Bella Sara

Bella Sara is a children's card trading game that combines a world of magical horses with game play. Published by Seattle-based game company Hidden City Entertainment, Bella Sara began as a trading card game that has since expanded into an international product line. With three set releases each year, all trading cards have images of illustrated horses, characters and magical friends with positive, inspirational messages on them. Each card pack includes secret codes that can be redeemed on the website to care for and nurture magical horses online. Select Bella Sara products include these secret codes to expand the magical world even further.

History

Bella Sara was started in Denmark by Gitte Odder Brændgaard, who intended to create an alternative to other popular trading card games, such as Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering, that would be more suited to girls and lack the element of competition present in the other games. After the game proved successful in Scandinavia, the cards were released on a trial run to United States consumers in Seattle and San Diego at the end of 2006. Sales during that trial run were high enough to convince retailers to take the cards national in March 2007. Since then the cards have continued to grow in popularity with children.

Card availability

Cards can be purchased in booster packs, value boxes, and tins, each of which contains a random assortment of cards. Card packs can be purchased online or at a number of retailers world wide. Here is a code to use on the Bella Sara website: BSC#CLASSICS. This code gives you Bella, Fiona, Jewel, and Nike. All cards are published for a limited time in sets. There are currently eighteen sets of cards, as well as other collectible merchandise. These include:

“First Series” (silver-bordered cards) (October 2006)

64 total cards: 36 common cards, 9 rare cards, 10 energy cards and 9 foil cards with silver background

“Second Series” (gold-bordered cards) (March 2007)

124 total cards: 58 common cards, 27 rare cards, 12 energy cards and 27 foil cards with gold background

“Northern Lights” (blue-bordered cards) (July 2007)

72 total cards: 28 common cards, 17 rare cards, 10 energy cards and 17 foil cards with pale blue background

“Ancient Lights” (pink-bordered cards) (October 2007)

72 total cards: 28 common cards, 17 rare cards, 10 energy cards and 17 foil cards with pink background

“Native Lights” (purple-bordered cards) (February 2008)

72 total cards: 28 common cards, 17 rare cards, 10 energy cards and 17 foil cards with textured lavender background

“Magical Friends” (lavender border) (June 2008)

123 total cards: 37 common cards, 37 rare cards, 12 energy cards and 37 foil cards with solid lavender background

“Baby Bella” (green border) (October 2008)

129 total cards: 43 common cards, 37 rare cards, 12 energy (toy) cards and 37 foil cards with green background

“Treasures” (turquoise border) (March 2009)

110 total cards: 55 common cards (5 common "Treasures" cards), 55 foil cards (5 foil "Treasures" cards).

“Royalty” (light purple border) (June 2009)

110 total cards: 55 common cards, 55 foil cards, 5 common energy (treasure) cards and 5 foil energy (treasure) cards.

• “Royalty” was the first set to omit rare cards. From this set forward, rare cards are no longer included and is the first set to include the "Bella Sara Ticket" card in each package. Ticket cards may be gold, silver or copper.
• Each "Bella Sara Ticket" activated awards horses, horseshoes, and prizes to play with in your online cottage.

“Bella's Ball” (orchid border) (October 2009)

110 total cards: 50 common cards, 55 foil cards, 5 character cards.

“Sunflowers” (yellow border) (March 2010)

110 total cards: 45 common cards, 55 foil cards, 10 character cards.

“Moonfairies” (blue border) (June 2010)

110 total cards: 45 common cards, 55 foil cards, 10 story cards.

“Starlights” (light blue border) (October 2010)

110 total cards: 45 common cards, 55 foil cards, 10 story cards.

“Spring Carnival” (mint-green border) (February 2011)

110 total cards: 45 common cards, 55 foil cards, 10 story cards.

“Summer Camp” (yellow border) (May 2011)

110 total cards: 45 common cards, 55 foil cards, 10 story cards.

“Winter Festival” (ice blue border) (October 2011)

110 total cards: 45 common cards, 55 foil cards, 10 story cards.

“Best of Bella Sara” (purple border) (February 2012)

110 total cards: 55 common cards, 55 foil cards.

"Herds from North of North" (yellow orange border) (October 2012)

110 total cards: 55 common cards: 55 foil cards.

As of 2010, Bella Sara cards are available in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Australia, Mexico and South Africa.

Since its international debut, Bella Sara has received numerous awards from child development and parenting authorities, including the “National Parenting Center Seal of Approval” for 2009, the National Parenting Publications "Honors Award" for 2009, the "Toy of the Year" and the “Seal of Excellence” from Creative Child Magazine for 2008 and 2009, the “Excellent Product” and “Outstanding Product” designations from iParenting Media, and the “Best Products” award from Dr. Toy.

Licensed products

Other Bella Sara licensed products include: Bees and Jam sleepwear and intimate apparel, Jakks Pacific toy varieties, CodeMasters DS & PC game, Paradise Kids Pose-able Horses, Simply Fun Treasure Trot, HarperCollins Stories and Activity Books, MasterPieces Activities, Trends International Posters, Ultra Pro portfolios, and other international product lines.