History Main / UnlicensedGame

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpWtbXTGzdA Magic Dragon]]'' (''VideoGame/RType'' knockoff for Famicom)

* ''Super VideoGame/{{Contra}} 7''

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBo6sPseMQ0 The Dragon]]'' (Famicom beat 'em up starring a BruceLeeClone with sprites ripped from ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', not to be confused with the aforementioned ''Challenge of the Dragon'')

* ''Barver Battle Saga: Tai Kong Zhan Shi'' (Taiwanese ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' clone for the Mega Drive. Received an officia English translation and release from Piko Interactigve in 2018, as ''Brave Battle Saga''.)

* ''Barver Battle Saga: Tai Kong Zhan Shi'' (Taiwanese ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' clone for Platform/SegaMegadrive)

* ''Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan'' (''VideoGame/GoldenAxe'' clone based on the Chinese novel ''Literature/WaterMargin'', as well as stealing assets from ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage'', ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'', and ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheRound''. Surprisingly, the game has an English translation released on Steam as ''Water Margin: A Tale of Clouds and Wind'')

Though an intent to decieve is usually behind their creation, as is the case with most Shoddy Knockoff Products, an unlicensed game can also come about in open defiance of a console manufacturer's policies. This was particularly common with (but not exclusive to) the UsefulNotes/Atari2600 and UsefulNotes/{{NES}}, as Creator/{{Atari}} and Creator/{{Nintendo}} had a reputation in the industry at the time for putting [[ExecutiveMeddling exceptionally draconian restrictions]] on their licensees. Game cartridges that come about this way may have unique mechanisms for circumventing their respective system's antipiracy measures.

* ''VideoGame/Terrifying911'' (port of VideoGame/{{MetalSlug}} for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor with heavily-digitized footage of [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror the World Trade Center attacks]] in place of the title screen.)

* ''Barver Battle Saga: Tai Kong Zhan Shi'' (Taiwanese ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' clone for UsefulNotes/SegaMegadrive)

* ''Squirrel King'' (UsefulNotes/MegaDrive knockoff of ''VideoGame/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'')

See also GameMod, which many bootlegs are, as well as FanGame and FanSequel, which most bootlegs would dubiously qualify as. (Sometimes fan games and mods are outright stolen and sold ''as'' bootlegs.) Compare and contrast HomebrewVideoGames, as the line that separates them can be particularly blurry and often comes down to the context in which it was made.

The Unlicensed Game, or Bootleg Game, is a specific kind of ShoddyKnockoffProduct that can be considered works of their own in rare cases.

Due to the relative ease of spriteswapping on older consoles, these ran rampant in the mid 1990s. While SturgeonsLaw definitely applies, some have made names for themselves. Some can be considered an early form of FanSequel.

Though an intent to decieve is usually behind their creation, as is the case with most Shoddy Knockoff Products, an unlicensed game can also come about in open defiance of a console manufacturer's policies. This was particularly common with (but not exclusive to) the UsefulNotes/Atari2600 and UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem, as Creator/{{Atari}} and Creator/{{Nintendo}} had a reputation in the industry at the time for putting [[ExecutiveMeddling exceptionally draconian restrictions]] on their licensees. Game cartridges that come about this way may have unique mechanisms for circumventing their respective system's antipiracy measures.

[[http://bootleggames.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Games This website]] includes a considerable list of games that fit in this trope, so [[Administrivia/ThereIsNoSuchThingAsNotability don't be afraid to create pages about those works]].

Compare and contrast with FanGame and GameMod, which are usually {{freeware}} but are sometimes sold for profit without the creator's consent[[note]]The latter is usually always this trope when it requires you to mod your console first.[[/note]]. Also compare HomebrewVideoGames, though the line that separates them can be particularly blurry and often comes down to the context in which it was made.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld (Famicom)''

Compare and contrast with FanGame and GameMod, which are usually {{freeware}} but are sometimes sold for profit without the creator's consent. [[note]]The latter is usually always this trope when it requires you to mod your console first.[[/note]]

** ''Contra Spirits/Super Contra 3'' (Famicom port of ''Contra III: The Alien Wars'')