My Little Pony Inspired 2D Fighter “Them’s Fightin’ Herds” Launches February 22

Them’s Fightin’ Herds, along with its awesome name, is an upcoming 2D fighter with mechanics inspired by games like Marvel Vs. Capcom and Skullgirls. The most notable feature about it though is its distinguishable cartoon animal characters and the bright and colorful art style, which actually has a pretty interesting history behind it.

It’s been quite the journey for the ManeSix devteam, the team behind the game. Them’s Fightin’ Herds actually began as a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fan project. The game used characters from the cartoon show as playable fighters. It was a funny delight as the characters’ movesets were inspired from their personalities from the show. Party pony Pinkie Pie had a super move that let her unleash a torrent of cupcakes at her opponent!

The team began work on the project way back in 2012, right around when the show began to pick up popularity and the “brony” (older male fans of the show) movement happened. The fandom loved the game and many were excited for its full release. The game got so popular that it was even submitted as a title to be played at that year’s EVO, the world’s biggest fighting game tournament.

Unfortunately this seemed to catch the eye of Hasbro, owners of the My Little Pony franchise. They delivered a cease and desist letter to the ManeSix team, and they promptly scrapped most of the work they had done up to that point. Not all hope was lost, though, as Lauren Faust, the creator of the Friendship is Magic series, stepped in to help design all-new characters.

Thus, Them’s Fightin’ Herds was born. While still a 2D fighter with an emphasis on flashy combos, the game now features original characters, new music, and a new engine that was actually helped developed by Lab Zero, the developers behind Skullgirls.

The team has finally released a trailer showcasing the game today. Now, along with the help of Humble Bundle, the game is gearing up for a February 22 release this year. The full game will feature a story mode, arcade mode, a target mode, and more! It will also use the GGPO Netcode, the premiere online fighting game netcode. All in all, Them’s Fightin’ Herds is shaping up to be a unique entry into the 2D fighting game genre.

You can check out the Steam page here.

Sharing is caring!

Leave a Comment