Them’s Fighting Herds – Faust’s Hooved Fighters Finally Arrive

At last, the magic is happening. It may not be in the form studio Mane6 dreamed it, but the fan-made project featuring ponies fighting each other is coming together at last.

Previously developed under the name Fighting is Magic , and featuring characters from the popular TV show My Little Pony, Mane6 was forced to change the game’s direction due to a cease and desist letter from Hasbro, Inc. Without permission to use copyrighted materials, the project went silent for a while.

Yesterday, Mane6 unveiled an IndieGoGo campaign for Them’s Fighting Herds, a pony fighting game that evolved from the original concept. It features polished graphics and revamped gameplay systems. As for the characters and the lore, they were created by none other than Lauren Faust, producer and developer of the My Little Pony series. Them’s Fighting Herds takes place in Foenum, a world inhabited entirely by four-legged creatures. Long ago, the ponies banished aggressive Predators to a prison in a different dimension, but after years of peace, the creatures have started to return. Each nation in Foenum sends their strongest fighter to battle to become the Key Keeper and banish the Predators.

Combat in Them’s Fighting Herds uses a four-button system where one of the buttons triggers a special ability unique to each character. Fans of MLP may notice similarities, but each fighter has a new name and an evolved playstyle. Arizona uses a lot of headbutt attacks and combos with a lasso, controlling the opponent. Velvet zones the opposition with powerful ice crystals, and Paprika is a fast alpaca with strong mix-up potential.

Other game features include a dynamic music system, which changes tunes based on who’s winning, netplay powered by the GGPO system, and a visual online lobby where players can move their avatars around and challenge other pony fighters.

The IndieGoGo campaign is off to a strong start. Mane6 is asking for $436,000 in an all-or-nothing campaign. There are no stretch goals, though Mane6 may reveal additional goals if the funding reaches a certain level. The lowest tier to acquire the game is already gone, so pledging $15 is the next option to secure a copy of Them’s Fighting Herds and gain access to backer-only forums.

For the latest words on Them’s Fighting Herds, check out Mane6’s Twitter and website.