Games Ponies Play

Last updated
"Games Ponies Play"
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 12
Directed byJames Wootton
Written byDave Polsky
Original air dateFebruary 9, 2013 (2013-02-09)
Running time22 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Just for Sidekicks"
Next 
"Magical Mystery Cure"
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (season 3)
List of episodes

"Games Ponies Play" is the twelfth episode of the third season of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as well as the 64th overall. Directed by James Wootton and written by Dave Polsky, "Games Ponies Play" premiered on The Hub on February 9, 2013. Occurring during the events of the previous episode, "Just for Sidekicks", the episode featured Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack trying to convince an inspector to host the Equestria Games at the Crystal Empire.

Contents

Plot

Twilight and her friends go to the Crystal Empire, which is due to be inspected to host the Equestria Games, the biggest sporting event in all of Equestria. They leave all of their pets behind at home with Spike. Upon arrival, they meet Princess Cadance in a spa. While they enjoy the amenities of the spa, a messenger arrives to tell Princess Cadance that the inspector of the games, Ms. Harshwhinny, is due to arrive in fifteen minutes, much earlier than expected. This causes the ponies to panic, but Twilight manages to calm down the situation and tells Rarity to do the headdress of Cadance. The others go to the train station. Once a yellow pony steps out of the train, Twilight and her friends think that she is Ms. Harshwhinny and go to welcome her.

The friends show the inspector the castle, who seems to have claustrophobia and altocelarophobia. [lower-alpha 1] Therefore, she is eager to go outside the castle, but Twilight and her friends perform a cheer before going outside to properly welcome the inspector, who seems to be surprised that Cadance knows her. After leaving the castle, the friends take the inspector to the newly built stadium. The inspector is so happy to be outside, that she runs across the track and says that she is enjoying her vacation. After this, the friends realize that they got the wrong pony: Ms. Peachbottom.

Twilight and her friends leave Ms. Peachbottom behind and rush to the train station, but Ms. Harshwhinny has already arrived and is having a "hooficure" [lower-alpha 2] at the spa. She complains to Cadance that no one welcomed her into the empire, which leads to Rainbow Dash confessing that they welcomed the wrong pony. After hearing the story of Ms. Peachbottom, the inspector announces the Crystal Empire as the next host of the Equestria Games. The enthusiasm of the Crystal Ponies supercharge the Crystal Heart, which sends a beam of light into the sky.

As the friends board the train to go back to home, Applejack hears something growling. Spike, The Cutie Mark Crusaders and the six pets are shown hiding under the seats, depicting the climax of "Just for Sidekicks".

Reception

Ethan Lewis of Den of Geek called the episode both "highly unusual" and "wonderful", praising how the episode "manage[d] to sneak in a couple lessons". [1] Unleash the Fanboy's Daniel Alvarez gave "Games Ponies Play" 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "pretty solid" and "really great episode". He remarked it as one of the best season 3 episodes, complimenting the story, character moments and appearances of Princess Cadance. [2]

Home media

The episode was included in two releases by Shout! Factory: Princess Twilight Sparkle and Games Ponies Play. [3] [4] [5]

Notes

  1. Fear of high ceilings.
  2. Portmanteau of hoof and pedicure.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Canterlot Wedding</span> My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic episodes

"A Canterlot Wedding" is the title of the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth episodes of the second season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. The fifty-first and fifty-second episodes overall, they were directed by James Wootton and written by Meghan McCarthy. "A Canterlot Wedding" premiered as an hour-long event on The Hub on April 21, 2012. In these episodes, Twilight Sparkle learns her brother, Shining Armor, will be marrying Princess Cadance. The news excites Twilight, but she becomes concerned about the marriage when she notices Cadance is not behaving like the friendly, caring individual she remembers her to be.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Crystal Empire</span> 1st and 2nd episodes of the 3rd season of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

"The Crystal Empire" is the collective name for the first and second episodes of the third season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as well as the fifty-third and fifty-fourth episodes of the series overall. Both parts of the episode were first broadcast on The Hub on November 10, 2012. It was written by Meghan McCarthy, and directed by series director James Wootton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magical Mystery Cure</span> 13th episode of the 3rd season of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

"Magical Mystery Cure" is the thirteenth and final episode of the third season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and the sixty-fifth episode of the series overall. Directed by James Wootton, it was written by M.A. Larson.

