10 Video Game Copycats More Popular Than The Original

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so the saying goes, and if that’s true then video games are probably one of the most complimentary industries out there. Game designers have been borrowing ideas and taking inspiration from each other’s projects for pretty much as long as there’s been more than one company in the business, some a bit more brazen than others. Usually, it proves rather difficult to copy a truly brilliant idea, but there are cases where the second game to hop on the bandwagon is able to meet or even exceed what its predecessor accomplished. For this list we’re taking a look at games that seemingly stole a few ideas from others and wound up being more popular for it, and by “more popular” we mean a variety of things; either better received by critics or fans, more commercially successful, or more notable. Here are 10 Video Game Copycats More Popular Than the Original.
VO: Ben Potter (@Confused_Dude)
Script: Kiki McIntyre
Video Editor: Lean Bacalzo (@LeanBacalzo)
#StreetFighter #GuitarHero #SimCity
--------------------------
Subscribe for more wonderful video game content from Ben Potter, Peter Austin, and Ashton Matthews!
TripleJump provides video coverage of video games - including top ten lists featuring current gen platforms (PS4 & PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch and PC), retro consoles (PlayStation, Nintendo, Xbox and Sega), as well as Worst Games Ever, video game challenges, launch games videos, first impressions, podcasts, livestreams and much, much more.
Careers, contacts, and more information can be found on our website: tripleju.mp
⇨ Patreon: / teamtriplejump
⇨ Twitch: / teamtriplejump
⇨ Merchandise: triplejumpshop...
⇨ Cameo: www.tripleju.mp...
⇨ Livestream VODs: tripleju.mp/vods
⇨ Podcast: play.acast.com...
⇨ Twitter: / teamtriplejump
⇨ Instagram: / teamtriplejump
⇨ Facebook: / teamtriplejump
⇨ TikTok: / teamtriplejump
⇨ Discord: tripleju.mp/di...
Follow the team on social media:
• Ben: / confused_dude & Confused_Dude on PSN
• Peter: / thatpeteraustin & / thatpeteraustin
• Ashton: / scrambledashton & / scrambledashton
The TripleJump Podcast is hosted by Acast, but available on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and more!
Acast: play.acast.com...

[@dunny0405]

Tomb raider was industry changing, it changed the way we looked and the way we felt about 3D platforming, Lara Croft became an iconic pop figure not to mention being a female protagonist in a time when female protagonists were not industry standard. For the longest time Tomb Raider was the mascot for playstation, Lara Croft was absolutely everywhere. Uncharted is a fantastic game but absolutely miles behind Tomb Raider, not to mention uncharted as a franchise has sold around 41 million units compared to Tomb Raiders 95 million. Uncharted hasn’t even sold half of what Tomb Raider has and thats in an age where you can buy a game without leaving the house. The majority of Tomb raiders sales were actual on foot sales leaving the house to buy the physical game, to say uncharted eclipses Tomb Raider is absolutely crazy.

[@wyterabitt2149]

It's explained at the beginning, then during that segment for what you need to know. Tomb Raider was huge and a phenomenon, then fell off dramatically. Uncharted is notable that it was a copy to some extent of Tomb Raider and took over popularity at the time for gaming experiences. It didnt sell more overall actoss all games, and Tomb Raider made a comback. But it's still relevant for the list. And there was absolutely a point where some younger gamers knew Uncharted names more than Tomb Raider - it didnt last, but it happened.

[@12thMandalorian]

Stardew Valley being better than Harvest Moon is an honourable mention

[@8bitdiedie]

Saying Uncharted is more popular than Tomb Raider seems wild to me. Maybe the recent games haven’t been selling as well as Uncharted but I’m fairly certain Lara Croft is a household name to this day. The type of timeless character that even non-video game fans will recognise.

[@pizzaparker7424]

I'm sure people outside the world of video games only recognize Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider title because of the Angelina Jolie movies. Neither of my parents knew she was created for a video game, and I did have a Tomb Raider game for the PS2 But I guess her movies are best known to the general public than the Uncharted movie

[@8bitdiedie]

@@pizzaparker7424 The only reason they created those movies was because of how much of a cultural force she was to begin with. Back then video games barely got movie adaptations, and even if they did non-video game fans didn’t watch them, but Lara sorta helped to change that. Maybe my memory of things is a little anecdotal but I remember it wasn’t unexpected to see the games mentioned in regular newspapers, magazines, tv shows etc. because she was so synonymous with the PS1 era. Hell, my whole family knows the games and they barely know anything outside of Mario and Tetris.

