Thinking this episode over, I really like how they tie it together with "Just for Sidekicks" so that Twilight's line "I'm sure Spike's doing a good job taking care of our pets" is important for both episodes. In JFS, that line is the catalyst for Spike's apology for being a terrible petsitter. And in "Games Ponies Play", the line is shown to be a sign that Twilight is finally learning how to keep calm under pressure.

Back when JFS aired, I actually thought that Twi's sudden trust in Spike in that scene seemed a little out of place. Learning that it's intentional character growth makes it much better.

edited 9th Feb '13 12:54:21 PM by MetaFour

So here's the reason Cloudsdale wasn't chosen for the Equestria Games.

New toy stuff, featuring Octavia*

I require this minifig

, Chrysalis, Steven Magnet(!) and more. Oh right, spoilers too.

edited 9th Feb '13 1:03:55 PM by Swasfews

I was just about to post that, have some non-spoiler links! [1] [2]

Octavia...toy?

My mind is blown.

I just have to say in regards to the Nightmare Moon minifig... I understand giving her purple hair for the toys with brushable manes, since ya know her mane is made of stars, but why purple on the modeled toy? Its not like making it blue would clash with her color scheme or anything :P

Also, who are the ponies that Octavia comes with? One of them is a high-society Recurring Extra, but who's the green one? Lyra with a new hair style?

So thoughts:

Hey, is that RD's dad?

If it's just a matter of following a list of instructions, than wouldn't they all technically know how to do it?

That's definitely not the real inspector.

I'm calling it, the real inspector is going to be so impressed by how they treated Ms Chicken that she;ll give them the games anyway.

They really arent' good at figuring out what Ms Chicken wants though.

Hey she should be a contestant.

Lyrarity.

Octavia toy? Sweet. I was worried she'd get shafted in the toy department because of her lack of colors.

Also...we finally have a molded Fluttershy toy not from McDonald's.

Now that is something. She's no longer a Rainbow Dash Palette Swap!

edited 9th Feb '13 1:18:20 PM by Calnos

But how else are they supposed to spaicheck?

By lighting each other on fire?

Or just have those signs with her name on it.

This aligns perfectly with my fanon of Lyra coming from the gaelic equivalent in the Equestrian world. This... pleases me.

Also on that note, I took a little jaunt down to my local comic book shop this afternoon, and it turns out that they're gonna be stocking the MLP comic as of issue 4 being released. Turns out there's been a fair bit of demand for it of late. So, hurrah!

@Kegi; Now that you mention it, I may never hear the name of this song the same way again.

Also, I think I just realized who our mystery pony is in the Chrysalis Toys R Us set! Its...that purple, blonde mane high society pony who's also getting a mini-fig apparently. Random background pony to make toys out of, but hey might as go down the list...

Don't mind the Thread Hop I just watched the episode.

You know, the whole mistaken identity thing really should really take no more then five minutes to sort out the problem. These kind of plots always. . .actually I don't know what they do to me but it's not pleasant. That all aside I think the episode was still ok. Kind of dumb, but ok.

They kind of did. You can clearly see the CMC under the seats at the end.

Which twist? Because if you're talking about the games inspector thing, I called the entire plot as soon as they met her. And it's not like they tried to hide the fact that she wasn't the real inspector anyway.

Not to mention the fact that they'd have to redo almsot everything.

I think I'm mostly disappointed in the episode because the show has such a good history of taking cliched plots like this and doing it in such a way that it feels new and surprising. Sweet and Elite being the perfect example of that. How often do you see a story like that where the main character comes out with her reputation intact?

I noticed that too.

Also, is this the first time Rarity's been referred to as Rare? Rainbow Dash's 'ain't no thang' also seemed out of place.

Okay, am I the only person who noticed the Derpy lunchbox? Because if there's ever any proof that Hasbro isn't phasing her out...

That's a case from Enterplay for cards actually, I believe.

Whatever it is, it's nice to see her get used for an official product again.

Just to update you guys, it looks like Treehouse might finally be converting to HD, considering how their usual logo in the corner is within the actual picture of the show and not just the black bars. Obviously, I don't know if it has happened yet, but it most likely will, I don't care.

Also, it seems that they realize they're so out of date with where the show is at right now Season 4 confirmed, thus making MLP have more episodes than Powerpuff Girls? Seriously, fuck this cruel world so they're airing two new episodes per weekend, (Read it and Weep aired today, so Hearts and Hooves Day will air tomorrow), except for next week when Saturday's airing gets pre-empted with some Care Bears marathon, which I won't touch with a 20-foot pole, but that's another story.

edited 9th Feb '13 2:23:39 PM by x86x2

This episode was a pain in the ass to look for. Anyway, it was exceedingly hilarious. Particularly Twilight's breathing exercises and RD depressing the small child.

It is online.

edited 9th Feb '13 2:23:33 PM by TheFreeman

New ep's not up online yet?

...not that I would EVER watch television online. No sirree, Bob. That would be wrong.

edited 9th Feb '13 2:22:23 PM by Eagal