Infocom Games seems to have a serious problem with creativity — but they’ve found a way around it. Here’s their secret. Take Minecraft. Combine it with some other popular or good property. Possibly profit? REPEAT.
Ace Combat: Block Sniper? It’s Assassin’s Creed plus Minecraft (plus…shooting? Can’t say it’s completely unoriginal, then. I guess.)
Block Craft: Iron Ops? Why, that’s Minecraft plus Iron Man, of course! Also a shooter, so many I shouldn’t give them any points for “originality” — especially when that’s probably the most generic genre out there nowadays. I’m impressed by how the name manages to scream VIDEO GAMES while also giving a nod to what it’s rippping off though.
And now, for Infocom’s latest unique creation: Ace Block Jump.
Let’s take a moment to look at the screenshots, yes?
This one might take the cake in terms of number of things that were ripped off. So we’ve got Minecraft, that one is obvious. The backgrounds are from Fez. The characters seem to be from Street Fighter, Batman and Power Rangers.
The description itself is kind of hilarious:
****** Time to do it ACE BLOCK JUMP – The coolest app out there! $US0.99 Limited time only! ********
The first action game, in which we mixed PIXEL and MINECRAFT style ( PIXELCRAFT ). The most exciting and amusing game ever, specially in this new style.
Don’t miss this marvellous game, you can meet crazy characters and weapons!
Features:
– Amazing retina graphics
– Explosive gameplay
– Realistic explosions and effects
– Various characters
– Fantastic levels
– Complete physics enabled
– Universal enabled
– Widescreen support
– Comfortable control
… and moreThe great block- pixel based shooter game, you must have a try.Don’t miss it!!!
Enjoy!
TIME TO DO IT. Wait, what?`
I’m curious how much more likely a game is picked up if it looks like Minecraft. Pretty likely, I’m guessing. Else I can’t explain why Infocom would rely on Minecraft’s style so often — though Minecraft plus Assassin’s Creed seems to be a popular, if not a desired mashup. Even so, Infocom’s ripoffs seem ridiculous.
Comments
4 responses to “This Company’s Formula For Ripoffs Is Minecraft Plus Anything Else”
All Minecraft rip offs should be buried and burned… along with Minecraft itself.
Why does minecraft need to be buried, it is a game that keeps on giving?
Sounds somewhat similar to Gameloft.
It is classic piggybacking off of a successfull product and ripping off its potential customers.
I take it these are all phone games right?
Use the right names, sounding like successull games, make them look like it has anything to do with the original in your advertising and screenshots. Instant ptofit.
The first buyers will be the hopeful. Because we all know Minecraft is on your phone,
it’s just not as good the pc version. They buy to see what it is like and then end up ripped off because it ism’t anythin glike minecraft. Then you have the casual buyers, who wait for a bit before buying something that they have heard of, and then get the wrong game by accident. Again instant profit. Then it’s the moms and dads, who have no clue, and just buy that minecart game they heard of with blocks their son/daughter likes so much and won’t stop whining about.
Here, here is your mineblock game!
Instant profit.
I see no resemblance to minecraft whatsoever.