Teaming up with Seattle based Hidden City Games, The Danish game company Conceptcard has recently begun publishing a collectible card game for tween girls based around the stereotypical desire of every 12 year old girl, sweet succulent tender supple delicious ponies. Each card is a different type of pony, both real and fantastic, and as far as I can tell, there are tiers of rarity, but the real value comes from each collectors own personal preference. Some of the types of games that are played with the cards include math and memory ones, but leave out the competitive, versus nature of other CCGs like Magic the Gathering.
What sets Bella Sara apart from other CCGs is the virtual counterpart that can be unlocked with every single card. On each card is a code that can unlock a digital version of the depicted horse on Bella Saras website that the collector can use in a variety of games and activities. These vary from a simple side scrolling game, to personalized quizzes about your particular horse, memory, dress up, and puzzles. If interested , you can log on to their website and create a free account that comes with a complimentary pony to check out exactly what is going on.
The Danish based company, Conceptcard is headed by Bella Sara designer Gitte Odder Brændgaard along with Poul Villadsen and Peter Andersen.
Seattle based Hidden City Games is run by a group of old Magic the Gathering Alums, including Peter Adkison, current owner of geek mecca Gencon and one of the founders of Wizards of the Coast. Adkison was also the one that sold Wizards to Hasbro in 2001, and surprisingly, it seems that he is also using the gencon servers to host the online activites for Bella Sara currently also. Other names include Jesper Myfors, former art director for Magic the Gathering and designer of such expansions such as The Dark, and former MTG R&D Paul Peterson.
Also, I recently picked up a pack of Bella Sara and if anyone out there will trade a Black Stallion for a Unicorn pwease let me know :3