Game: Patapony

Lead your very own Pinkie Pie army to victory!

Patapony is a rhythm-based game inspired by the game Patapon. Here you control an entire army of Pinkie Pies and lead them through a few different stages, using your drums to create three different combinations that tell the Pinkies what to do, namely March, Attack and Defend.

While there aren't many levels, they certainly were enough to game over me once or twice, and it's really fun to play. It starts off a little hard due to unfamiliarity, but once you get the hang of it everything goes a lot smoother.

Now, get out there and start drummin' so your Pinkies can follow.
- Strate

Mini Game: Pony Petting Simulator: Applejack

Who wouldn't want to pet her?

If you feel like relaxing for a few minutes and you think Applejack is best pony, this may be the game for you. It's an interactive simulator. Maybe you've seen or played games like this before, but if you haven't, it's a game where you can interact with the character, usually by petting them or scratching their ears, trying to get them to like(or dislike) you. There aren't a lot of things to do in this one, but it does have enough interactions and the animation is good enough to keep you entertained for a good five minutes. Now go! Start petting!

Hey look, Apocalypse isn't the only undead blogger here.
- Strate

War of Harmony Platformer Beta


A mechanics experiment by the creator of the War of Harmony series, this game has no plot and is still a bit rough around the edges, but it's worth check out if only to give the creator some feedback. That being said, the creator is currently on hiatus. Either way, nothing to put after the break. Download's up above, creator's tumblr is here.

Also hey look I'm still alive. Hi everyone.
- ApocalypseUndone

My Little Karaoke: Additional Content Disc #3


 For the third time in a row, the My Little Karaoke team has released a new batch of songs for aspiring horsefamous singers to destroy their vocal cords to. If you've seen this project before, you'll know what to expect; if you haven't, it shouldn't be hard to guess. Like always, the new pack can be downloaded from the project's official site, and the listing of new tracks will be copied below the break.

Game: Legacy of the Pony

 

  This game has been out for a couple of months now, but it's never too late to post about projects, I think! Legacy of the Pony, created by DeftFunk and Noonanna, is a non-linear Metroidvania-style platformer starring Spike as he ventures through a sprawling cave system to rescue Rarity from the Diamond Dogs. To complete their journey, players will need to locate the Elements of Harmony hidden deep in every corner of the game world.. A variety of powerups and collectibles are littered throughout the game to help Spike on his quest, and a map system helps keep players from getting lost. The game has an 8-bit aesthetic reminiscent of Game Boy games, which provides a bit of charm.

 The game can be downloaded from Dropbox (with a Spanish version available for some of the international readers out there), and it has its own subreddit for discussion on the game. I've barely scratched the surface of the game so far; this post may see updates in the near future with further impressions as I progress.
- RedEnchilada

Shattered Kingdom


 There are a lot of story-based games circling around the pony fandom, but not many have the strong player-influenced dynamic that Shattered Kingdom aims to provide. The project, being developed by a group known as Alicorn Games, is a turn-based strategy RPG centered around an Equestrian civil war between the Celestial Empire and the New Lunar Republic. The game will be heavily story-oriented and non-linear, with the player's actions influencing various story elements throughout the course of the game.

 The game is still early in development, and no public demo exists (at least that I can find), but a recent video of their panel at Bronycon 2014 showcases some of the team's current progress. More information can be found on the team's official blog.
- RedEnchilada

Game: Unicorn Training


 Adventures in Equica: Unicorn Training is a top-down shooter/RPG hybrid game developed by Yotes Games for mobile phones and tablets, which takes inspiration from the FiM universe but apparently manages to be distinct enough to get away with being a paid game. The game centers around a young unicorn named Clover, apprentice to Totally Not Starswirl the Bearded, as she trains in the ways of magical combat. While we posted about the project in its earlier days, when it was known as Unicorn Quest, the game finally released over the weekend for Android devices. The full version, which costs 99 cents, contains nine dungeons to explore, though only the first is available in the demo.

