Beijing firm briefly profits from copycat Mario game app
Nintendo is not offering Super Mario games on smartphones. Other people are.
A game called Super Mario was available to download on Baidu’s 91 Wireless online app store in mainland China and on Thursday was available on Samsung Electronics’ online China app store, though it has since been removed.
The title, listed as developed by Beijing Flyfish Technology, has multiple levels and shows the moustachioed plumber in a red hat and blue overalls jumping to capture mushrooms and coins.
Searches in app stores in mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan showed games, a quiz and mobile wallpaper with characters made famous by the Kyoto-based company. A title listed on the Samsung online app store in Japan called Super Mario Quiz allowed users to take a multiple-choice test to identify characters called Baby Donkey Kong and Corporal Paraplonk.
“Nintendo has not approved these applications. Our legal team will investigate them from now,” Nintendo said.
Beijing Flyfish co-founder Zhu Jinbiao said the title was free and his company made money from ads in the game. The game was original enough that his company did not need a licence agreement or other permissions from Nintendo, he said.
“There were similar kinds of computer-based games using flash technology. Our game is similar to those. Some parts are like the original. Some parts we’ve changed,” Zhu said.
Nintendo has refused to license its games for smartphones and tablets and the company is studying new ways to revive sales after its Wii U console flopped with consumers. President Satoru Iwata has said the firm would seek partners to expand licensing of its game characters and boost their use for non-game products.
“The service of the application that was reported to have violated the intellectual right has been halted,” Samsung said.
