18+ archive guide
Which Banned from Equestria Version Do You Have?
Quick answer
Alpha 1.5, released on 21 August 2015, is Pokehidden's final build. Spanish 1.5 is a community translation, Android 1.6 is a fan-extended package, Halloween is the build the archive also calls Forever, and 1.6.5 is not a creator release.
Why version labels are confusing
Quick answer
The same build can be labeled by its release number, its language, its platform, or a seasonal theme. Different sites then invent a 'latest' label to win searches, so the label on a download page is not reliable evidence of what is inside.
Pokehidden released Alpha 1.0 through Alpha 1.5, then stopped. Community projects later packaged the final build for Android, translated it into Spanish, or added scenes. None of those community packages is a new creator release, even when a page calls it 1.6 or 1.6.5.
The easiest way to cut through the noise is to separate two questions: what content is inside, and who packaged it. Alpha 1.5 English and Spanish 1.5 share the same core build but differ in language. Android 1.6 adds content but is not from the creator. A 1.6.5 claim has no known creator release behind it.
Once you know which build you are looking at, walkthrough advice and save behavior make more sense. A guide written for 1.5 may describe a scene that a fan-extended package changes, and a Spanish translation may translate menu labels differently from an English guide.
Identify your build
Quick answer
Pick the label that matches where you got the file, its filename, and what the title or menu says. The tool explains what that label usually means and which archive page owns it.
If you do not know the label, start with the filename. A name containing "ES" or "ESP" suggests a Spanish package. "1.6" suggests a fan-extended Android build. "1.5" is the creator's final number. A name with "official" and "1.6.5" together is a warning sign, not a version.
Next, check the source page. A maintainer page with a file list and release notes is more informative than a download portal that only shows a button. The archive's version pages explain which sources are primary and which are community repacks.
Interactive tool
Version identifier
Select the label you have. The result is an identification aid, not a security verdict.
The version map
Quick answer
Use this table as the short version of the archive's release history. The right-hand column tells you where each build is documented.
The "Forever" label deserves a note. Pokehidden's archive lists the Halloween SWF page with the title "Banned from Equestria [Forever]" and links it as the Forever build. That makes Forever an alias for the seasonal Halloween build, not a separate numbered sequel. A page that treats Forever as a new main-line version is not supported by the creator archive.
Alpha 1.5 remains the anchor for guides because it is the last build the creator released. If a guide does not state its version, assume 1.5 only after checking the source; otherwise treat the advice as version-neutral.
| Label | What it is | Status | Archive page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha 1.0–1.4 | Earlier development builds | Creator builds, archived | /alpha-versions |
| Alpha 1.5 English | Final creator build, 21 Aug 2015 | Final official release | /version-15 |
| Spanish 1.5 | BFE-Spanish community translation | Community translation | /spanish |
| Android 1.5 EN-ES | Community Android package, bilingual | Community package | /download |
| Android 1.6 | Fan-extended package with extra scenes | Fan build, not creator | /apk |
| Halloween / Forever | Seasonal build, same SWF family | Creator seasonal build | /halloween |
| 1.6.5 | No known creator release | Unverified claim | /version-15 |
Clues inside the file
Quick answer
Filename, size, language in the menus, and the presence of extra scenes are the four practical clues. A version string inside the SWF is more definitive, but most players cannot read it without tooling.
Filename and size are weak evidence, because anyone can rename a file. Use them to form a hypothesis, not a conclusion. The English SWF is around 21 MB; the bilingual Android APK is around 73 MB; the fan-extended Android package is around 60 MB. A file that claims to be the 21 MB SWF but is 80 MB is something else.
Language is stronger. If the menus and dialogue are Spanish, you have a Spanish package, regardless of the number in the filename. If the menus are English but the package adds scenes that 1.5 does not have, you likely have a fan-extended build.
The archive's version pages are the reference for what each build contains. Do not rely on a single YouTube comment or a wiki edit for a version claim; those sources can describe different builds with the same informal name.
Fake version claims
Quick answer
A page that claims a newer official version than 1.5, hides its file host, or pairs an 'official' label with a version number nobody else documents is likely search bait. Verify before downloading.
Version inflation works because searchers assume newer is better. A page can take the final 1.5 build, rename it 1.6.5, add a new icon, and present it as an update. Nothing inside has to change. The claim itself is the product.
Other pages bundle a real community package with an installer or a "downloader" that adds software you did not ask for. That is a different risk from a renamed game file: the game may be genuine while the wrapper is not.
The defense is provenance. Prefer a maintainer page with a file list and release notes, compare hashes when published, and treat "official" as a claim to verify rather than a fact. The archive does not certify community packages, and it says so.
Which version should you use?
Quick answer
Use Alpha 1.5 English for the documented final experience, Spanish 1.5 if you want the community translation, Halloween/Forever if you want the seasonal build, and Android 1.6 only if you specifically want the fan-added scenes and accept the package risk.
For a first playthrough, 1.5 is the least ambiguous choice. Guides, videos, and version notes mostly assume it, and the archive's player hosts it directly. You can try it in the browser before deciding whether to download anything.
Spanish 1.5 is for readers who want the translation, not a different game. The BFE-Spanish project is a community effort; its quality and terminology are separate from the creator's build. Read the Spanish page for the translation's own notes.
Halloween is the seasonal variant. If you searched for "Forever", this is the build the creator's archive labels that way. It is not a numbered sequel and it is not a replacement for the main 1.5 route.
FAQ
Is 1.6 official?
No. Android 1.6 is a fan-extended community package. The final creator build is Alpha 1.5.
Is 1.6.5 real?
No known creator release uses that number. Treat 1.6.5 claims as unverified until a primary source documents them.
Is Forever a sequel?
Pokehidden's archive titles the Halloween SWF page 'Banned from Equestria [Forever]'. It is an alias for the seasonal build, not a numbered sequel.
How can I tell Spanish 1.5 from English 1.5?
The menus and dialogue language are the clearest clue. The filename may also contain ES or ESP, but filenames are easy to change.
Does the version number change the walkthrough?
It can. Fan-extended packages may add scenes or alter menu flow. Use a guide that names the build it was written for.
Sources
Release dates and version labels come from this archive's version pages. The Forever alias is documented on Pokehidden's archive, which titles the Halloween SWF page 'Banned from Equestria [Forever]'.