<i>My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, developed by Lauren Faust, originally aired on The Hub in the United States. The series is based on Hasbro's My Little Pony line of toys and animated works and is often referred by collectors to be the fourth generation, or "G4", of the My Little Pony franchise. Season 3 of the series premiered on November 10, 2012 on The Hub, an American pay television channel partly owned by Hasbro, and concluded on February 16, 2013.

<i>My Little Pony: Equestria Girls</i> (film) 2013 animated film

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, known simply as Equestria Girls or EQG, is a 2013 animated fantasy musical film which is the first installment of Hasbro's toy line and media franchise of the same name, which is itself an anthropomorphized spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of the My Little Pony franchise. The film was animated in Adobe Flash, directed by Jayson Thiessen and written by Meghan McCarthy, and was produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States. It premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 15, 2013, followed by limited release in the United States and Canada on June 16, 2013, with a home media release on August 6, 2013. It also commemorates the thirtieth anniversary of the launch of the original My Little Pony toy line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twilight's Kingdom</span> 2014 television episode

"Twilight's Kingdom" is the collective name for the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth episodes of the fourth season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, as well as the ninetieth and ninety-first episodes of the series overall. The two-part season finale deals with a new threat named Lord Tirek, who wants to rule Equestria by absorbing all magic, as well as Twilight Sparkle trying to learn what she should do with her new role as a princess. "Twilight's Kingdom" was directed by Jayson Thiessen, co-directed by Jim Miller, produced by Sarah Wall and Devon Cody, and written by Meghan McCarthy. It premiered on the Hub Network on May 10, 2014, with both parts airing back-to-back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Best Night Ever</span> 26th episode of the 1st season of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

"The Best Night Ever" is the first season finale of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. The episode follows Twilight Sparkle and her friends, who try to enjoy the Grand Galloping Gala separately. Each of them finds their expectations disappointed and inadvertently cause chaos through all their attempts to satisfy their wants. The episode aired on May 6, 2011, and was positively received.

"Three's a Crowd" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as well as the seventy-sixth overall. With Britt McKillip and John de Lancie guest starring as Princess Cadance and Discord, the episode follows Twilight Sparkle and the former, who visits from the Crystal Empire, trying to have a relaxing day. When they are interrupted by a sick Discord, they must venture to the edge of Equestria to prevent him from disrupting their visit. Co-directed by Jim Miller, with Jayson Thiessen as executive producer, and written by Meghan McCarthy, the episode aired on January 25, 2014, receiving over 400,000 viewers during its original broadcast. The episode received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who praised Discord.

<i>My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games</i> 2015 animated film

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games, known simply as Friendship Games, is a 2015 animated musical sports fantasy film which is a part of Hasbro's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls toy line and media franchise, itself a spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of the main My Little Pony franchise. The film was animated using Adobe Flash, directed by Ishi Rudell and written by Josh Haber, and was produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States, as a sequel to 2014's Rainbow Rocks film. Unlike the previous two films, Friendship Games had no theatrical run in the United States and Canada, but the film was first shown on Discovery Family, a joint venture between Discovery Communications and Hasbro, on September 26, with a home media release on October 13 that year by Shout! Factory; it also had a limited theatrical run in the United Kingdom, Mexico and Australia beginning in late October 2015.

"Amending Fences" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as well as the one hundred and third overall. Released on July 4, 2015, the episode was written by M.A. Larson and directed by Jim Miller. It received praise from critics and fans for its plot.

