)

Sabre Wulf, Ultimate Play the Game 1984 (Spectrum)

This puts a whole new meaning on 'double vision'.

The sprite of Atic Atac in 1983 practically looks identical to the one seen in Sabre Wulf but it's okay because that was also by Ultimate.

S.C.A.T, Natsume 1991 (NES)

Forgotten Worlds, Capcom 1988

Sidewize, Firebird 1987 (Spectrum)

Side Arms, Capcom 1986

Delta, Thalamus 1987 (C64)

Sidewize is a desperate rip off of Side Arms but for whatever reason, Delta decided to steal the attack wave formation of the former.  I appreciate things are sometimes better in motion so you'll have to trust me.

Section Z, Capcom 1985

So, Capcom made a trilogy of similar games and Natsume nicked the concept of all three but S.C.A.T is practically Forgotten Worlds.

A simple clone now. 

Predator 2, Image Works 1991 (C64)

The Punisher, Beam Software 1990 (NES)

Chocky! Chocky! SemiCom 1995

Pang, Capcom 1989

Cannon Ball, Hudson Soft 1983 (MSX).  Me thinks that the stupidly titled Chocky! Chocky! was the rip off and Pang was inspired.

ESWAT, Sega 1990

Robocop, Data East 1988

Shinobi, Sega 1987

At first glance, it looks like Sega stole from Data East but Data East nicked its mechanics from Shinobi. However, if you didn't know of Shinobi, my clever screen scene and the positioning of that window gun toting baddie looks identical to Robocop.

Both of the above games are part of the same series (hence the sprite).

Vampire, Codemasters 1987

Oops.  Look at the sprite, now the box art...

Very authentic to the protagonist within the game.

Space Fire Bird, Nintendo 1980 vs Galaxian, Namco 1979

Naughty, naughty Nintendo...

Smash Tennis, Namco 1993 vs Super Tennis, Nintendo 1991

I know tennis is tennis but I am still aghast at how ballsy Namco were...

Flimbo's Quest, System 3 1990

Hawkeye, Thalamus 1988

I conclude with a prehistoric angle.

Primal Rage, Atari 1994 vs Dino Rex, Taito 1992

You'd be forgiven for not knowing that Dino Rex even existed and Primal Rage was inexplicably made more famous due to numerous home conversions including SNES, 3DO, Amiga, Playstation and Saturn.

The next will fall like an angry blizzard (at some point).