Think before you clone

Hey guys. First off this isn’t a flame post or anything like that, it is just some advice that I would like to share.

Ok so to start off, what have all of the most successful iphone games got in common? Yes, they are either unique or have taken an existing idea and revolutionized or evolved it.

Now look at the other side, the clones. Very few of the countless clones of these top games have done well. Why? Because thats all they feel like at the end of the day is a clone.

Not all clones are bad or unsuccessful., and i certainly don’t discourage attempting one. But cloning a old-school game with a new twist (and obviously original graphics) is a great idea, but cloning these new and successful games that are on the app store is really just false hope.

I am seeing so many people making bubble ball esque games, trying to ride on the success train of Bubble Ball, but it simply does not work in 99% of cases. It’s so easy to just think “Hey im going to make a game like that seen as it did well” and release it to the world. The point is though, most games with the word “Bubble” or “Ball” (or something similar sounding) are always going to be perceived by most as a clone of Bubble Ball.

In most cases all that you are going to achieve by cloning a newly made game are broken dreams and false hope.

So rather than just letting your brain rot, get creative! I am sure there are plenty of ball games that can be made that don’t involve tapping platforms to rotate them and having a big goal sign at the end.

Do yourself a favor, don’t sell yourself short. It could take a while to think of a good idea, original idea, or special twist of an old genre or game that could be a hit, but you CAN do it.

I am sorry to use Bubble Ball as the main example, it is just the most recent case. The previous case was “The Secret Of Grisly Manor” by firemaple games. Similar story there, however it is a lot more of a diverse genre, so it is easier to make a clone of that game seem unique.
So get creative, enthusiastic and take some pride! You can make a great original game or make a genre defining twist to an already popular genre. Believe in yourself!

[import]uid: 6981 topic_id: 7897 reply_id: 307897[/import]

Well, if that should be the rule, then you would have seen only 100 games since 1980. It is all about cloning. Heck when I think about the sample script I had release last year on my site, I can name you at least 2 games here on this very board, who are using the same principals in their gameplay.
People are cheap, people copy where ever they can. That is just how it is. [import]uid: 5712 topic_id: 7897 reply_id: 28078[/import]

Mike i think you misinterpreted my message.

Obviously genres are going to be copied/cloned, i was referring mainly to the cloning of new games. Not the genre they are in [import]uid: 6981 topic_id: 7897 reply_id: 28118[/import]

There is a very fine line between “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery” and “Theft is the most sincere form of laziness” [import]uid: 10051 topic_id: 7897 reply_id: 28120[/import]

@mike: I too misinterpreted his message at first glance, but upon reflection I would just change this part in the beginning.

Ok so to start off, what have all of the most successful iphone games got in common? Yes, they are either unique or have taken an existing idea and revolutionized or evolved it.

I would argue that no successful iphone game is unique but all have revolutionized some existing idea.

So I think his message is that you need to actually improve on the game you are copying, not simply make a straight copy. [import]uid: 12108 topic_id: 7897 reply_id: 28127[/import]

I am sorry to use Bubble Ball as the main example, it is just the most recent case.

Hehe, no problem. Good post, I like it. [import]uid: 8782 topic_id: 7897 reply_id: 28135[/import]