<i>My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree</i> 2016 animated film

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree, known simply as Legend of Everfree, is a 2016 animated musical fantasy film which is a part of Hasbro's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls toy line and media franchise, itself a spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of the main My Little Pony franchise. The film was animated using Adobe Flash, written by Kristine Songco and Joanna Lewis, and directed by Ishi Rudell, and was produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States as a sequel to 2015's Friendship Games film. Prior to its release in the United States on Netflix on October 1, 2016, the film was first broadcast on Discovery Kids in Latin America on September 24, 2016. The film was released on home media in the United States and Canada on November 1, 2016 by Shout! Factory. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the animation, voice acting, and music, but criticized its script, plot, and excessive use of too many plotlines all at once.

"The Cutie Re-Mark" is the collective name for the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth episodes of the fifth season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as well as the one hundred and sixteenth and one hundred and seventeenth episodes of the series overall. Written by Josh Haber and directed by Denny Lu, the two episodes center around Starlight Glimmer, who tries to take revenge from the Mane 6 by going back in time and preventing them from ever meeting each other. Released on November 28, 2015, the plot of the episode received mixed reviews from critics.

The eighth season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, developed by Lauren Faust, originally aired on the Discovery Family channel in the United States. The series is based on Hasbro's My Little Pony line of toys and animated works and is often referred by collectors to be the fourth generation, or "G4", of the My Little Pony franchise. Season 8 of the series premiered on March 24, 2018, on Discovery Family, an American pay television channel partly owned by Hasbro, and concluded on October 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twilight Sparkle</span> Fictional character from My Little Pony

Princess Twilight Sparkle, commonly known as Twilight Sparkle, is a fictional character who appears in the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony toyline and media franchise, beginning with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2010–2019), and later in the franchise's fifth incarnation as well. She is voiced by Tara Strong while her singing voice is provided by Rebecca Shoichet.

<i>My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Forgotten Friendship</i> 2018 animated television special

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Forgotten Friendship, also known as Most Likely to be Forgotten on the extended YouTube release, is a 2018 animated one-hour television special which is a part of Hasbro's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls toyline and media franchise, itself a spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of the main My Little Pony toyline. The special was animated using Adobe Animate, written and edited by Nick Confalone, and directed by Ishi Rudell and Katrina Hadley, and was produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States. Premiered on Discovery Family on February 17, 2018, Forgotten Friendship is the first one-hour Equestria Girls television special, followed up with Rollercoaster of Friendship (2018), Spring Breakdown (2019), Sunset's Backstage Pass (2019), and Holidays Unwrapped (2019).

"Princess Twilight Sparkle" is the collective name for the first and second episodes of the fourth season of animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as well as the sixty-sixth and sixty-seventh overall. The episodes follow the newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle, who travels back to her hometown of Ponyville from Canterlot after Princesses Celestia and Luna disappear, and the Everfree Forest invades Ponyville. As Twilight and her friends try to find the cause of the havoc, they discover the Tree of Harmony, where they give up the Elements of Harmony to save Equestria.

Friendship Is Magic (<i>My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic</i>) 2010 television episodes

"Friendship Is Magic" is the collective name for the series premiere of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. The episodes follow Twilight Sparkle, a studious, antisocial unicorn, who reluctantly travels to the town of Ponyville at the insistence of her mentor, Princess Celestia. There, she meets five ponies—Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie—with whom she becomes close friends. Together, the six defeat Nightmare Moon, a villain who has returned after a thousand years of imprisonment in the moon, with magical artifacts known as the "Elements of Harmony". Many of the creatures that appear in these episodes have designs that convey humor or silliness. Aired in two parts, on October 10 and October 22, 2010, the episodes received positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. Lewis, Ethan (February 10, 2013). "My Little Pony, Season 3, Episode 12: Games Ponies Play, Review". Den of Geek . Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  2. Alvarez, Daniel (February 9, 2013). "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic 'Games Ponies Play' Review". Unleash The Fanboy. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  3. Lambert, David (March 8, 2013). "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic — Princess Twilight Sparkle". TVShowsonDVD.com (Press release). Shout! Factory. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  4. "My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Princess Twilight Sparkle". Shout! Factory. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  5. "My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Games Ponies Play". Shout! Factory. June 9, 2015. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2021.