Parasprite Panic

Fluttershy may be undisputed best pony, but she's seriously messed things up this time. Ponyville's at the mercy of a massive parasprite swarm, and it's up to you to save the villagers! If you don't get it together quickly enough, the town and perhaps all of Equestria may fall to the pests.

Now, new board games are always a treat, but Parasprite Panic is certainly one of the most impressive we've seen in a while! More... after the break!

First, have some copypasta from the rules:

Parasprite Panic is a cooperative game. The players are on the same team and win or lose together. To win, the players must find and rescue the injured ponies of Ponyville and carry them to the Hospital. This will not be easy, as every turn the Parasprite swarm will grow larger and more dangerous. The game ends in defeat for all players if the Parasprite swarm becomes too large, too many townsfolk are lost, or Ponyville is destroyed.

At first glance, Parasprite Panic is reminiscent of the cooperative, Lovecraftian survival board game Arkham Horror. The game features an open-ended game board, which the players must traverse to heal and rescue villagers as the streets of Ponyville slowly become choked with parasprites and rubble. Mayor Mare dispenses leads from the town hall square, which direct players to injured ponies that must then be dragged to the hospital. 

For an added sense of urgency, parasprites spawn randomly around the map by dice-roll. If two like-colored parasprites spawn on a space, a Pandemic-style outbreak is triggered, and even more parasprites overflow to adjacent squares.

The game features a variety of mechanics to keep turns from getting repetitive. Each player plays as a member of the mane six and has their own unique abilities to help with the rescue effort. Players can catch parasprites, carry unconscious villagers or allies around the map, or heal them (if you're feeling generous). To make things harder, add parasprite hives to the map; for a boost, tow Spike along in your wake.

Overall, Parasprite Panic's cute, slick, show-accurate art and comprehensive rules feel enticingly professional. The game is fairly complicated - more than a step up from Monopoly - so if you don't play many board games, be prepared to spend a little longer than you're used to learning the ropes. Don't let that dissuade you, though: failing miserably can be part of the fun, too. Enjoy!

Parasprite Panic Rules
Parasprite Panic Board
Parasprite Panic Tokens, Cards, and Game Pieces