 While the game shows promise, my play session with the demo was disappointing; poor touch screen controls combined with tedious, monotonous fights and a dungeon that went on for too long to create an unsatisfying experience. Various bugs in movement and the interface served only to further dampen the fun. In addition, the boss at the end of the demo's dungeon simply vanished when I attempted to reload a save file, leaving me no other option but to exit without seeing whatever proper ending may have been there. An extra coat of polish and some more effort on dungeon design would greatly benefit this game; right now, I can't recommend much more than trying the demo out for a play session or two.
- RedEnchilada

Demo: The Underworld's Cello 2.0


Note: This game contains a few mature themes, as well as some crude gore.

 Are you enjoying Halloween so far? No? Let's do something about that. Octavia in The Underworld's Cello is a point-and-click adventure game made by Herooftime1000 wherein two ponies get lost in an old mansion. Within, you'll find puzzles, alchemy, and even a few card games. The content present is a lot of fun, and the game seems to take inspiration from old LucasArts point-and-clicks in every aspect of presentation.

 Though the game is unfinished, the current content is more than enough for a good evening of fun and jump scares, as long as you make sure to save often. The puzzles present are great fun, and the mechanics help to add a lot of depth to the gameplay, though occasionally an item seemed to vanish upon pickup with a full inventory.
- RedEnchilada

Minipost: MoonLight engine, music and general update

 MoonLight Tumblr

If you remember the game MoonLight from a few posts back, it now has its own Tumblr in case you want to follow its progress. Along with that, the creator has added a "demo" of the engine being tried out and a sample of the music that has been made so far. The engine is still in an extremely early state, but I think it gives a good feel of what the game is aiming for.
- Strate

Poképon early alpha release


 This one's been sitting in the inbox for a little bit while some preparations were made for the post. Poképon, made by Silverweed91, is a Pokémon-styled battle simulator featuring various ponies and other characters from the FiM universe. The current early release is a little barebones and unstable, but battling and teambuilding over the internet are fully supported. The game takes inspiration from Pokémon Showdown in its presentation and layout, for an easy transition for anyone used to that interface.

 A download link is available on the game's site, and the source code is located at the game's GitHub repository. Since there's no official game server running, I've set one up on my VPS; to connect, set the IP to lyrawearspants.com and the port to its default. There may not be anyone ready to battle when you connect; in that case, simply wait around for someone to show up.
- RedEnchilada

Silent Ponyville: Echoed Sorrows is hiring


 Silent Ponyville: Echoed Sorrows is a game where you dive into Pinkie's mind to uncover the cause of her constant nightmares. (Or something like that. There isn't much to go off of from their site.) The team behind the game is currently looking for a few extra hands to assist with development. Though there isn't much information about the project at the present time, they already have a trailer up, and  a GitHub repository of unfinished code is available on one of the developers' profile for curious eyes to look over.

More information, including how to contact the team, is available either on their site or copy-pasted below the break.

Review: War of Harmony IV


War of Harmony IV is an RPG created by Marshal Ruffy which has been under development for quite some time now. You may remember Tuxxy reviewing an earlier build of the game, so I'd like to begin by saying I will NOT take into account that review. I will be reviewing this as if it were an entirely new game. As always, check below the break for the review.

MoonLight game looking for team members


That video thumbnail may be confusing, but rest assured the topic of the video is indeed ponies. The team working on a game called MoonLight are looking for new members to help in the making of the game. Below the break I will put the details as to what they're looking for right now.

Horse Game and more at BronyCAN 2014


 The development team behind Horse Game, a 3D game about... something, will be hosting a panel at BronyCAN 2014 next weekend. The Horse Game panel begins at 3PM on Saturday, and will feature the developers as they (as described in the press release) showcase gameplay, detail the development process, and explain their goals for where this project will lead.