[@8bitdiedie]

@@pizzaparker7424 Meanwhile Uncharted is mostly known by actual gamers and not much outside of that. Saying its more recognizable just because they sell more games nowadays would be like saying Pacman was overtaken by Kirby just because the latter tends to sell better now, and ignores how much more iconic Pacman actually is. At least that’s how I see it.

[@pizzaparker7424]

@@8bitdiedie well you have a lot of good points. The only other videogame movie I recall from that time or before is the Mario Bros. movie

[@jonnyOysters]

This! I was really triggered at the Thumbnail. I love the Uncharted games I've actually played them way more than I have Tomb Raider... But Nah Tomb Raider was HUGE in the 90s

[@ddgnp1057]

Not only has Tomb Raider sold more than double what Uncharted has, it has had far more of a cultural impact. Uncharted was just trend chasing bog standard third person shooters popular at the time and was more renowned for its visual spectacle than anything else.

[@NowUndefined]

I would have said that Civilization is a copycat of Utopia. I think calling Carmagedden a copycat of Twisted Metal is a bit of a stretch. I think V8 is more of a copycat that some people consider more popular

[@orinanime]

They did also specify "more notable". And I think due to the reception and reaction Carmageddon got, it is more notable than V8

[@G.Freeman92]

Vigilante is legendary

[@NowUndefined]

@@orinanime that makes sense. I just remember at the time there was a lot of love shown for v8.

[@orinanime]

@@NowUndefined oh V8 is easily better than Carmageddon. But it wasn't as noteworthy

[@SgtByrd93]

Harmonix made Guitar Hero AND Rock Band?? That's crazy, they literally were their own rival

[@phawxhunter]

I might be wrong but Guitar Hero was owned by Activision and Harmonix didn't develop the other games by the time Rock band was released.

[@orinanime]

This was a fun video with a neat subject. I'd love to see a follow-up. 10 more Copycat games. Like The Strike series of games being more popular, prolific and notable than either Raid on Bungling Bay or Choplifter, for example

[@bobsiddoway]

My dad owns an OG original Karate Chanp arcade game in decent shape (minus arcade wear). Game is cheesy and still fun as heck. 🙌🔥

[@frankbrodie5168]

Carmageddon Max Damage (was it Reincarnation originally?) holds a special place in my heart. Because when you destroy an opponent's car, the announcer screams out "WRECKED 'EM!" (yeah.. try shouting it.) It used to drive my (now ex) wife absolutely bonkers. Listening to me in my games room screaming it in unison with the announcer. Then when you destroy the last opponent's car you get "ALL THE WRECKED 'EMS!"

[@kevinknasel4726]

Cunning Stunt!

[@CHRISPYakaKON]

Sonic Racing being more popular when CTR is clearly more popular is hilarious and even then, it doesn’t have the same casual reach that Mario Kart has

[@MonsieurJqc]

even then CRT has 5,34 millions copies sold and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed less than 4 millions lol

[@bobsiddoway]

PS1 Medal of Honor is still one of my fav games of all time. 🙌

[@bes03c]

Carmageddom is not just a Twisted Metal knockoff. It knocked off the movie Dearh Race 2000. I played the first Carmageddon a ton as a kid.

[@stratuvarious8547]

As much as I might prefer the overall Uncharted series to Tomb Raider's, My favorite of all of them is Tomb Raider (2013).

[@kevinknasel4726]

that was a nice nostalgia trip!

[@LOL-gn5oh]

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed being more popular than Mario Kart 7 is a blatant lie.

[@ShippSheroo]

He didn't say it's more popular, just looked back on more fondly within their respective series. Three sonic racing games and Transformed is the most popular one. 8 Mario Kart games and 7 is one of the few that people choose to skip when wanting to go back and play an old one. Hope that helps Edit: Also Sonic Transformed is soooooo goooooood, I'm one of the ppl who preferred it to MK7 at the time of release. Even Alpharad said something similar when he played it expecting a knockoff game (even tho it was). I'll forever be salty the Switch got Team Sonic Racing rather than a port of Transformed

[@LOL-gn5oh]

@@ShippSheroo"10 Video Game Copycats More *Popular* Than The Original"

[@ShippSheroo]

@@LOL-gn5oh Ah I forgot that was the title, given the fact that the intro to the video and every subsequent featured game clarified what that meant for their entries.

[@SECONDQUEST]

​@@ShippSherooyeah you're both correct. 30 seconds in he clarifies what he means and it's definitely not a strict definition of "popular"

[@SECONDQUEST]

He does literally say it didn't sell more than Mario Kart

[@kayfimt7769]

Hope Resident Evil copying Alone In The Dark and becoming much more popular is here.

