Them’s Fightin’ Herds Galloping To Consoles This October

Greetings, gamers. To me, 2022 is basically a fusion of 2012 and 2021 in terms of highly similar recollections, including the Platinum Jubilee and my analysis of the trailer for My Little Pony: Make Your Mark the day after a Friday the Thirteenth [2] [34] [47]. When I see the concept for a game titled “Them’s Fightin’ Herds” [22], I see that Street Fighter and My Little Pony had a baby [5] [28], quite like how I stated that Zootropolis was the lovechild of Wreck-It Ralph and Chicken Little back in 2016 [6] [54] [55]. Similar to Bunny Park from Cozy Bee Games, Them’s Fightin’ Herds from Mane6 and Modus Games was firstly available on Steam back in 2020, thrilling many players with its uniqueness [23]. About a year later, it became available for Linux [40]. Originally, the port of the game for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch was going to be released this month [24], but it has been delayed for this October, probably for a bigger chance at better marketing [20]. Missing the fourth generation of My Little Pony and fond of fighting games [12] [28]? Then brace yourself as we fight through the game’s history, roster, and some hopes for a sequel.

To those who have not played the PC port of Them’s Fightin’ Herds [23], it certainly seems recommendable by the slice of creativity presented in the trailer for the upcoming console port. [20] [24]

Here is some interesting history in the game’s development. Originally, it was supposed to be a fighting game starring the characters from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic called “Fighting Is Magic” [36] [41]. There were even a sample of the gameplay within a demo at Evolution back in 2012. Unfortunately, and understandably, the idea of the Mane Six brawling was rejected by Hasbro as the idea of the ponies fighting in a fighting game like Skullgirls did not fit with what the animated television series is about [1] [28], despite its unexpected appeal to full-grown men and women that led to some outstanding fan labour [4] [16] [30] [31] [35] [55]. After a “tribute” edition was released in early 2014 [36], Lauren Faust, the creator of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic became involved in helping the team move on from the cease-and-desist order by designing some original characters for a new intellectual property [22]. The progress of converting a cancelled fangame into a completely original property was highly similar to how the development of a fanmade Sonic the Hedgehog game named “Sonic Worlds” eventually evolved into Freedom Planet [8] [21]. No copyright law in the universe would stop Sonic in Sonic Colours [32] [33], but some would stop certain productions and partially enforce originality [22] [23].

A fighting game starring anthropomorphic cartoon ponies was a quirkily swell idea [41]. The cancelled project’s relaunch with an original property and a new title was announced and crowdfunded through Indiegogo in 2015 [26]. At least legally, the tribute edition of Fighting Is Magic is considered fanmade. [27]

What makes the game fascinating to me is the small but thrilling variety of four-legged fighters [22]. As some who has played the game’s original port for Microsoft Windows know, the roster includes:

• A reindeer named “Velvet” who would let it go [9]
• A unicorn named “Oleander” who looks a lot like Rarity from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic [28]
• A non-talking alpaca named “Paprika” who is quite witty [15]
• A cow named “Arizona” who can wield a lasso like Liberty Belle, Blossom’s alter-ego in the third season of The Powerpuff Girls [37]
• A sheep named “Pom” who speaks in a Scottish accent [20] [24]
• A longma named “Tianhuo” who seems fired up, just like Spyro [42] [43] [44]
• A goat named “Shanty” who was part of DLC for the PC port [15] [40]

Each battler has her own traits and special abilities [15] [19] [20] [22] [24], bringing on an exceptional variety of playable characters, including one voiced by Tara Strong [28] [40]. As vibrant and colourful the graphics are with the characters’ designs inspired by Lauren Faust and how noticeable the effort put into the animations is, the gameplay sure looks intensely thrilling in terms of combining the fantasy vibes of My Little Pony with a fighting game without Mortal Kombat’s surreal gore [45] [46].

Looking at the samples of fighting in the game [19] [20] [22] [24], I cannot help but be reminded of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic when I see the gameplay because of the characters’ striking resemble of many characters from the beloved show [28]. The fact that all seven fighters are different species makes the intellectual property a lot more original [40]. [15]

And as for the pixelated adventuring in Story Mode [19] [22] [24], at least there are no reminders of Luna Game [7]. Yikes. [24]

What could there be for a sequel? Perhaps there can be new characters in the roster, including a pegasus, a giraffe, a buffalo and a zebra with personality traits and special abilities of their own. I guess there ought to be one or two male fighters to prevent the vibes of female empowerment from being overshadowed [15] [20] [40], even though I am always up for gender equality. Besides, I am up for one of the protagonists of Grand Theft Auto VI being a fiercely independent woman [14]. Or better yet, there can also be a non-binary character who uses they/them pronouns for some positive representation of being non-binary, quite like Marshmallow from The Annoying Orange [3]. There can also be new locations for the old and new brawlers to compete in to provide some further exploration of the fictional universe beyond Foenum [38]. Surely, the new set of chapters for each new character ought to be titled “The Book of Lore: Volume 2”, despite how it is optionally considered non-canon [39]. Speaking of sequels, it will not be long until Freedom Planet 2 will finally be released after its announcement in late 2015 [10] [11]. Surely, a sequel to Them’s Fightin’ Herds with various new elements would be well-deserved [22].

And not to mention that a sequel can also provide some new skins for the characters during the multiplayer mode, just like in Skullgirls and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate [1] [29], along with new accessories online pixel lobby and mines [19] [22]. Admittedly, I am quite a gaming fashionista. [19]

I know it would be more necessary to add new content within updates and DLC rather than go ahead with developing a direct sequel to a game these days, but still, a direct sequel can still lead to new explorations for a fairly new property that has only been established two years ago [23] [40]. [15]

Overall, I am infatuated with the original property that originated from a rejected fanmade fighting game based on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, considering that I am quite a pegasister who fondly played its freemium app back in her college days [12] [26] [41]. As previously stated, the console port for Them’s Fightin’ Herds will be released this October with the 3.0 update that was released back in June [15] [20]. In the meantime, our Disney devotees ought to put the pedal to the metal for Pixar’s Cars On The Road while plenty of casual gamers get cuted out by the console port of Bunny Park next month [48] [49] [50] [51]. I personally may not stand this generation sometimes [25], but proactivity is the key to new opportunities and sources of cherishment. Speaking of being proactive, there could perhaps be some motivation for Mane6 to produce a sequel with new playable characters and so on. To those who prefer Fighting Is Magic and think it is twenty per cent cooler [17] [26] [27] [41], I have no problem with that as fanmade is fair use under specific conditions. Shine those hoofs for the console port of Them’s Fightin’ Herds in the fifth generation of My Little Pony, bronies and pegasisters [47]!

What could be next? A Ratchet & Clank anime or CGI television series set sometime after the events of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart [52] [53]? Those still fighting herds on Steam and Linux can keep battling with their favourite four-legged fighters while plenty of Poké players from around the world compete in this year’s Pokémon World Championships [13] [23] [36] [40]. How about a brohoof after a good game [18]? [15]

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