5 Times Sony Shamelessly Copied Nintendo

by Damien McFerran:
"Today, Sony announced the PlayStation Classic, a micro-console which comes pre-loaded with 20 games, is bundled with two full-size replica controllers, connects to your TV via HDMI and is powered by a humble USB lead. Sound familiar? Of course it does, because it's blatantly inspired by the NES and SNES Classic Editions. Even the imagery used to promote the new console – a hand holding the system aloft – is eerily similar to that used by Nintendo when it confirmed its own 'mini' machines."

[greenmiker]

They forgot to mention Crash Team Racing.

[Eonjay]

Everyone copies each other. But its Sony here so prepare to pepper on some extra hate. Where is the hate article for Mega Drive mini or Atari or the others that did this before Nintendo? You know because Nintendo shamelessly copied them... but its Nintendo so Free Pass lol!

[Geobros]

Yeap you are right, they had to right an article about Sega too.

[Dom_Estos]

Dry your eyes.

[darthv72]

The Nintendo one is made by Nintendo and full of Nintendo games so there is the free pass. All the previous ones were generally made by a 3rd party like Jakks Pacific. Their emulation isnt all that great despite being able to use licensed titles and some even have unlicensed titles as well.

[naruga]

PLaystation Battle Royal was the worst thing (everything else DOESNT count as copy as probably Ninty stole first, they just implemented it first for market (move-Wii , analog etcetc)...and as is not enough was a bad game, that not at all represented legendary PS library (no Crash , No Snake , No Cloud WTF??)...this was not only a bad idea from Sony but it was terribly executed too, (with lame Ninty exploiting the masterpiees from PS1 and stealing the characters ) .....

[Aceman18]

Stupid articles like this is the reason why I don't give "gaming media" any weight or creditability. This shitty site acting like Nintendo has some kind of patent of creating classic mini versions of old consoles.

[S2Killinit]

Or maybe making mini consoles is the industry trend. Is there anything wrong with Sony utilizing its own heritage as Nintendo has theirs? Weired title.

[Gr8saiyaman88]

Except Sony's ripoffs are usually super cringe. I mean, PlayStation All-Stars? The Move? Even the worst of Sonyponies should be able to have fun with the mocking and not get all bootyhurt. ; )

[Realms]

Nintendo fanboys are the craziest this is another example that they take their fandom to the next level. Nintendo didn't come up with the idea of mini systems, if they had they would have patent it and no other company would be allowed to do this.

[Uken12]

@Eonjay Sony is copying Nintendo clearly because Nintendo's success from the Classic releases. It's even using the name "Classic". They are not doing it because Sega or Atari.
Also Nintendo is constantly hated on here, just look at your upvote/downvote ratio.
Also this article says it copied Sony with Online, Share, Cloud Saves and etc. No, that was Microsoft with Xbox. Xbox live had all the stuff PS+ has had.

That is one of the problems I have with Sony as a gaming company. They are more about profit. So they lack innovation when it comes to gaming and wait for other companies to try it. Some things they have done very well with the Online and Sharing capabilities.

And btw, Memory cards were a horrible time. Thank god Xbox had the Harddrive.

BTW I am not hating on Sony for "Copying" Nintendo on this. It's called free money for them. They would be stupid to not release on. Enjoy it and move on. But they are clearly doing it because of the Nintendo success. Hence why they released Move, PSP and the such. For profit.

[GameBoyColor]

free pass my ass, all I read whenever nintendo comes out with a classic console is hate on this site LOL

[bouzebbal]

A Nintendo fansite trying to outplay the king of gaming for the last 25years.
And for all ignorants out there, i invite you to watch this from 5:00 and tell me what prototype it is for since 2001.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Last_Boss]

Mario Kart Ripped off the Gravity wheels from Crash Nitro Kart, and the jump boosts from Crash Team Racing. It's a 2 way street.

[Eonjay]

Sony has to adhere to a standard that no one else is expected to follow. Nope, screw that bull.

[Kribwalker]

if you are talking about jumping and turning to create a boost while turning, that was in the OG MK

[micdagoat19]

I dont think starting a new Genre then having others do it is really terrible anyway. That's how everything starts. It depends if you actually improve on it and just rip it off terribly just to cash in

[Last_Boss]

@Eon

I know, Sony is plain out of control with it. Like that new Little Big Yoshi game they have coming out.

@Krib
No, Jump boosts where most definitely not in SMK. That wasn't until the Wii version

Regardless when you Take yourself away from what you didn't help create, you realize where you stand in all of it. Also very ashamed that people never give SEGA their dues.

[badz149]

I guess Nintendo just shamelessly copied the RetroPi.

[SuperSonic91]

Sega has released many classic Sega MegaDrives/Genesis years before the NES Classic.

[darthv72]

@sonic... uhh no, they didn't. If you mean those little Genesis plug and play units, those are made by Radica under license from Sega. Sega hasnt released their own plug and play as they have all been done by 3rd parties.

