Nintendo Cracks Down on Game Clones
Ardiri.com has removed Donkie Kung, Donkie Kung Jr, and Maryo Bros from its site after Nintendo sent it a cease and desist order. Nintendo said these games "are clear violations of Nintendo's rights in the characters and audio visual works protected by U.S. and international copyrights and trademarks".
Aaron Ardiri tried to argue that these weren't just ports of the original games to the Palm platform. He said, "These games have been developed from scratch, in a 'clean room' environment - without source codes, graphic files or documentation which belong to Nintendo.
However, Nintendo still claimed that "Donkie Kung, Donkie Kung Jr. and Maryo Bros. are clear violations of Nintendo's rights in the characters and audio visual works protected by U.S. and international copyrights and trademarks, regardless of how these software were created."
Mr. Ardiri then decided to remove the games. As he said in an interview, "I don't need to mess with legal issues like this - it'll cost us a lot of money, and, international copyright is a very touchy subject.. i think our users would prefer we focused on more games."
Current owners of the games can still post high scores on the Ardiri website but the three games can no longer be downloaded from the site and no new registrations are being accepted.
"Nintendo has no plans of licensing - and, they don't even make these games anymore.. so, they will be lost forever," said Mr. Ardiri.
Thanks to Wayne for the tip. -Ed
Related Information:
- Ardiri.com: Nintendo's Cease and Desist Order
- PIC: Liberty Gameboy Emulator Review
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RE: BIG bummer
Keep up the good work Aaron - hope to see more stuff in the future. I'm sure if you come up with something original it will be a hit, since you have both the name and also quality.
P.S. Downloaded Lemmings the other day and it is GREAT!
RE: BIG bummer
He hasn't even taken down the files - they can be downloaded from dozens of links on the Net. He continues to ignore the wanings he has received.
http://www.hig.se/~ardiri/download/palm/dkjr.zip
http://www.hig.se/~ardiri/download/palm/dkung.zip
http://www.hig.se/~ardiri/download/palm/maryobros.zip
RE: BIG bummer
RE: BIG bummer
RE: BIG bummer
only Mike and myself know exactly how much work we put into it seperately, but, i can tell you this. Mike put over one year of effort into it (writing the core emulator), and, i put around three to four months into it (providing the user interface/interaction). in my books, that tells me Mike did more :) i didn't write the emulator - i just provided the shell for the users, and some cool features such as color tweaking and custom controls. so, you are wrong again...
// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
A little defensive aren't you, Ardiri
> calling.
RE: BIG bummer
Posted by: ardiri @ 12/5/2001 3:42:29 AM
only Mike and myself know exactly how much work we put into it seperately, but, i can tell you this. Mike put over one year of effort into it (writing the core emulator), and, i put around three to four months into it (providing the user interface/interaction). in my books, that tells me Mike did more :) i didn't write the emulator - i just provided the shell for the users, and some cool features such as color tweaking and custom controls. so, you are wrong again...
// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
_______________________________________________________
The original response stated simply that you did MUCH OF THE WORK ON LIBERTY. Not all. Not that you coded the emulator component of this (fairly useless) emulator program. I'd suggest you count to ten before you send off yet another message to this thread, confirming what an arrogant, self-serving person you are. I realize you are young and have a lot to learn about deportment and maturity, but if you continue commenting in public forums like this in such an offensive tone, you will only damage yourself and others around you like Mike and poor Rayne.
THINK before you speak, Ardiri.
I hope Nintendo comes down hard on you for ripping off their games all these years. It's time you paid for what you've been doing.
RE: BIG bummer
I just read the thread again and have to say I am confused. I didn't see Aaron's response negatively or immature. People were having a discussion where he was the subject and he added his thoughts to help clear things. I think that is his right to do so.
However after reading your response to him... I view it as the lesser. I also have to wonder what your point was and if your only purpose was to find a bridge and wait under it. Oh well.
I am sad to see the games go and I wish him luck in the future.
RE: BIG bummer
With all do respect to him as a Palm Developer, my negative opinion of him is derived from these things I have seen on forums and in his Palm Software releases.
1. He releases the Liberty Warez Trojan. I think I followed this drama as it unfolded and have most of the facts straight. He released it (or allowed it to get out), it was malicious. These are facts. *LAME*
2. He rips off other companies IP and makes cash off of it, then turns around and rails against "warez" and the pirating of his IP. *Hypocrite*
3. Again, he rips off other companies IP, makes cash off of it, complains about crackers and pirating, then turns around and releases (or again, lets slip), a piece of software that has at least some function for the warez crowd (HackMe). **Hypocrite*
4. His software licensing procedures are ridiculous. As are his explanations for why he does them this way. I licensed Lemmings, (hmmm, do you own the IP to be making money off of this piece of software?). Good game BTW, and again I congratulate him on releasing a fun game, but the hoops I had to jump through to install it were IMHO just plain stupid, and overkill for a $10 game. Try licensing it, maybe it is just me, but I believe in making things easy for the consumer. When I posted a comment I got a spin-control response telling me it was to make it easier for me, and that I should like it better this way. Yeah Right. *Lame and without regard for the consumer, as well as idiotic, don't tell me what is best for me*
5. Lastly if you follow the forums on some of the Palm sites as I do, you will see posts from him sometimes. While sometimes he appears to be cordial and polite, other times he comes out as mean, immature, selfish and unable to fathom that his way of thinking could possibly be seen as wrong. Again, this is just my opinion. *Sometimes Lame and unprofessional*
RE: BIG bummer
The immaturity comes from the ones who hide under the "I. M. An-ass-ymous" name and attack others. These people have the intellect of a fungus.
