History YMMV / ThemsFightinHerds

* AwesomeEgo: Oleander and especially Velvet might be full of themselves, but there's [[TheAce a good reason]] they're the Champions of their respective homelands.

* CreepyAwesome: Oleander and Fred, whenever they use their powers.

** Cashmere will get really flirty if the playable character, who are so far all female, has a lot of salt. [[note]]Her flirty interactions with Oleander is not an examples as it's deliberate ShipTease.[[/note]]

* UglyCute: Shanty might not be as traditionally cute as the characters that were introduced before her, but she's still kind of cute in her own way.

** The entire reason the game exists is because ''[[VideoGame/MyLittlePonyFightingIsMagic Fighting Is Magic]]'' got shown off at EVO 2013, which caught Creator/{{Hasbro}}'s attention in an unavoidable way, resulting in a [[ScrewedByTheLawyers cease & desist]]. Several years later, ''Them's Fightin' Herds'' would end up getting included in EVO 2020. Though it would turn HarsherInHindsight when ''this'' game would be taken out of EVO for [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor different legal problems, this time on EVO's side]]. However, things changed in 2021 after Sony took over EVO, and TFH will be featured at EVO 2021 in an online side tournament.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:

* UnexpectedCharacter: Nobody was expecting Texas, Arizona's father, to be the first character of the DLC season pass.

* SurpriseDifficulty: The game stars an adorable cast of hooved mammals designed by Creator/LaurenFaust, which is more likely to appeal to casual gamers rather than hardcore fighting game fans. Surely the gameplay and the controls are easy right? Nope. This game plays like a traditional 2-D fighting game like ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', ''Franchise/GuiltyGear'', or ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}''.

* SurpriseDifficulty: The game stars an adorable cast of hooved mammals designed by Creator/LaurenFaust, which is more likely to appeal to casual gamers rather than hardcore fighting game fans. Surely the gameplay and the controls are easy right? Nope. This game plays like a traditional 2-D fighting game like ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', ''VideoGame/{{GuiltyGear}}'' or ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}''.

** The entire reason the game exists is because ''[[VideoGame/MyLittlePonyFightingIsMagic Fighting Is Magic]]'' got shown off at EVO 2013, which caught Creator/{{Hasbro}}'s attention in an unavoidable way, resulting in a [[ScrewedByTheLawyers cease & desist]]. Several years later, ''Them's Fightin' Herds'' would end up getting included in EVO 2020. Though it would turn into a FunnyAneurysmMoment when ''this'' game would be taken out of EVO for [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor different legal problems, this time on EVO's side]]. However, things changed in 2021 after Sony took over EVO, and TFH will be featured at EVO 2021 in an online side tournament.

** Oleander's nervous reaction when Fred brings up Cashmere near the end of the first chapter. Was it because she doesn't want to admit she ''does'' like her, or the complete opposite and Cashmere's flirting made her uncomfortable?
*** Similarly, Fred brought up Cash as "that reindeer [Oleander] likes so much" in a trollish way, bringing a SheIsNotMyGirlfriend kind of reaction from Ollie and said she just liked Cashmere's glasses. Which one was telling the truth? If both or neither of them.

** Speaking of Izzy and Oleander, you could Izzy as a [[CompositeCharacter composite character]] of both Oleander and Paprika. Oleander physically because they're both unicorns living in colorful forests inhabited by unicorns, and Paprika mentally as both are the only one in a society of dull, lifeless citizens to be outgoing and joyful.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Oleander's nervous reaction when Fred brings up Cashmere near the end of the first chapter. Was it because she doesn't want to admit she ''does'' like her, or the complete opposite and Cashmere's flirting made her uncomfortable?
** Similarly, Fred brought up Cash as "that reindeer [Oleander] likes so much" in a trollish way, bringing a SheIsNotMyGirlfriend kind of reaction from Ollie and said she just liked her glasses. Which one was telling the truth? If both or neither of them.

** Cashmere will get really flirty if the playable character has a lot of salt. [[note]]Her flirty interactions with Oleander is not an examples as it's deliberate ShipTease.[[/note]]

* ViewerGenderConfusion: It's hard to tell if Ribbon is a boy or a girl, and they don't use other pronouns.

* FandomRivalry: After it was revealed that ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' would not be part of the EVO 2020 lineup while ''Them's Fightin Herds'' was, a rivalry between the two communities was stoked. Many fans of the former were mad at the fact that a "brony game" overshadowed the much more popular ''Ultimate'', while the latter's fans defended the organizers' decision, claiming that it's better for a smaller indie game to be in the spotlight rather than a big-budget AAA title.[[note]][[HistoryRepeats A similar situation happened in 2013]], in which ''Fighting is Magic'' was nominated for the EVO charity auction, which ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' won, and caused Hasbro to issue a cease-and-desist letter to [=Mane6=] to shut down ''Fighting is Magic'''s production.[[/note]] Ultimately, neither side won, as EVO 2020 was cancelled following the discovery that its co-founder Joey Cuellar [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor was accused of sexual misconduct]], which prompted several game developers, [=Mane6=] included, to pull their games from the event.

** The entire reason the game exists is because ''[[VideoGame/MyLittlePonyFightingIsMagic Fighting Is Magic]]'' got shown off at EVO 2013, which caught Creator/{{Hasbro}}'s attention in an unavoidable way, resulting in a [[ScrewedByTheLawyers cease & desist]]. Several years later, ''Them's Fightin' Herds'' would end up getting included in EVO 2020. Though it would turn into a FunnyAneurysmMoment when ''this'' game would be taken out of EVO for [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor different legal problems, this time on EVO's side]].

