Princess Peach: Showtime Review: Peach finally gets the spotlight
It’s curtains up on Nintendo’s latest game, with a favourite character taking centre stage.
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Last week, I had the privilege of catching a sneak peek at an elaborate theatre production reimagined for the screen.
A quick glimpse under the curtain revealed a dazzling display of gorgeous costumes, a familiar blonde, and a main character defying gravity.
No, it wasn’t Wicked.
Instead, it was the debut of Nintendo’s latest Mario spin-off, Princess Peach: Showtime!
Lead actor
For Princess Peach, the upcoming release marks only her second time in the spotlight leading her own game, despite having appeared in over 100 Mario titles. Her last leading role dates back to 2005’s Super Princess Peach, where she turned the usual damsel-in-distress narrative on its head. In that game, players took control of Peach to rescue Mario and Luigi from Bowser’s clutches in a nice change of pace.
However, what should have been a triumphant moment for the main female character took an unexpected turn. The introduction of an ‘Emotion Metre’ required players to change Peach’s emotions to use different abilities which, without precedent in other Mario games, left some players feeling a little patronised.
Thankfully, Nintendo has learned from past missteps and is finally giving Peach the spotlight she deserves.
Opening night
Princess Peach: Showtime! opens with Peach and her entourage of Toads attending a show at the Sparkle Theater, and it’s here we get our first hint that the game is a departure from the classic Super Mario franchise.
While retaining the best elements of a standard 2D side-scrolling Mario adventure, Showtime! introduces a nice dose of puzzle solving and a storyline that unfolds through a series of theatrical acts. It also refrains from recycling existing villains, giving the Princess her very own baddie.
Enter Grape and the Sour Bunch, unique adversaries who seize control of the Sparkle Theatre, plunging it into chaos.
Ultimately, it seems Peach is headed for a showdown with Grape – but not before she is put through her paces in a series of themed levels that turn her into everything from a ninja to an ice skater.
Choreography
After making friends with Stella, the cutesy theatre guardian, I take a spin around the first floor of the theatre (also known as Act I). While there isn’t too much to explore here, a blocked staircase hints at further levels on higher floors, while a mysterious shop front suggests some kind of unlockable goodies (unfortunately, it was inaccessible during my playthrough).
While you can play the four levels on the first floor in any order, I head stage right and jump into the swashbuckling world of Swordfighter Peach, which a Nintendo representative tells me is the best place to start.
From the moment I set foot on the stage, I have a smile on my face that only gets bigger as time goes on. The attention to detail is simply delightful, with each level bringing a new theme, complete with costumed characters, backdrops and cardboard cut out props.
Gameplay is initially limited to moving around, jumping and using a ribbon to inspire cast members and alter certain props to reveal coins and power-ups. However, at a certain point in each level, Peach finds a Sparkle which transforms her outfit and gives her a brand new power to play with.
Wardrobe
My first Sparkle turns me into some combination of The Three Musketeers and a Pirate captain, complete with a rapier and a wide-brimmed hat. I’m now able to slash away at my foes, and even perform a descending slash, like Link from The Legend of Zelda.
Jumping into the world of the Wild, Wild West is a similar experience, as I don my cowgirl boots and quickly get to work lassoing foes and catapulting them across the screen.
However, it’s the Ninja Peach level that starts to kick things up a notch. In addition to attacking my opponents with my trusty kunai, I’m also able to wall jump, use stealth mode to make my way along walls undetected and walk under water while using a trusty piece of bamboo to breathe. At one point, I’m even able to run sideways along walls.
While these first three levels are fairly simplistic and short, these little nuances keep things interesting. Each level has a similar gameplay style, but also contains elements to set it apart from the others, which prevented my limited time with Peach from feeling too samey. There’s variety here – and I’m excited to dive into the full thing to see what else Nintendo has cooked up.
Speaking of cooking, the fourth level features Patissiere Peach, which is a slight departure from the levels that come before it.
Decked out in an adorable French-style gingham dress and chef’s hat, I attempt to bake a bunch of cookies to perfection, navigating a time limit while trying not to burn my treats in something more akin to a quick time event or rhythm game than a platformer.
I also swap out my weapons for a piping bag and quickly get to work icing cakes in various designs. And while I thought this would be the easy ‘mini-game-esque’ level, it ended up being the level I struggled with the most.
Critics
The one potential downside to Princess Peach: Showtime! is how much it seems to skew to a younger audience. While Nintendo is known for its family-friendly games that can be played by kids, seasoned players may find the three button gameplay of Princess Peach: Showtime! a little simplistic.
However, as with other Mario games, Showtime! is designed to reward curiosity. Each level has ten Sparkle Gems to collect and, while some are obtained by completing objectives, others are hidden and require you to explore further to find them.
In the Swordfighter Peach level, I managed to collect all of the Sparkle Gems without having to think too much about it. As I raced through the next three levels to finish Act I in my allotted time though, I missed quite a few. And that’s a good thing as it gives players of all skill levels something to enjoy.
Given the various ‘floors’ of the theatre, it also stands to reason that levels will get harder the deeper you delve into the game.
However, we won’t get to see just how challenging they’ll be until the game launches later next month.
Curtain call
As a long-time fan of Princess Peach, Showtime! is unironically one of my most anticipated games of the year.
Genuinely, the only reason I can think of to not play this game is because you hate fun.
No, in all seriousness, wanting bang for your buck in this economy is more than understandable. If it’s complex gameplay you’re after, it may be worth waiting until the full game drops to find out just how much the difficulty level increases as you progress and if that will keep you invested.
For fans of cute and cosy titles, Peach, and games you can just chill out with after work though, this one is an easy ‘add to cart’.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When does Princess Peach Showtime come out?
Princess Peach: Showtime! is available to pre-order now, with the game officially launching on March 22, 2024. A set of limited edition pastel pink Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers is also available to pre-order at select retailers to coincide with the release.
What are the costume transformations in Princess Peach: Showtime!?
Swordfighter Peach
Slash, dodge and launch carefully timed counter-attacks with your trusty rapier in hand. En garde!
Cowgirl Peach
Saddle up, pardner. It’s time to lasso the baddies and send ‘em flying.
Patissiere Peach
Put your decorating skills to the test and whip up some sweet treats before time runs out.
Ninja Peach
Defy gravity as your run sideways and jump wall to wall, then take out foes with a killer combination of stealth and kunai.
Figure Skater Peach
Tell enemies to Let It Go as you dazzle them with your graceful moves.
Detective Peach
Embrace your inner Sherlock and solve a classic “whodunit” mystery by tracking footprints and questioning suspects.
Kung Fu Peach
Kick, jab and punch your enemies, or swing from poles to perform attacks with a wide radius.
Mermaid Peach
Serenade your fishy friends and use them to help solve puzzles and navigate past barriers.
Dashing Thief Peach
Embrace shadows, navigate dangerous obstacles and sneak past the Sour Bunch’s defences in this Persona 5-esque costume.
Mighty Peach
Unleash your inner superhero and use flight, super strength and mighty punches to charge through an alien invasion.
Is Princess Peach: Showtime! for kids?
Given its relatively simple gameplay, Princess Peach: Showtime! can be enjoyed by players of all ages. However, we do expect difficulty to increase as the game progresses. There are also collectable items to make things more challenging for seasoned players.
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