Hello. I need your opinion on this one please, how much is considered a rip off, if someone is making a game that has same mechanics like some popular game, let say for example the sliding game mechanic of pudding monsters, but in a different style, story etc. Will that be a rip off?. If that would be considered a rip off, then every side scroller game would be a rip off, for example sonic ripping of super Mario since game mechanic almost same. Thank you.
Don't use any of their artwork or sounds, and try not to look like you're copying their art style either, then you should be fine. Though it's worth adding... people don't like it if you take a developer's idea and release it before they do. Clones are generally seen as acceptable provided you're cloning a game that's already on sale and make at least some attempt to add your own ideas.
