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What's the best Shameless Rip Off, and why isn't it The Crew Motorfest?

VG247's The Best Games Ever Podcast Episode 62

As a medium, video games are often a vast fabric of inspiration-taking, borrowed ideas, and of course shameless rip offs. Some of the biggest and best games in decades have been the result of a lot of hard work coupled with the healthy practice of nabbing what's popular during development. A tad dishonest? Maybe - but it's how some of the biggest game developers in the business got to where they are today. This week we're asking: What's the best game that's a shameless rip-off of another game?

You'd see it a lot especially in the olden era of games, early MMOs, shooters, and RTS games. Even today you occasionally see a bit of idea thievery - with Genshin Impact being perhaps the most egregious case of stolen ideas. As such, there's a huge selection of games on offer this week for our brave contestants. What will they pick? There's only one way to know.

Also, and we should really get this out of the way here. Yes, Tom Orry is gone from this episode onwards. However, we do have a special guest this week that should provide a new twist on the Best Games Ever Formula. He's a properly educated one too - adding a bit more expertise to the cast aside from Alex's knowledge of obscure handheld games, and Jim's incessant musings on long-dead Mediterranean empires.

Anyway.

Here's the video version:

Check out the spectacular video version of the podcast here, with faces! And game clips! And production values! (bad ones)Watch on YouTube

Here's the audio version:

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Cast: Bob Clemmens, Connor Makar, Kelsey Raynor, and Jim Trinca.

Our picks this week (SPOILERS AHEAD):

Bob Clemmens - Crash Team Racing

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Who doesn't love Crash Bandicoot? He's a good bloke - but putting him behind the stearing wheel is like asking for your da to slame that six pack of Strongbow while gunning it down the M5. Dear god don't do it da!

Kelsey - Garfield Kart: Furious Racing

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Oh look another kart racer. This one even has an internet meme attached to it! Very nice.

Connor - League of Legends

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One of the most popular games of all time, the best MOBA of all time, hugely succesful both financially and culturally. Also, a genuine burden on Connor's life. So all positives, right?

“What is VG247’s Best Games Ever Podcast?” you ask? Well, it is essentially a 30-minute panel show where people (Jim Trinca and associates) decide on the best game in a specific category. That's it. It's good. Listen to it.

Come back in a week for another exciting instalment of VG247’s Best Games Ever Podcast.

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