Mario Clones

[Tanegashima]

I know there is much controversy calling something a clone because comparisons are unavoidable yadda yadda.

But I finally got a copy of Scrapyard Dog for my Atari 7800 and I have to say it really is a cool platform game. Just simple platforming fun, no thinking involved no real amazing challenge, but awesome for those reasons. Clearly Atari's stab at Mario, however.
My favorite part of the 8-bit era were platformers that really were very easy, involve almost no thought and in the end just provide a good calm experience. Like Pitfall and Pitfall II for the 2600.

Anybody disagree?

[Phantar]

didn't like Pitfall II to much, but I see what you mean, and yeah, I kinda agree.

Most Mario-type platformers are the same in that it isn't as much you reflexes and reaction time that counts, but your ability to memorize when what enemy will pop up. Granted, not as much so as in Gradius-type shooters. But I'll boldly state that Sonic with it's speed was more of a challenge of the players reflexes, simply memorizing didn't help as much (I loved the different ways to go in a level in Sonic 3!)

Never played any Atari 7800 games. However, I played "The Great Giana Sisters" on the Amiga 500 a lot! It was that much of a clone (or, "rip-off") of Mario that Rainbow Arts had to pull the game off the shelves because Nintendo threatened to sue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Giana_Sisters). How's that for Mario clones?

[MrMatthews]

Hmm. Not sure if I agree or not.

Most games of that age were simple, because they were limited by cartridge size and (here in America, at least) what was popular at the time. RPG's had yet to catch on, despite the loyal fanbases of final fantasy and dragon warrior. It seems that most of those early games were either ports of arcade titles or modeled after them, so I don't know if most gamers had much of a choice in the matter (or, for that matter, were even aware that choices were available).

But while I like to be challenged, I don't like games that require memorization and an excess of persistance. Bubble Bobble was always fun, as was Mega Man and Ducktales. I was also pleasantly surprised with McKids (a Mario clone if I ever saw one.). And throw any brawler at me and I'm good to go.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

McKids is badass. Anyone happen to know when the first Bonk game was released? I assume it was after the first smb on NES but before the third.

[johnnyb]

I use to play `The Great Giana Sisters` many moons ago, sat there for hours, always liked the title music loop!

[Iron Lizard]

I just ran across this. Something I have never seen.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R4shac02_ks&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R4shac02_ks&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

this is a bit odd

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cs8khszHmyc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cs8khszHmyc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[MrMatthews]

The collision detection looks awful.

[MrMatthews]

Check that . . . the game itself looks awful.

[Tanegashima]

The top one looks like a mario brothers something on a Commodore 64...but thats just a thought

[MrMatthews]

That video makes me sad for some reason.

[Iron Lizard]

it is an Atari 800

[Rusty Venture]

That first video looks like someone tried to do SMB stop-motion style.

[Bablefish]

What amazes me is what some have done with the Mario theme, and I don't mean music but the game itself. Check these out

http://atari2600duds.sitesled.com/kepone32.html

http://www.secretmaryo.org/

http://supertux.lethargik.org/