[@jsmith3946]

It didn't copy alone it was a remake of a movie tie In game they made for the nes called sweet home

[@colinpenn7702]

Don't listen to Jsmith, hes trying to white knight and be contradictory on every point made. Basic research shows sweet home was a 1989 top down rpg game in 1989. Resident evil was originally a remake but wasn't originally developed until 1993, 1 year after alone in the dark came out. Also the original development of the game was for NES and playstation and was first person, and it wasn't until later it because 3rd person and fixed perspective just like alone in the dark that came out earlier. To not think it didn't influence RE significantly when it was considered the originator of survival horror which then resident evil came in and copied in many ways including the setting (mansion), fixed perspective, 3rd person, etc, is pretty ignorant, especially when resident evil was originally trying to remake an RPG. Alone in the dark has commonly been listed in game media and accepted as an influence for RE for decades, so not sure what he's on about. But you're right thats a great addition to the list.

[@jsmith3946]

@@colinpenn7702 sad your trying to troll me by using the same terms I used in your comment about twisted metal and if you look up sweet home game play you would see it's about exploring a old mansion and fighting monsters just like Alone and re is so ya RE is a copy of that and not alone

[@colinpenn7702]

@@jsmith3946 Oh no I just had to use the term since you used it so incorrectly and what you were doing was actually the definition. All I did was a comment saying that the list had an inaccuracy. Thats just pointing out my opinion and giving a logical reason I disagree with them. I wasn't coming to the defense of anyone. you on the other hand went on to not only mine by another person's comment to defend the video and try and argue with us as the "Savior" of the video. Thats the definition of white knighting, a simple search from your friend google would realize that. So I had to point out how hypocritical it was to call me something that made no sense in that instance then to go out and do that yourself minutes later. So yeah no trolling just basic logic you seem to struggle with to disprove you. Also like I said I watched sweet home, yes it takes place in a house. But it is an over-head top down, pixel based, turn based party based RPG similar to like final fantasy or something akin to that or other NES/SNES japanese ggames. And alone in the dark is a real time polygonal 3rd person action game that involves running from monsters, shooting, and attacking them with fixed camera perspective. Now you tell me which one RE1 sounds more like (don't think too hard). AITD also came out 1 year before development on RE began, what are the chances of that?! *shocked*

[@orinanime]

​@@jsmith3946You're wrong, you're stubborn, and you're stupid. Nobody cares about your wrong opinion. The only reason anybody's interacting with you at all is to stop the spread of false information from a moron. RE is a partial reimagining of SH, which was the top down view JRPG. But aside from being a monster filled mansion, they have nothing in common. RE completely copied AitD in every way for its gameplay, aesthetic, stylistic, and narrative structure.

[@54raynor]

Streets of Rage is better-described as a clone of a clone, as Final Fight was not the original street beat-em-up, either. Final Fight clearly took inspiration from Double Dragon, which beat it to market by two years.

[@sycoraxrock]

After you built up to The Sims in #3, I expected #2 was going to start off “Number 2… The Sims. Little Computer People is a game for the Commodore 64…”

[@glen46823]

#1 should be Minecraft for copying Infiniminer

[@DontKnowDontCare6.9]

How is Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed more popular than MK7 (not Mortal Kombat) when it didnt even sold a quarter the numbers of MK7?

[@michaelfritz5816]

Twisted metal doesn't deserve the hate it gets. I love the series.

[@battlep0t]

Another one you could've had is Yakuza/Like a Dragon being heavily inspired by Shenmue.

[@masenko2006]

you guys are mad. sonic racing more popular the mario kart, WTF?!? form my quick research mario kart 7 sold 18.9 mil and sonic racing transformed sold 1.3 mil.

[@colinpenn7702]

Yeah that made no sense either, most people I know talk about how mediocre sonic racing games are, was while mario kart is a classic and super popular game each time released.

[@LOL-gn5oh]

The worst thing is that they did mentioned the sales in the video, which is one of the main metrics of popularity, but they completely ignored it.

[@TGBattyCrease]

More popular in terms of fan reception, not sale. He said MK7 was more polarising and divisive for the fan base where sonic all stars transformed is seen as the peak of the franchise

[@dumbweeb6942]

Watch the video and you'll see why they said it

[@karimh9958]

A unique top 10 like always.

[@joser1853]

This video creator needs to get their script together. How are you measuring "populairty." This list failed right from #10. How is Sonic racing even remotly more popualr to Mario Kart 7? Also, same with Twisted Metal vs. Carmaggedon.