The real Aaron Ardiri...
Ardiri's weak, hippocritical defense of why he released HaCkMe and his lies about the Liberty crack release show more about his lack of morals than anything I - or anyone else here - could say. The facts speak for themselves.
Nintendo does still sell these games
RE: Nintendo does still sell these games
// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
You just don't know when to quit, do you, Ardiri?
so I guess you'll be carrying your palm and GB everywhere?
if theyre not licensing to the palm...
dont let the games die...
i have the idea to sell a belt to carry my palm and game boy =P
RE: Nintendo does still sell these games
Secondly- Most of these older games came from their arcade division, for the most part- the old arcade games are either warehoused somewhere or in some junk pile becuase there is no one that can fix them once they die.
Nintendo takes this stuff seriously
The reason for this, of course, is that Nintendo knows it is their character's that make them money, not the hardware. This is also why you don't see Mario, Donkey Kong, and Metroid on any other consoles anymore. These days it's much more important to differentiate yourself from the pack with software, rather than console hardware, a lesson Sega learned the hard way.
Serves him right
RE: Serves him right
RE: Serves him right
Relax a bit ...
Dont take it so personal...
I think you are right when you say:
"the games are a clear copyright violation. They are exactly the same as the Nintendo versions "
But , There are better ways of getting your point accross...
Im sure there will be some repercussions for this ...
Yoda...=o)
RE: Serves him right
People would take you more seriously if you didn't talk like you were in middle school.
It's very unlikely that Nintendo will take any further action. They sent Mr. Ardiri a cease and desist order. He has now ceased and desisted. To Nintendo's mind, this issue is probably over. The money involved is almost certainly inconsequential to Nintendo's perspective. They are just doing what they believe the law requires and protecting their copyrighted material.
I'm sorry to see these games go. I wish instead they had offered him a licence to the products and let him continue to sell them and pay a royalty, which would benefit them both and all the Palm users who would like to play these games.
---
News Editor
the issue is over.
i just received an email from Nintendo saying:
"Thank you for your prompt response and your cooperation in resolving this matter swiftly."
unfortunately, the real issue here is that if you want to create a clone - dont be 100% perfect with it! :) personally, i understand companies like Nintendo getting upset if our games made them look bad. the fact that they are perfect replicas should not cause them to get all upset, in many cases, companies license our applications when they find the "perfect" implementation. that is how the official LodeRunner game came to the Palm, introduced by PocketExpress around a year ago.
Nintendo was just made aware you're still offering the games
RE: Serves him right
The games are STILL available for download from ardiri.com
RE: Serves him right
check the links again bozo - our files are stored on seperate servers, NOT on ardiri.com. the files have been removed from our mirrors. have you ever thought that it does take a while to remove stuff from the Internet (heck, its not always possible). i am sure that if you type the PGHQ download link, you'll find it too - ever heard of caching?
we took the relevant steps to remove the application from our website and from sale - now everyone except idiots like you are happy. did your mother drop you as a kid or something? or did your dad to unspeakable things to you? seek councelling. i am sure most people here have better things to do than listen to a stupid idiot complain about things like this. get a life.. big time.
// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
Your true character is showing again, Mr. Ardiri
You truly deserve to get sued for the incredible arrogance and contempt you continue to display toward owners of copyrighted software. Essentially every program you have ever released (Liberty, HaCkMe, Donkie Kung, Donkie Kung Jr, Maryo Bros, etc.) either promotes stealing software or is in fact stolen from a genuine developer. This is a sad legacy for someone who should have been able to do better.
RE: Serves him right
RE: Serves him right
its really sad to watch people argue about something theyre not even sure what it means...
leave Mr ardiri alone...
and dont buy Nintendo products... they mess you up...
If youre getting paid for this(by nintendo that is)
then dont mind me... hehe.
Why does this remind me of "Nintendo sues the world"
back to the old happy days of emulation? =P
It doesn't take Einstein.....
RE: It doesn't take Einstein.....
RE: It doesn't take Einstein.....
RE: It doesn't take Einstein.....
RE: It doesn't take Einstein.....
RE: It doesn't take Einstein.....
RE: It doesn't take Einstein.....
Coming soon from Nintendo:
RE: Coming soon from Nintendo:
RE: Coming soon from Nintendo:
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BIG bummer
man, that stinks. Aaron's games were loads of fun.