AT Games, Radica, Tec Toy, Majesco... none of them made by Sega themselves. they lend their name and license the games but every one has had some kind of poor emulation. IF Sega were to actually make one themselves then it may compete with the other 'classic' units because they would have more spot on emulation.

[darthv72]

@pretty, sonic specifically said Sega released when they did not. That is my point. Yes it matters in the context of things becauase anyone can get a license to release something with another name on it but in reality all the pros and cons of that item are on the one who is making it, not the name on it.

Case in point the neo geo X which failed was not a failure for SNK even though their name was on it. It was a failure for the company that made it which is Tommo.

At Games has been producing clones with Sega's name on it and while you may want to get mad at Sega for the poor quality, most everyone knows it is At Games is the ones to go after because they are the ones with the license to make them. Nintendo makes their own mini and Sony is doing the same regardless that neither of which probably designed the internals. They are still the ones making them just like At Games are the ones making the Genesis mini and Radica are the ones who made the previous mini plug and play genesis units with the built in controllers.

What Sonic should have said, and this would be in proper context, is the Sega has "lent its name" to many classic mini systems years before the NES classic. That way people understand that it may say sega on it but it is not a real sega product but a licensed product. Yes there is a difference.

[SuperSonic91]

@darthv
LOL
You silly person
Sega or Ninttendo or Sony hire other companies/contractors to make their harsware not themselves.
LoL
Don't waste your time.

[darthv72]

@sonic... So you really think that if you have a problem with a radica or at games mini genesis you can call Sega for support???

Good luck with that. If you got a problem with an nes classic you can call nintendo. Thats the difference between official and licensed.

[shuvam09]

None of them matters as much as the fact that Nintendo gave birth to Playstation...
Thanks a ton for that, Ninty...

[stuckNhere4Good]

That isn’t a fact, that’s a fairytale... Nintendo didn’t give 'birth' to PlayStation, Ken Kutaragi did; hence the title he holds -- ‘Father of the PlayStation’. He started work on it in 1986… http://www.karx.ru/tmegames... after he saw System G in 1984… http://www.giantbomb.com/pr...

Your ton of thanks should go to him for suffering the ‘labor pains’:

“I had a strong dream that the next level of entertainment would be 3-D and home-based, says Kutaragi. But 99% of the people couldn't understand my dream, including those at Sony.”
http://content.time.com/tim...

“The opposition discouraged Mr. Kutaragi. ''I was very sad,'' he said. ''But I had a strong passion, so I decided to create my own space to make my vision a reality, even if that meant leaving Sony.'' http://www.nytimes.com/1999...

"The Hollywood Factor"… “There was also Kutaragi, who actively pushed to set up the Sony Computer Entertainment company, even threatening to leave Sony if the games unit was not created.”
https://books.google.com/bo...

[SuperSonic91]

@stucknthere

Your comment holds no water
https://goo.gl/images/AvkSw...

Do not live a life in constant denial.
Nintendo created the Play Staion.

[milohighclub]

@ supersonic just because they were gonna do a collab doesn't mean they created the PlayStation xD

It even says sony PlayStation on it.
Sony made the cd, the attachment, Nintendo were greedy and didn't want to share the pie.
So sony manufactured their own console.

Nintendo had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of the PlayStation. If they did don't you think they'd be raking in royalties from it?

[The_Sage]

Okay shuvam... If you mean Nintendo screwed themselves by bringing dishonor to their name by backing out of an agreement with Sony by announcing at the CES that they were going with Phillips for their CD add on causing Sony to create the PlayStation brand, then sure... If you think betraying a partner causing them to create a rival brand that then kicks your ass is creating something. I personally don't...

[Hardiman]

Absolutely and I thank god that partnership fell apart because Sony went onto create one of the greatest brands in gaming!

@stuck
Nintendo announces plans to work with Phillips to create a CD-ROM unit compatible with the Phillips CD-i. Sony, disgusted, finishes work on a number of SNE games, scraps the old "PlayStation" developed for Nintendo, and sets its engineers to work on developing a 32-Bit CD only game machine to unseat Nintendo in Japan and in the United States. -EGM 102 The Complete History of Video Games , January, 1998.

[stuckNhere4Good]

@SuperSonic91

I'm living in constant denial?... How so?... That 'SONY' 'Play Station' only exists because of Ken Kutaragi:

"Indeed, emboldened by his success, Kutaragi made another proposal to Nintendo in 1989: the two should work toward developing the first CD-ROM-based console. A year later, Nintendo agreed and the two were off to the races." https://www.eetimes.com/doc...

No matter which one you chose ('Play Station' or 'PlayStation'), it's the brainchild of Ken Kutaragi. Trying to argue otherwise is daft.

[SuperSonic91]

@stuck

LoL Sony Corp didnt even know there was a Play Station being made back then as they were against it.
Guess who funded them prototypes?

The PSOne that launched after the betrayal was the one official funder by Sony Corp.