[@raftmusic6608]

Could you smash up a car with a lead pipe as a bonus round in Streets Of Rage? Exactly

[@phawxhunter]

No mention of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy? Enix and Square were separate companies before their merge in 2003.

[@Gooner333333333]

9:42 That was an illegal move

[@Mrchair905]

Uncharted is definitely not more popular than Tomb Raider. Only gamers know Nathan Drake, just about everyone knows Lara Croft, especially those of us that grew up in the 90’s- 00’s. Lara was a literal sex icon in the 90’s and Angelina Jolie played her multiple times in multiple movies. Tomb Raider wins that one hands down.

[@roguerifter9724]

Utopia is IMO superior to Simcity because no Simcity game that I recall allowed sparking rebellions in neighboring cities. In fact I don't remember any Simcity spinoff game allowing you to ignite uprisings like that though Simant might have, Its been far too long since I played Simant for me to remember for sure.

[@lg6884]

There was some capping in this list...

[@Zeke_91C]

This video is an unfortunate (first) fail for triple jump.

[@crimsonbutterfly2282]

I miss Nathan Drake so, so, SO much! 😭

[@wtfchuck9552]

Just started watching - wondering if World of Warcraft will be in this list.

[@XolTheGreat]

the first ones just downright false

[@sugreev2001]

This list looks like it was written by someone deluded. Sonic All-Stars more popular than Mario Kart? Magnavox’s “Pong” more popular than Atari 2600, just because of their wins in the court??

[@ronnycook3569]

No, they're saying that the Magnavox was the original and Pong was the more popular copycat. Their point with regard to Sonic All-star Racing Transformed was that it was better reviewed at the time of release than, specifically, Mario Kart 7. They go into some detail on why they made this call. Not sure I agree (noting I'm not much of a fan of kart racing in general) but they do make some interesting points. I was surprised Minecraft wasn't on the list. May have been omitted because it's on ALL the "this popular game is actually a clone" lists.

[@meh7348]

Some of ya'll in the comments are getting copied confused with inspired.

[@Tom-lr4os]

Cities Skylines arguably off SimCity, I feel like you wouldn't have Cities if you didn't have SimCity and likewise Cities Skylines is a far better game than SimCity has ever been

[@matteste]

Pokemon being a more popular clone of of Shin Megami Tensei.

[@samuraibeastwarrior2886]

and Digimon is a Pokemon clone

[@stewartjones8525]

OK let's give this video a shot - first up Sonic All stars racing transformed more popular than Mario Kart - turns video off

[@THEbassettMAN20]

So I guess you just missed the bit where they said "we are defining 'more popular' as 'better selling OR better critical reception'"?

[@stewartjones8525]

@@THEbassettMAN20 you guessed wrong - any comments of it being better than Mario Kart are bs

[@THEbassettMAN20]

@stewartjones8525 And you're welcome to think that. If you had carried on watching the video instead of assuming what was about to be said, you would have seen that they were specifically talking about MK7, which was broadly considered a weak entry compared to the Sonic game that released close to it. It's fine if you don't agree, but that was the consensus at the time.

[@stewartjones8525]

@@THEbassettMAN20 I watched the whole MK bit before turning off. Mk7 was far more solid than SAA.

[@stewartjones8525]

@@THEbassettMAN20 you need to stop assuming

[@samuraibeastwarrior2886]

I thought Uncharted was a Indiana Jones ripoff

[@colinpenn7702]

Not sure what you're talking about, twisted metal is a perennial classic that is brought up as one of the classics of PlayStation 1. There were 3 sequels that continued on through PlayStation 2 and they JUST came out with a show based on it over 25 years later, has crossovers with sweet tooth in games like Rocket League in the 2010's. Carmageddon I never even heard about until like the 2010's, don't know a single person who played it, and I can guarantee twisted metal sold more as well due to its popularity. In contrast you don't hear anything about Carmageddon currently or since it came out back in the day. I love you guys but swing and a miss on that one from you, not even close to the same level of popularity 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@jsmith3946]

So is caramagedden if you spent less time being a twisted metal white knight and look the game up you would see it also has multiple sequels and was really popular and oh ya the original twisted metal only sold one million copies while twisted metal only sold 1

[@colinpenn7702]

