My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic Review

The My Little Pony show has recently made a comeback in the last few years, and the pony scene now has a cult following among both adults and children. Thanks to creator Lauren Faust and her sophisticated writing, the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series has coined the terms Bronies and Pegasisters, which are used to describe the male and female fans of the show.

It’s no surprise that a MLP game has landed on the App Store. This free-to-play title developed by Gameloft is an adaptation of the show. Nightmare Moon has spread night across Ponyville and it’s up to Twilight Sparkle and her friends to bring the light and friendship back and restore the six Elements of Harmony in order to rebuild the town and chase away the darkness.

There are many features to love such as the inclusion of the original ponies that come complete with voice acting, the high-quality graphics, the city builder gameplay, and the inclusion of mini-games. There’s a little bit of something for everyone.

Players have the option to place their buildings wherever they desire in the game. There are dark sections to expand and debris to clear. The game includes a quick tutorial to get players started.

When something new is built, players must hire up to two ponies and wait for them to finish building. Once buildings are complete, gamers earn bits and crystal shards. Crystals can be spent to complete buildings faster, skip levels and purchase other items, and bits are the main currency.

Buildings are often part of quests that help gamers earn experience points and go up in rank. Players can also increase their rank by playing one of three mini-games that include apple collecting, flying and ball throwing. Games are timed and have the choice to select their multiplier by spending bits or crystals. Spending more money results in more points, which in turn earns more star ranks. Completing quests, playing mini-games and earning points not only levels up the ponies, but it unlocks more ponies and items to purchase in the shops.

While there’s a lot to love, there are a few pitfalls worth noting. The mini-games are a lot of fun to play, but they can quickly get dull and repetitive over time. Also, the simplistic gameplay may not be for everyone. Furthermore, gamers will eventually hit a pay wall in the game, and either end up spending a lot of real cash or spend hours building a huge friends network and patiently waiting.

Regardless of a few downsides, My Little Pony – Friendship is Magic is still adorable, addicting and too much fun to pass up on exploring—especially for the diehard fans. Get ready to go on a fun-filled adventure in this free-to-play and incredibly cute title.