 Pre-registration for the event closes tonight at midnight, for those interested in attending. Other games present include Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder, which will be on sale in the dealers' hall, and Legends of Equestria.
- RedEnchilada

Legends of Equestria running an open server weekend



 We already posted about this when the announcement was made, but Legends of Equestria, the most well known horse MMO in the fandom, is hosting an open server this weekend to live out all of your romping around and boundary-escaping fantasies in. They've now put the client up for download, and the servers will be going up soon if they aren't already. Check out their news post for more information, or read the important bits mirrored below the break (as their site servers always seem to go down often during open servers).

Mini-Game: Hop, Skip & Jump

http://www.mylittlegamedev.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=1198

 If you have some time to kill but don't have enough energy to invest into a complex game, here's a more simple option for you. Leap from pillar to pillar while avoiding the off-screen hydra and collecting gems on the way that you can use to unlock other ponies and hats(YES HATZ) in this little game that could potentially rival Flappy Bird when it comes to addictiveness. Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Android!

 Since it's a rather straightforward concept there's no break this time. Enjoy!
- Strate

My Little Game Dev Pony Build-Up Event!

For those of you who would like to improve your skills in the arts of game making, here is a good chance to do so. My Little Game Dev is hosting an event about creating Pony mini-games based on themes. If you want to make a game but lack the motivation or the base to do so, this is a good start. And for those who don't actually want to make games, you will still be able to play the entries, so why not take a look around?

Demo: Super Pony Wars

http://project-spw.tumblr.com/

Super Pony Wars is a turn-based strategy game modeled after the Super Robot Wars (or Super Robot Taisen) games. The player moves each pony around a grid-based map and chooses from a list of attacks to defeat the enemies. You can also choose to watch the neat attack animations or skip them if you'd prefer. It's currently under development and the creator of the game is looking for anyone who would like to help in the making of it.

Review: Derpy & The Hunting of the Super Tasty Muffin (of Awesomeness)


Derpy & The Hunting of the Super Tasty Muffin (of Awesomeness)

Now if that title doesn't make you want to play this game, I don't know what will. Derpy & The Hunting of the Super Tasty Muffin (of Awesomeness) is a graphic text adventure made by PonyDreamStudios that will most likely entertain you with all its open possibilities and silly situations. The game is currently in Beta, but the main story is already completed.

Update: MLP: Revenants of Chaos / Project Dash playable demo


Here we have an update on the progress of MLP: Revenants of Chaos, a promising upcoming adventure platformer clearly inspired in 16-bit era classics. In this game we take on the role of everyone's favourite technicolor flyer, Rainbow Dash, as she runs and flies around Ponyville collecting gems and fruit and avoiding dangerous oranges.

New Megamare X trailer

 Megaman being one of my favorite series, I GOT HYPE from this one. Toasty Justice sent in the showcase trailer for Megamare X from EFNW 2014, and it's looking like the project is making good progress. "Now featuring Mech-suits, new enemies, intense platforming, vigorous challenges, and more to come!" he says? Well, count me in!

 Get the trailer above; if you want to follow the project, you can do so on twittertumblrdeviantArt, and their website. Also, apologies to Toasty Justice for being a little slow on posting.
- ApocalypseUndone

Pen and paper RPG: MLP: Saddle Arabian Nights


 TheTinean dropped this little oddity in our mailbox: a cross between a pen-and-paper RPG and a choose-your-own-adventure book. With character customization and the quintessential dice rollin', it's a good distraction if you're aching to play a pen-and-paper RPG but don't have the friends or GM nearby to do it.

 More details after the break.

Looking for new writers


 Update (8/31/14): At this point, we are currently not actively looking for applicants. I've picked three new writers and am seeing how well they work on staff. However, if you really want to contribute, feel free to submit your application anyway! I'm still reading over the applications I get, and who knows? If your application is impressive, I'm willing to bring on new writers regardless. (Also, some parts of the process outlined below have been updated for clarity, and to give some tips for the sample article.)

 Update: The response has been overwhelming so far! I'm starting to look at the applications now and will probably be sending out a few invitations to people. If you haven't received one, I might just be getting around to yours. Feel free to send one in if you haven't already; I'm still checking them.

