Actually recreating games is a very good practise.
Try to look for a certain game, that is not too complex, and try to
reengeneer it as exact as possible. Just try to use your own Artwork and
sounds etc.
While some people might call this "uncreative", it is the best starting-point to
make a decent game. Later you can add some of your very own elements.

Wasteland TCW, actually is a recreation of Starcraft, just with my own Models, names and
Artwork. I never finished it, but when you play it, you can recognise quite a lot
of the same game-mechanics.

But this project is actually too big for me to ever finish to a full game.
So the game I am working currently is much smaller, but with the possibility to
finish it to a complete game.