* DemonicSpiders: First appearing in chapter 3 of Arizona’s Story Mode are the birds (nicknamed Flappy). They move fast, hit hard, and are very hard to hit thanks to them being perpetually airborne. This is exacerbated by the fact that they are introduced in a platforming section, and they have a bad habit of knocking you off platforms with their charge attack.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: ''Them's Fightin' Herds'' had a tough road ahead of it when it was first revealed: its origin as a ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' FanGame means that people who aren't fans of that show might prefer to laugh at it rather than play it, but the fact that the characters aren't actually ponies, just {{Expies}} of them, also repels the Brony fandom who might be upset at how they're not really the characters they know and love. Additionally, the game's cutesy art style and character designs belie a full-fledged fighting game along the lines of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'', a genre which can be rather unforgiving to beginners. At first glance Thme's Fightin' Herds would look like both an AudienceAlienatingPremise and an UncertainAudience, but it managed to earn itself a positive reputation once word spread that it is a genuinely well-made, balanced, and fun fighting game, its rich lore and well-written characters were able to differentiate themselves from ''MLP'' in the fandom's eyes, and its great tutorial and casual features such as the Pixel Lobbies helped ease fighting game newbies into the experience.

* WinTheCrowd: ''Them's Fightin' Herds'' had a tough road ahead of it when it was first revealed: its origin as a ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' FanGame means that people who aren't fans of that show might prefer to laugh at it rather than play it, but the fact that the characters aren't actually ponies, just {{Expies}} of them, also repels the Brony fandom who might be upset at how they're not really the characters they know and love. Additionally, the game's cutesy art style and character designs belie a full-fledged fighting game along the lines of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'', a genre which can be rather unforgiving to beginners. However, it managed to earn itself a positive reputation once word spread that it is a genuinely well-made, balanced, and fun fighting game, its rich lore and well-written characters were able to differentiate themselves from ''MLP'' in the fandom's eyes, and its great tutorial and casual features such as the Pixel Lobbies helped ease fighting game newbies into the experience.

** Pom, being a shy and nervous little lamb with an adorable Scottish accent, is impossible not to fall in love with, and really hard to want to fight.

* DemonicSpiders: First appearing in chapter 3 of Arizona’s Story Mode are the birds (nicknamed Flappy). They move fast, hit hard, and are very hard to hit thanks to them being perpetually airborne. This is exacerbated by the fact that they are introduced in a platforming section, and they have a bad habit of knocking you off platforms with their charge attack.

* NeverLiveItDown: Despite the identity overhaul, it seems that the game still won't shake off it's reputation of "that ''My Little Pony'' fighting game". Some places, such as 4Chan, even still consider it MLP related because of its roots.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: This is a competitive fighting game with intricate mechanics and complex inputs... set to the backdrop of what is essentially the ''My Little Pony'' universe. Casual players who like the visuals or are MLP fans [[SurpriseDifficulty would probably be turned off by its surprise complexity.]] Hardcore vets who are used to more realistic or anime-esque style games [[AnimationAgeGhetto will be alienated by its simplistic and cartoonish character designs.]] Despite this, however, it's gained a lot of admiration because of, or even despite, the contrasting visuals and gameplay, mostly from fighting game players who aren't hung up on the graphics and can appreciate the mechanics and balanced gameplay.

** [[PortmanteauCoupleName Cashleander]] (Oleander and Cashmere) was hinted in the December 2019 holiday update, and has gradually picked up steam following the Story Mode update and Halloween 2020 update. In the shop dialog, Cashmere openly flirts with Oleander (a treatment that none of the other characters get[[note]][[MoneyFetish Unless they backed up a lot of salt.]][[/note]]
), and the Story Mode implies Oleander likes her back but won't openly admit it.

** [[PortmanteauCoupleName Cashleander]] (Oleander and Cashmere) was hinted in the December 2019 holiday update, and has gradually picked up steam following the Story Mode update and Halloween 2020 update. In the shop dialog, Cashmere openly flirts with Oleander (a treatment that none of the other characters get), and the Story Mode implies Oleander likes her back but won't openly admit it.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Some fans of ''Fighting Is Magic'' disliked the new direction that [=Mane6=] took their game after the Hasbro C&D, mainly due to the new characters and setting having no relation to ''Friendship Is Magic''. However, the fact that they're designed by Creator/LaurenFaust has somewhat softened the blow.

* FandomRivalry: After it was revealed that ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' would not be part of the EVO 2020 lineup while ''Them's Fightin Herds'' was, a rivalry between the two communities was stoked. Many fans of the former were mad at the fact that a "brony game" overshadowed ''Ultimate'', while the latter's fans defended the organizers' decision, claiming that it's better for a smaller indie game to be in the spotlight rather than a big-budget AAA title.[[note]][[HistoryRepeats A similar situation happened in 2013]], in which ''Fighting is Magic'' was nominated for the EVO charity auction, which ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' won, and caused Hasbro to issue a cease-and-desist letter to [=Mane6=] to shut down ''Fighting is Magic'''s production.[[/note]] Ultimately, neither side won, as EVO 2020 was cancelled following the discovery that its co-founder Joey Cuellar [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor was accused of sexual misconduct]], which prompted several game developers, [=Mane6=] included, to pull their games from the event.

** [[PortmanteauCoupleName Cashleander]] (Oleander and Cashmere) was hinted in the December 2019 holiday update, and has gradually picked up steam following the Story Mode update and Halloween 2020 update. In the shop dialog, Cashmere openly flirts with Oleander, and the Story Mode implies Oleander likes her back but won't openly admit it.

* TheWoobie: Pom, easily. She doesn't want to be here, at all, but was forced into it, and most of her intros and victory quotes are showcasing how scared she is. One of them is telling her opponent she's jealous they lost because they get to ''stop''. This is added onto when animations were added, which include things like her puppy having to push her into the fight because of how much she doesn't want to.