Press A to Float

So, I had this idea, and I had it for some time. Platforming games are fun, ponies are fun and humanized ponies are fun. This was already evident when I was doing the anatomy studies with the various key platforming moves.

The thing that lead me to actually go ahead with it was the trailer for Super Mario 3D World, in which it was shown that Peach is now a playable character, and that she controls much like in Super Mario Brothers 2 (US version). But this particular drawing is more along the lines of Rayman Origins and soon-to-be-released Rayman Legends, in which your character can float by holding the A button. In that game, all characters have identical controls, but the way they convey this to the player differs drastically. Rayman, for instance, simply turns his hair into a helicopter, whereas the much larger Globox flaps his arm to counter gravity. This concept is what I implimented in this deviation, which took way more time that I anticipated, but hey, we're not complaining, are we. So, even though in this hypothetical game in which you play as humanized ponies, these are the visualizations I have in mind.

Twilight. Twilight's main motif would be magic, of course, with her dress and long hair being a defining feature for the way she moves. Twilight's method of floating is to use her magic to turn her dress into a parachute, which can be undone simply by cutting off the magic supply. Twilight doesn't do physical attacks but uses blasts of magic as a "punching mechanism", making her quite a light spectacle.

Fluttershy. Fluttershy's characteristic is her relatively slender body build and quick but sharp attacks, and all while wearing flip flops. Fluttershy's method of defying gravity is to simply let the air fill up her over sized sweater, which can be undone simply by closing it with her arms. How this actually works is to be left to the science of video game logic.

Cutie Mark Crusaders. The CMC are a concept I took from The Cave, in which one of the playable characters is actually two characters; the twins. The CMC are controlled as a single character with the coordination that would make a drill sergeant proud. The funny thing is that none of the crusaders are doing tasks that are assigned to their "kind". Their method of floating is is for Applebloom to use her hair bow as a helicopter, while the others hold on to her. Likewise, it is Scootaloo that holds them onto ropes and ladders and it is Sweetie Belle that delivers the attacks.

Applejack Applejack is not typically associated with aviation, so coming up with a method of flight was a bit tricky. I chose to utilize her hat because it is iconic, readily available and quick to deploy. Also, it comically increases in size, which is pretty much allowed in this context. Given that each character has the same controls, Applejack doesn't have anything like a lasso, though an old-school shotgun might be a nice addition as the more powerful attack, the rest can be left up her bare fists and brute force.

Rarity The dainty lady in a platformer, think Peach, though my design for Rarity doesn't wear a gala gown, so she uses her umbrella instead (which, yes, was a thing in Super Princess Peach). It serves as a tool for attacks, to hook into loops and, of course, as a parachute. Yes, the physics don't add up and the way she's holding it is probably not related to anything resembling reality, but video game physics, I ain't need to explain shit. Also, can't imagine high heels being particularly good for running, but if Peach can pull it off, it should be no problem for Rarity.

Rainbow Dash It sure is ironic that the character that is almost entirely defined by flight doesn't have a very straightforward way to actually do the flying. This is where exaggeration comes in, where her small jacket can grow greatly in size to serve as a hang glider of sort. Also, rainbows, rainbows everywhere.

Pinkie Pie Yea, Pinkie Pie in a platformer is not weird at all and she feels right at home. At first I wanted Pinkie to use some sort of contraption to float, like her makeshift propeller-thingy she made in one of the earlier episodes to emphasize her engineering abilities, but I guess a system that can instantly inflate and deploy a bunch of balloons from nowhere will do the job. Also, imagine Pinkie shouting things like "Wheee!" and "Yay!" all the time, and her attacks being decorated with lots of streamers, and the party canon being summoned out of nowhere for the three-punches-in-a-row climax.

Done typing, enjoy.

Recommended listenings for this picture (if you're hardcore like that).

Super Mario Galaxy 2 - credits
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - The Starship Travelers
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Jungle Glider
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Magma Monster
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Challenge Glider
Rayman Origins - Darktoon chase