

A “new” video game has just been released in China. The game goes by the name Pocket All-Stars Smash Bros., sound familiar? Some seem to think so. The graphic above is taken from Pocket All-Stars Smash Bros., which includes some familiar faces…

The mobile game displays images and characters identical to Nintendo’s ultra-successful Super Smash Bros., which includes licensed characters from Nintendo, SEGA and Capcom. Although the graphics of the game are stolen from Super Smash Bros., the layout and aim of the game is refreshingly different.

While the original Nintendo Super Smash Bros. is designed as a frantic multiplayer fighting game, the Chinese knock-off was created as a card-battling game where players take turns. The ripped-off version of Nintendo’s iconic game is shown below.







The game has already been exposed on Weibo, but thanks to negligent copyright laws in China, developers are easily able to duplicate popular video games with little consequence. Monetary reward trumps any notion of ethics in this case.

Since permission is unheard of and copyright is practically open to interpretation, companies like Nintendo are unable to cease the soliciting of their original graphics and design. In fact, companies that fail to trademark their own products in China, often leave themselves open to getting sued themselves instead.

By Robin Winship

[h/t Kotaku]

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