NightSky has been *blatantly* cloned for the iPhone

OK, I don't really post here ever, but I'm a huge nifflas fan, and I couldn't believe this when I saw it; someone's made a blatant clone of NightSky for the iPhone!

http://toucharcade.com/2010/01/26/trundle-a-free-game-you-need/

I really think Nicalis should talk to Apple and have this removed from the App Store asap; if anyone remembers the whole App Store "Edge" fiasco, then they'll remember that having something like this removed from that app store probably wouldn't be that hard.

It's not NightSky with a jump ability.

It takes a long time to develop a game.  I couldn't possibly guess which started development first, but I wouldn't dare say either is a blatant clone of the other.  It's just that these two games with similar art styles were in development at the same time, and Trundle happened to come out first.  I'll bet the makers of Trundle were shocked when videos of Night Sky started circulating and saw its semblance to the game they were working on - it's never good when two similar games are in development.

That said, the video doesn't capture my attention nearly as much as the trailers for Night Sky.  Night Sky's gameplay seems much more involved.  I'd pick it over Trundle any day, and it appears that several of the commenters on that site agree.

That just really annoyed me.  
BLATANT copy and people are praising them on it!?!?!!!??!!??
They are so misinformed and....

listen

"The art style is "neat"."


I agree with this guy:

I didn't even bother checking out the video and went straight playing the app. It felt like a more shallow version of Rolando with less responsive controls (and to me upon first impression then I went to check out Night Sky for the wii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h08ZvuC1QDI  Yikes. The gameplay footage and music looks way more compelling than Trundle (no offense) and if it ever came to the iphone I'd probably pick that up.

This is shameful.

Make sure to go to their site http://www.mobile-bros.com and tell them how much we appreciate their game.

(and to me upon first impression then I went to check out Night Sky for the wii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h08ZvuC1QDI  Yikes. The gameplay footage and music looks way more compelling than Trundle (no offense) and if it ever came to the iphone I'd probably pick that up.

pwned.

It takes a long time to develop a game.  I couldn't possibly guess which started development first, but I wouldn't dare say either is a blatant clone of the other.  It's just that these two games with similar art styles were in development at the same time, and Trundle happened to come out first.  I'll bet the makers of Trundle were shocked when videos of Night Sky started circulating and saw its semblance to the game they were working on - it's never good when two similar games are in development.

I'd be amazed if this weren't a conscious copy. The silhouette art style alone isn't very unique, but the way it's done (with the washed-out backgrounds and hard edges) is distinctive, and the ball protagonist and the physics puzzles are extremely Nifflas. (I can't think of any games other than Nifflas's that feature a ball as a protagonist.)

Also, Night Game/Night Sky has been in development since 2007. It is difficult to believe that it's possible that a freebie iPhone game has been in development for three years, and that if it has, that no one has previously pointed out the blatant similarities to a bigger, much higher-profile project.

I find it very hard to believe that it's a coincidence... The grass, the spiralling plants, the glow of the ball... Even the vehicles and the windmills are there!





Also, on the video you can see the ball pushing crates around... There are more similarities than there are differences.

"Rob" as he calls himself seems to have back pedaled a small amount overnight.

 

We’ve seen that many have been comparing Trundle with the up and coming Night Sky game for the wii. Although, similar in artistic style these are two very different games with no affiliation with each other…. I have to add though that Night Sky looks purely awesome.

I don't remember that being there last night when I checked the site out...

At least he is giving Night Sky some form of notice... but still...


Although, could this possibly be helpful for Night Sky?
I mean, people play the free version of this and are like, "Man this was cool. It was a lot like that Night Sky game... I think I'll go buy it".

I could be wrong, but that's what the voices in my head are telling me...

If anything this is a compliment to Nifflas. I remember someone here at the forum saying something to the effect of "Stealing is a compliment in the form that someone loved something you made so much, they wanted to make it their own."

I will be really impressed if they get away with this. Even though Nifflas is super nice and probably wouldn't sue/report anyone for anything. And Nicalis probably wouldn't do anything either, it's Nifflas' game, it's his decision.
Or not.

wow.. that's messed up.

As infuriating as it may be, unless nintendo confirmed night game as a wiiware game, it isn't protected and we just have to deal.

All I will say is I look forward to downloading this game. There is only one reason for this, and that is the fact that I belong to nifflas support forum. Night Game has been in the works for a little over a year, maybe more. There is really no possibility that this is not copied, and, affiliation aside, I don't think you realize that you aren't stealing some guys game, you're stealing freeware from Nintendo.
I don't think you were very careful when scanning for legalities, because if you were you would notice that Nintendo Freeware is protected by nintendo. Therefore, I am looking foreward to the legal result.

So.. that's my contribution, even though there is a possibility it isn't true..

Although, could this possibly be helpful for Night Sky?
I mean, people play the free version of this and are like, "Man this was cool. It was a lot like that Night Sky game... I think I'll go buy it".

Could also be harmful. "What's that? Night Sky? Hmmm.. looks like a take off of Trundle."

*calls my lawyers*
My lawyers are on their way. They're coming here by train. My lawyer train goes "Sue suuuuuuuue!!"

What a screw-up. I agree that there is almost NO way that trundle was not at least based off NightSky. And I also believe that Trundle has a 50/50 chance of either giving rep to NightSky, or taking it away.

There's not much we can do by ourselves, unless Nifflas wants to get a partition signed by the support community, but I do think we should try. Can I suggest we (POLITELY!) notify all includedd parties (Nifflas, Nintendo, Nicalis, deevelopers of Trundle, etc...) of the fairly blatant breach of copy-protection (or so i believe it is, according to my brief read-through of the nintendo wiiware protection licence thingy), and let them fight it out?


Just a suggestion

Or we could always ask the developers of Trundle to include a mention of NightSky.... Maybe not...