Dani Lee Damas

As a child, "The Legend of Zelda" creator Shigeru Miyamoto wandered the areas around his home in rural Japan. The environments ranged from rice paddies to hills, and each offered its own type of adventure. In elementary school, a hiking trip brought him to a breathtaking mountain with an impressive view. Though he could not have known it at the time, this seemingly simple moment later shaped one of the most influential video game franchises ever made.

It comes as no surprise that an IP as popular as "Pokémon" has attracted a number of imitators over the decades. For every official entry released, two new "Pokemon" clones seem to spring up alongside it. Some of these games have proven little more than shameless copies, quickly lost to the annals of gaming history after The Pokémon Company forced them out of circulation.