 As readers and followers of this site may have noticed, new posts have been pretty slow to happen. The reason is we simply don't have enough writers with the free time to manage all of the submissions; I'm often busy, Tuxxy's expressed increasing disinterest in continuing to manage the site, and other writers have gone AWOL. To attempt to solve this, we're putting out a call for new writers to give the place some extra manpower. If you're interested in writing for what, for many, is the first stop for My Little Pony gaming and fangaming content, read below the break for more details on how to apply!

Robin Steele the Waifu Thief


 Created in 48 hours for the Crystal Games Challenge (which either nobody told us about or we lost in our email inbox somewhere), Robin Steele the Waifu Thief is a small game by Pix3M about a villainous Original Character Donut Steel™ barging into Canterlot Castle and claiming Twilight Sparkle as his waifu, whoever he has to take down to get there. Naturally, you play as the villain. Randomly generated floors and a massive difficulty help to somewhat increase the playability of this rather short game, and it's definitely worth a couple plays for the beautiful sprite work, but once you've experienced the ending, there isn't much to come back to.
- RedEnchilada

Play Legends of Equestria in August


 Since I'm guessing that most of you people have already participated in one of Legends of Equestria's many open server weekends and pretty much know what to expect, there's not much for me to say aside from that it'll begin at 12:01 AM EST on August 8th and end at 11:59 PM on the 10th, and that you will need an account on their forums in order to participate in the usual mixture of general chat, roleplay, and enterprising young chaps finding increasingly convoluted ways to leave the confines of the map. Not the sort of thing that I usually enjoy, but it's not like I really have much for friends to play LoE with, so I usually just run around as a lowly mudpony and quit shortly after reaching that one really high spot just outside the lawyer-friendly city of Cantermore.

In case you wish to read the original announcement for whatever reason, you may do so at http://forum.legendsofequestria.com/index.php?topic=11989.0
- Tuxxy

Card Game: Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder


 This fandom has a lot of shipping. A ludicrous amount, actually. There are some problems with the shipping, however: it's not interactive, and has a tendency to take itself way too seriously. Fortunately, the shipping present here suffers neither of those problems. Instead, players are treated to a humorous card game with a surprisingly deep level of strategy

My Little Karaoke: Additional Content Disc #2


Last week, the crew behind My Little Karaoke - a song pack and modification for UltraStar for singing along with various pony songs - released a new content disc. The expansion provides a total of over 90 new songs according to the developers, including foreign language versions of a few official songs for you to improvise nonsensical lyrics over, as well as a bunch of brony music of... varying quality. (I liked a couple of them, anyway.) The update also comes with a new visual identity for the project.

You can find the download here, although the individual ZIP downloads of songs are no longer available, leaving the only option to download the entire 2GB ISO (which they seem insistent on using, as opposed to other, more sane archive formats for digital downloads like this) and extract the songs you want. The prior downloads have to be installed for an automatic installation to work, although nothing's stopping you from pulling the songs themselves into a custom UltraStar installation.

Read past the break for the list of new songs in this release.

Special Somepony Dev Log #1


 Well what do you know, Special Somepony (also known as Cloudsdale's infamous SSP, who has simultaneously been the most popular and infuriatingly annoying person on Romance) has recently announced that he/she is providing updates about their status for whatever reason. Not that you'd want to follow the premature dating misadventures of several twelve year old children on an internet chatsite anyhow, but apparently this is pony related so I guess you can...try to enjoy this?


Demo Footage of Story of the Blanks HD


 Only a couple days after the previous Story of the Blanks HD update comes this new video, featuring two very similar concepts for the game's visual style: the former being more zoomed-in while the latter taking a more effects-heavy approach with a more distant camera and the background being blurred out quite a bit more. I lean more towards the latter myself, although I get the impression that using varying camera distances for different scenes would actually be rather useful for story and atmosphere-related purposes, but if you want to give your own feedback then feel free to comment on their YouTube video and speak your heart out.

