Nintendo’s augmented reality mobile game Pokemon GO is sweeping across the world. Well to be more specific just Australia, New Zealand and USA. The lack of a global rollout however hasn’t the game hasn’t stopped perople from wanting to play it. Which is why the top game on the China iOS store is a Pokemon GO clone.

The knock-off game, 城市精靈Go or City Monster Go, features a geo-location based game where players can find, catch and battle monsters. Any of this sound familiar? Well the developers Xiaoyu Sun have said they did not “consider any factors from Pokemon GO”. Go figure.

The mobile game app is the most downloaded free app in the Chinese Apple App Store. However unlike Pokemon GO doesn’t use a smartphone’s camera to create an augmented reality. Instead players use a map such as the one in the image below. There isn’t yet any word regarding the availability of Pokemon GO for other countries, but China users seem to be quite happy. City Monster GO currently has 1 million daily users.

Users outside of China can get the Pokemon Go clone by switching their regional settings. Others have even purchased it through Taobao and other mini-markets where users can buy foreign Apple IDs. Often only for RMB1 that’s about RM0.60 or USD0.15. In App Purchases in City Monster Go however can set you back RMB648, RM385 or USD95.

Apple’s store is rife with rip-offs of Nintendo’s game. Apart from City Monster Go there are several other Pokemon Go clones such as  Pocket Go Poke Evolution and Poke Poke Go. One of them, called Go Catch ‘Em All, is currently the second most popular free iOS app in China. It’s a much more basic game than the Chinese one. The creator has a name that appears Vietnamese. It has overwhelmingly bad reviews.