Oh, snap – Mario parody gets ripped off before it can even get to the App Store

About a month ago, developer Keybol tried to launch its game Kill the Plumber on Apple's App Store, but was given the red flag because it looks way too much like a Mario game. And, indeed – the title plays out like a “reverse” Mario – one where you play goomba-like creatures who are trying to kill a mustache-toting, red suit-wearing, constantly jumping person. Not all is bad, though, as the game did eventually reach the Play Store. Additionally, developers are currently in the process of completely redesigning the title's appearance so that they can make a second attempt to get it to the App Store.

No word has gone out on whether Nintendo is feeling insulted over the parody or not, but Keybol is certainly getting a taste of its own medicine... well – sort of. A game, called “Kill the Maliao" has been spotted over at the Amazon App store, and it creams "shameless ripoff" from the get-go – the developer used the very same graphics, to the comics that represent the game's story, and, of course, the whole gameplay concept. The latter title still tries to cash-in on copying someone else's work, as it still costs $0.99 to download.

Now, while some may say that Kill the Plumber leans a bit on copyright infringement, it's more of a tongue-in-cheek humorous tribute to a classic arcade game. All of the in-game content has been built exclusively by Keybol, including the rather original gameplay concept. It costs $2.99 on the Google Play Store, and, assuming you've been thinking about buying it, you may feel inclined to download the $1 copy, but let us suggest that supporting such a rip-off is in no one's best interest.

Kill the Plumber on Google Play ($2.99)