Clones are nothing new to the Android Market but once in awhile there comes a time where something is so blatantly ripped off that it need to be brought to light along with the topic of clones. Doodle Fit by Gamelion is a prime example of this with the clone, Fix It, being almost a complete rip-off of Doodle Fit.
Not just speaking in terms of game concept, but most of the puzzles and even the wording of the description are identical to the actual game Doodle Fit. While graphically, the images have been changed a bit so we can’t say it’s 100% of a rip off but developer Wuzla has done a great job cloning the other 99% of Doodle Fit. Indeed checking the Android Market website for both games shows word-for-word copy of the description of the game. You can compare them as well if you like: Fix It | Doodle Fit .
Before you comment on Fix It being out before Doodle Fit on Android, yes we know. However, Doodle Fit has been out on iOS far longer than Fix It has been out and developers do a lot of work building a brand and trying to protect their IP and copyrights. Just because Fix It was out first on Android doesn’t mean it doesn’t mean it is right, especially when you are copy/pasting word-for-word descriptions.
The Android Market is a free marketplace where anyone can be successful if they come out with something original and entertaining to play. This also leads to clones of popular games as seen numerous times in the past such as with Cut The Rope, Angry Birds and so on.
Now it is understandable that people can not sit here and research every game that is on the market, making sure it is the real thing and not a clone of someone’s work, games which are very popular are obviously the most targeted ones so a little 1 minute search can show you who is real and who is the clone. Supporting the real Android game developers as opposed to people who just clone games is essential to the health of the Android Market.
When at all possible, consider buying the real game from the actual developer instead of the clone, even if it is slightly more expensive. This way you are supporting people and their hard work as well as getting an actual game you know will be updated and bugs will be fixed. This will also help you keep your phone safe and not download anything nasty like a trojan.
You can head over to PocketGamer to read a really great in-depth article about this problem.
