There are not too many new RPGs that I seek out, nowadays. Limited gaming time means little time to experiment with new games. Lucky for me, I have two daughter, ages 6 and 8, who have actively played all types of games since the age of two, ranging from wargames, boardgames, and RPGs.
I started their role-playing with my own hastily hashed and adepted system, T.I.A.R.A. (Toddler Interactive Adventure Resolution... Adventure! As I looked to expand their horizons, I realized that D&D was too cumbersome after a few
Dungeons and Ponies session, and we've since settle down to a very successful run with Savage Worlds/Showdown.
The thing that originally attracted me to Savage Showdown? A pleasant surprise that it wildly resembled and improved upon my T.I.A.R.A.
With both of my girls now in grade school, I was excited by the release of the My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria Storytelling Game (MLP). A well-loved license of something the girls love was worth spending the cash.
I was not disappointed. In some similar ways, MLP is a similar divergence from T.I.A.R.A.
Before I go into a chapter by chapter breakdown of the book, I want to praise the writing style of the book. With a book that can be loved by children, adults, gamers, non-gamers, and... I'll say it, Bronies, the writing is clear enough for each group to feel welcome, without oversimplifying or talking down to any of the readers. I enjoyed reading the book as much as my eight-year old daughter, Maja.
Chapter by ChapterChapter 1: IntroductionThe authors present aa solid explanation of what role-playing is, a full list of "gaming supplies", including pencils, tokens of friendship ... and dice! Sure there's a page of some non-subtle but toleratble promotion of the GM Screen, other supplments, and even promoting Hasbo's own figurines. It's a licensed product. I would be confused if it was missing.
Chapter 2: Creating Your Own Pony CharacterBasic character creation creates ponies that have just received their cutie marks. Yes, there are rules for making the Cutie Mark Crusadeers, as well as samples later in the book providing stats for the Mane Six (the experienced main characters of the television show).
Chapter 2 covers the step-by-step process, and I must commend the editors for ensuring each step has page numbers referencing the later chapters covering each step (and they're accurate). My daughter can easily pop back and forth, as needed, when she's creating characters
Chapter 3: Pony KindsPlayers can choose from three pony types: Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies. Unicorns have telekinesis, Pegasi can fly, and Earth Ponies are Strong and with a Stout Heart. Each player also chooses one of the six Element of Harmony. Alicorns are not available as characters.
Chapter 4: Elements of HarmonyPlayers then choose one of the Elements of Harmony (Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic) for their pony. The element have no mechanical use, rather they are used to form the background of the pony's personality.
Chapter 5: Traits & StaminaEach pony has three stats, known in the game as traits: Body, Mind, Charm. The stats are established by the players choices in character creation, quite simply, is their pony more physical or mental, and then is adjusted by the pony type. Everyone starts with the same Charm. The numbers for Traits equal the appropriate die to roll to make a test or challenge. (a 6 Body rolls d6, 4 Mind rolls d4. See Chapter 7 below for more).
Stamina is a flat number (based upon traits and pony type) that tracks your exhaustion and injuries taken during your adventures. There's no death in MLP. Going down to zero stamina forces the pony to rest, possibly not be able to finish a task, or even getting captured.
Chapter 6: FriendshipOne of the great devices in MLP are the Tokens of Friendship. My first thought of them are Bennies from Savage Worlds on steroids. Using one token, you can reroll, using two can reroll using a d20, and three is an automatic success! Tokens may also be used to change to storyline to make things better (a missing item that could help the group), subject to gamemaster approval.
What makes the Tokens far better than Bennies is two-fold. First, the sharing of Tokens between the players (three players throwing in Tokens for an automatic success) is actively encourage. Second, for Tokens, Friendship is literally magic. At the start of the game, each pony gets Tokens equal to the total number of players at the table (gamemaster included). Playing in a larger group (up to six) means the ponies can be far more successful than going out in pairs or solo adventures.
Chapter 7: Tests & ChallengesActions are resolved by either Tests, where a pony rolls their trait against a target number, or Challenges, where two sides make opposed rolls to see who wins. The Difficulty chart is pretty simple, and gives the players to see what experienced ponies are capable of doing.
Chapter 8: Talents & QuirksThe sixteen Talents are special abilities that ponies can use in gameplay, such as Cloud Wrangling, Pony Sense, and Speak with Animals. Multiple levels of Talents can be earned, raising the die rolled for checks.
The seventeen Quirks (with many more that can be created) are explained as simply the bad version of Talents (Messy, Short Attention Span, Needs Glasses as examples) which could create problems for the pony.
Chapter 9: Pony Names, Cutie Marks & PortraitsTwo quick pages that round out the character creation process. It gives an example of how a player could develop a pony name, design a cutie mark, and having some fun drawing your pony on an official MLP character sheet.
Chapter 10: Equipment & MoneyDespite rolling for starting money ("bits") put the rulebook itself reminds the readers that many ponies have no gear to go on adventures. It is useful to remind the gentle reader that you need to put those jar of Ponybalm somewhere in order to regain stamina faster, or soothe your asthma quirk while you're travelling in the deep woods.
Chapter 11: Levels & Leveling UpLeveling up occurs whenever the group finishes the adventure (so make them worthwhile). Not only does a pony increase one trait by a die level and all your talents upgrade a die as well, but you can either further upgrade an existing talent or add a new talent altogether. On top of that, the ponies earn Tokens of friendship equal to the number of player (plus GM) for that adventure, and adds that to whatever Tokens were left at game's end.
The chapter also alludes to epic quests after reaching Level 10, as well as the rules to play Level 0 Ponies (The Cutie Mark Crusaders from the show).
Chapter 12: Adventuring Tips and TricksChapter 12 is nothing more than some guidance for players, particularly new ones. Most of the advice is pretty standard fare that even the most experienced player can read as a refresher, especially
Be Different... but Not Too Different.
Adventure Module - The Pet PredicamentThe starter adventure in the book is a simple task for the new ponies... pet-sit the animals of the Mane Six as they leave Ponyville for greater adventures. Of course, the animals get away and most of the scenario is the group retrieving them. A very solid adventure, with many different facets and directions, setting for the high standard of the definition of an adventure for purposes of leveling. Rescuing Granny Smith's apple cart, or defending the villages from a lone mischievous imps should just be the first steps in the adventure.
Appendix - Other Stuff: For those without dice, the authors have provided entire pages of printed results for each die type, so players could simply close their eyes and randomly point at a numbers. Also mentioned are other products in the MLP:ToE line, and, as expected, and a pony sheet ready for photocopies.
Artwork: The artwork is a mixture of stock Hasbro art for My Little Pony and some new original pony art from Luigi Terzi. Since the game is focused on new ponies, rather than the Mane Six, I would have liked to see more original art giving inspiration to the various styles of pony characters
Physical Construction 152 page hardcover that has thus far survived three people pouring through it.
With every being covered, it's simple to believe that on the Gaming with the Gnomies Five-Gnome scale, I give My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria Storytelling Game five gnomes. It's well laid out, well written on multiple levels, and my kids love playing it.
My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria Storytelling Game by Alessio Cavtore, Dylan Owen, and Jack Caesar. Published by Shinobi 7 in the US for
River Horse Games. ($34.99 US)
Kids on Bikes is a 60 page, rules-light, fast-paced storytelling game in the spirit of games like DREAD, Perseverant, MONSTERHEARTS, and other great indy titles. Kids on Bikes is perfect for game nights in which you want to get a game in RIGHT NOW. 