 Also, you'll be pleased to hear that the team are apparently going to continuing the original, more show-accurate style unless they happen to receive a C&D, a decision which I fullheartedly support.

Story of the Blanks HD Update


 After over a year of almost absolute silence from the developers of the Story of the Blanks HD remake, aside from the rare animation preview and occasional snippets of the soundtrack by Kyoga, their head has come forth and confessed that she's essentially paranoid about the possibility of a C&D (nevermind that the vast majority of fangames have never received one, contrary to what your average EqD commenter might tell you) and is really wanting to move to an entirely original style with renamed characters and...ugh. It's almost as if she's forgotten that this is supposed to be a fangame, let alone a remake of a fairly well-known creepypasta, and such a project should be more a labor of love rather than merely an opportunity to make money. Heck, the reason why people were attracted to this project in the first place was because it purported to be an expanded re-imagining of the original game in the same spirit, not some cutesy Power Puff Girls-style romp that just happened to share its title with Story of the Blanks.

 Look, I'm sorry if this comes across as rude or anything like that, but this was honestly the one ambitious fangame I was really, really excited to play someday (aside from some quirky projects like Raycord Legends and Curse of the Lost Kingdom), and now it almost looks as if it's all going to go down the drain just because the creator is afraid to accept the necessary chance of a C&D. If you're going to enter the fangame development scene at all you have to take some risks; trying to skirt around the issue by changing names/character designs will only result in people getting upset and a smaller overall playerbase.

PPPPPPonies


 This has been sitting in our inbox for a few days undetected, but someone by the name of inderpxar modded VVVVVV to replace all of the characters with ponies. There are also a few dialog changes. There's not really much to say about a simple graphics mod, but it's an excuse to play through the game again, so I suppose it must be worth something. More information, and a download link with instructions for applying the mod, can be found in the Tumblr post.
- RedEnchilada

Fallout Equestria: the Unblinking


 Now that The Overmare Studios has released this new Fallout: Equestria preview, I can kind of understand why their previous videos used a first-person perspective: their current pony model looks surprisingly creepy when animated, especially with those large, unblinking eyes. Come to think of it, it feels like there's something a bit off with almost all of the animations, although I can't quite lay my finger on it. Perhaps it's just because the animations are incomplete, or maybe this is actually a surreal horror game and Littlepip is an android who happens to fall into the uncanny valley. It's already scarier than Dead Space, so why stop there when you can go all the way down?

 They're also recruiting, and since I don't feel like pasting their ad below the break this time you can read about their requirements at http://theovermare.com/blog/2014/04/flow-of-animations.

Ponykart Looking for 3D Modelers

Rainbow Dash's kart design.
Ponykart

 Work on the Ponykart C++ port seems to be progressing smoothly, if at a rather slow pace, but it seems that they still have a shortage of 3D modelers (a problem seemingly shared by many FOSS games). The fandom does seem to have a distinct lack of those as well, sadly, but if you happen to have some experience with 3DS Max and/or Blender and would like to contribute to the community in some way or another, this is probably an almost perfect opportunity for you to get some practice and should look pretty good on your résumé.

 I wasn't told exactly where interested applicants were supposed to apply for the position, so you might as well just do so at the recruitment thread if you feel like it, which can be found at http://ponykart.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=dqbg1ss4oeajnblv8k3b5g44f0&topic=52.
- Tuxxy

Review: Pony Platforming Project 3 1/2

The title screen for MFA 1 1/2
Pony Platforming Project 3 1/2

 If you remember when Minty Fresh Adventure was released back in April over two years ago (has it really been that long?), Mark Sprague mentioned that he was planning on releasing an expansion of sorts to the game, but it kind of got pushed out of the way in order to focus on finishing the much more ambitious Minty Fresh Adventure II by the end of the year. Of course, we all know how that went, and in order to keep us distracted from asking where his game went Mark has gone and finally tossed PPP 3 1/2 to the masses...two years late.

Ah well, at least it's something. In case you're wondering how the expansion turned out, I've written a review of sorts below the break.