14 DAY TRIAL // Mole Kart has got to be one of the biggest video game ripoffs of all time, and it somehow made it in the iTunes App Store with a $2.99 price tag and several sneaky in-app purchases that promise to deliver the full game experience.
According to Shanghai Taomee Network Technology Co.,Ltd., “Mole Kart brings you the ultimate 3D karting adventure!” It also brings Nintendo’s popular Mario Kart experience to the iPhone, but in a diluted manner.
The game is short of a championship mode and several other features that make up a good racing game.
The graphics and even the music seem to have been outright extracted from the Nintendo classic.
“Your favorite Mole characters come together to battle it out in an adrenaline-fueled race to the finish line,” reads the game’s description. “They are zooming on to your iPhone and iPad for party racing showdown.”
“Test your skills across different landscapes and unique tracks, ranging from freezing glaciers, cliffhanging mountains, waterfalls and even Mole’s World. Experience new challenges, All kinds of monsters, extraordinary gameplay and much more!”
According to those who’ve bought and played the game, some of the race tracks are exact copies of the original ones found in Mario Kart.
One reviewer warns that the game’s description is deceptive, and that you actually have to pay extra for the full experience:
“There are only four characters to choose from (two need to be unlocked in game). The app charges $1.99 each to unlock the remaining two. There's also only four racetracks. If you want to unlock the rest of them, you have to pay 99 cents each.”
Admittedly, Mole Kart does bring a little extra: the ability to challenge up to four friends over WiFi or Bluetooth.
All this being said, if you fancy a run in one of those colorful machines, you can visit the App Store for the download. Chances are it’ll be pulled soon. Be warned, the game doesn't support iPhone 3GS, and iPod touch 3rd generation.