@@jsmith3946 Well first off I never said there wasn't Carmageddon sequels. Second your last point doesn't even make sense since you repeated the same thing. But I just looked it up and it says Twisted metal sold 2 copies in NA alone so no clue what you're talking about. But once again, I didn't say it wasn't popular, but theres no question twisted metal was MORE popular, more played, more featured everywhere. Not to mention even if they had similar sales, which I think Twisted metal still had more, Twisted metal was released one one console not 3 so it sold more or similar on only 1/3 of the platforms indicating its popularity and how it would be more spotlighted. Sweet tooth everyone can tell you who it is still based on the car design, and if you ask any kid growing up during that time to name a car game from the playstation 1, you can honestly tell me with a straight face more/equal people will say Carmegeddon as will say Twisted metal?! lol, nice try. So that combined with the continued relevance decades later, you cant call it more popular in any sense of the word. So its not about being a white knight, its about using basic logic which seems to have escaped you being in such a rush to get your pitchfork out.

[@steveb7932]

@@colinpenn7702ive never seen someone think their own little universe is a microcosm for EVERYONE ELSE more than these comments in my entire life. completely unaware and hilarious.

[@colinpenn7702]

@@steveb7932 Oh no I just used myself as an example as I grew up as a gamer at that time, had tons of gamer friends, multiple consoles etc so I have some experience with it to set up the basis for my broader point. But i also listed it in pop culture and cross promotion in other games, tv, how iconic and recognizable 1 brand is then vs today. I also listed sales, references in other video game articles, videos, and general presence now and then. I guess you somehow skimmed and missed all of that. Never seen someone reference and single out only a single point of a multi-point argument and use that for the basis of their "comment" while pretending everything else they said doesn't exist. But very well done consider me impressed, that took effort to miss so much on purpose. Very unaware and hilarious of you. See what I did there? =p

[@mdp26]

@@colinpenn7702 Hate to break it to you, but Twisted Metal never really reached markets that didn't have a strong PS1 presence, the third and fourth installments never even released outside the US, pretty much the only place where it was popular. Carmageddon on the other hand was popular everywhere.

[@thepenguinsrafterme]

Medal of Honor is so much better than Call of Duty. Wrong one became popular.

[@MonsieurJqc]

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed less than 4 millions ....Mario Kart 7 18.98millions copies sold. YOU failed big time here @triplejump

[@jsmith3946]

Both caramagedden and twisted metal are a ripp off of the Death Race arcade game

[@Rogerioapsandrade]

Hahahaha. Sonic All-Stars racing more popular than Mario Kart ? The sales numbers prove otherwise. I mean, by a VERY LARGE margin. The First comparison was enough to give up seeing this. Sorry.

[@acerimmer8338]

Umm, Final Fantasy???

[@agroed]

Literally anything made by Naughty Dog since 1994. Unfortunately their games are also worse than the originals without fail. Except for Way of the Warrior. That rip-off was both unpopular AND a piece of garbage.

[@whyequalswhat]

That's an incredibly stupid take

[@whyequalswhat]

@@fritzthecat8158 What the actual fuck are you talking about? Crash Bandicoot? Jak and Daxter? Uncharted? Last of Us? all of these games are just pressing X? Look I know Naughty Dog putting a muscular woman in a game triggered you super hard and made you feel as emasculated but you that doesn't make your dumbass take correct.

[@agroed]

@@whyequalswhat I'll assume you're referring to Naughty Dog's games being worse than the originals, and not the fact that they're rip-offs so, to each their own, but once you've played Naughty Dog's entire library and compare their games to everything they copied their homework from, you start to see how little talent they have as a developer.

[@pizzaparker7424]

Crash Bandicoot is from Naughty Dog right? Who they copied to make it? (I'm not trying to contradict you, I just have this doubt)

[@agroed]

@@pizzaparker7424 Direct rip-off of Donkey Kong Country. Even the devs admit to that.

[@jamesmcgeachy5433]

🎉

[@Deonteosayande]

1st but can you please play auto destruct for the Playstation or primal rage for the Sega genesis?

[@aliensweathands]

👽

[@DR.Barrit]

1: CTR is better 2: Tekken is better

[@ada31181]

HELLO EVERYONE AND GOD BLESS US ALL & HAPPY 43RD BIRTHDAY TO ME 👍🏿😎👍🏿

[@Defective_Undead]

F*ck this. Uncharted is not a ripoff at all.

[@frankbrodie5168]

I'm sorry... But I have never considered any of the musical rhythm 'games' to be actual games. Dance Dance Revolution has a place in the arcades only to give the lardy arse video game players some much needed exercise. The guitar versions are more akin to long QTE's played to music. It's akin to calling Chess a 'sport.'

[@onemorechris]

controversial opinion: Mario Kart…worst driving game