We live in a world with an abundance of wonderful things like dubstep, Mountain Dew: Voltage, internet, and potstickers. A recent addition to this bounty is a show called My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic where multi-colored ponies teach us lessons on friendship.
Then, we turn the page and get a game from this same cartoon.
“How can this silly little cartoon with flying ponies and ponies with horns inspire a game that is worth while, Mr. Gamer?”
I am glad you asked, random person. I’ll tell you. Its called “Fighting Is Magic: Tribute Edition”, where these same ponies that teach about forgiveness, sharing, and friendship beat the everloving crap out of each other for no reason except ‘just cause’.
The game was originally going to be developed by a small company called Mane 6. (Gotta love puns) These brave souls continued the trek to bring the waiting bronies to a new, brightly colored world beating on each other with their favorite pony and then Hasbro built a huge wall of “Cease and Desist” and nipped that in the bud. Later, a secret society of bronies (Think of the Da Vinci Code but with ponies) got the unfinished code for the game and completed it themselves.
The game itself still has some kinks to work out but you can be sure that these secret bronies (If you don’t know what they are Google safe-search is your friend) will do what they can to keep your favorite ponies violence at the maximum.
There isn’t even a real story mode to the game. All you do is go through the selection of characters against the game’s AI. And prepare your anus when you first play the game because if you thought that Pinkie Pie’s party cannon was just used for parties, you were dead wrong. This fact will really hit home (Home meaning your face) when this same cannon shoots out potted plants, presents, and even Pinkie’s pet Gummy to hurt you.
These aren’t your normal everyday ponies. Even the bookworm, Twilight Sparkle, will fuck your shit up. Just take that last statement in for a moment if you will. You have Twilight Sparkle – a who pony writes letters about friendship – protege of Princess Celestia (For those who didn’t know) and is the librarian for Ponyville using those same books and spells to shock, pound, beat, and smack the crap out of you. During my first, second, third, and fourth playthrough of the game, I couldn’t hit her, let alone beat her. It also doesn’t help that her win phrase can only be described as insulting or demeaning at best.
The game isn’t on any of the triple “A” consoles and I’m so glad for that. I don’t know how a company like EA could possibly make a DLC for this simple game but you know they would find a way. Microtransactions get EA hard. (Or wet, it’s hard to say)
The moveset of the ponies keeps very well with the characters themselves. Rarity uses fabric and gems to fight, Fluttershy and Angel Bunny use her animals friends as assists, Rainbow Dash is the fastest of the characters and uses to flight and thunderbolts to trip her opponents, Twilight uses her teleportation abilities and other spells to keep her enemy guessing, Applejack hits the hardest and can keep you at close range with her lasso, and Pinkie Pie can appear on each side of the arena and even drop down from above to definitely keep you guessing.
The game incorporates what I am going to call the standard meter system where you get more meter by successfully doing your special moves against your opponent. This gives you the ability to do the character’s level 1, 2, and 3 supers. Something special that was added to this fighting game is a “magic” meter on the respective corners of the meter bar. Each character’s magic meter lets the character perform a move unique to them to make stringing combos fun and (sometimes) easy.
If you have played any fighting game before (and if not, I hope this one is your first), then you will be familiar with the fighting style. The closest comparison I can think of is the BlazBlue series. If you are like me (And by that, the try-not-to-be-a-noob type) then it is easier for you to get a gaming controller for your computer versus using the keyboard to play. All it takes is some simple button assignment and you are good to go.
For a casual brony or a hardcore fighter, you should definitely take the time to download Fighting is Magic and take part in some friendly fighting.
Great review. I remember following the news about this game back when it was just an idea and a few sketches. I am so glad that the C&D didn’t stop the tribute edition. Will you review the fighting game Mane 6 is still working on? The one with the change of characters?
The few precious moments after I get my hooves on the game, you will get the review.