Princess Peach: Showtime Review | VG247

Princess Peach’s long-awaited return Princess Peach: ShowtimeThis is her second mainline game since Super Princess Peach launched on the Nintendo DS in 2005. Nearly twenty years later, Mario’s first princess is back to show us her true colors – no longer free of will, but taking center stage to take back the Sparkle Theater from the Sour Bunch.

that’s right. Princess Peach previously starred in a platformer of her own, where the main mechanic was channeling her emotions – anger, joy, melancholy, and calm – to utilize different abilities throughout the game. 10 year old me thought this was great. It’s energetic, joyful, and full of style – just like a Peach game should be – but it doesn’t really mature.

It’s safe to say that this spin-off mechanic has been addressed and completely subverted in Princess Peach: Showtime. It’s no exaggeration to say that the world is a stage in Showtime, and Peach has had multiple starring roles in every stage production at the Sparkle Theater, which is being replaced by the infamous Sour Bunch.

Since Peach plays different characters in different stage plays, you’ll notice a lot of differences between the gameplay and performance of each play. As Sword Fighter Momoko, Kung Fu Momoko, and Ninja Momoko, our princesses focus on combat and stealth, forcing themselves through waves of minions and 2.5D platforming levels (which work extremely well in a theatrical setting).

Additionally, Peach flexes her baking skills as pastry chef Peach, whose stage show features mini-games similar to the unfairly forgotten Cooking Mom. There’s also Peach the mermaid, who uses the power of her voice to manipulate sea creatures, and Peach the figure skater, whose moves on the rink can show the Sour Gang who’s boss. Let’s not forget Cowgirl Peach and her long-range lasso skills, and Detective Peach, whose instincts and puzzle-solving abilities are unparalleled. These characters don’t just appear once either, with Peach’s numerous characters returning for the second and third acts.

Ultimately, Peach is portrayed as the badass, female role model many of us have always longed for. at last. While we’ve seen this Peach before and know full well that she could hold her own as a character in a Super Mario Bros. movie, moments like this have been few and far between so far.Not only did she work on Showtime to save the Sparkle Theater and the beloved Theets community, giving her a grand stage to perform on, but she ultimately got metaphorical There is also a shining stage.

It was a refreshing experience. Princess Peach: Showtime is not a Mario game. In fact, at times, it feels more like a Kirby game because of how simple it is and how Peach ends up having these different abilities in each stage. In a 2.5D environment, Peach is able to weave between obstacles while the platform is running, making each level feel like a real theater, with all the blocking, positioning, and mise-en-scène. The different roles Peach plays make the relatively simple gameplay exciting. As Nintendo always does.

At one moment, you’re slashing enemies as a swordsman, and then, at another moment, you’re baking cookies to satisfy your enemy’s appetite. Detective Peach is easily one of my favorite princess characters because she can investigate clues and solve puzzles to make a difference. Mighty Peach – a superhero with superhuman strength – is also pretty funny. You can throw cars at UFOs, for God’s sake! Say less.

Princess Peach: Showtime will be more novel for adult gamers, but like Kirby and the Forgotten Lands and Super Mario Odyssey, even the most seasoned gamers will appreciate Peach’s role in Experiment on stage. While completing levels and progressing through the floors of Sparkle Theater is as easy as ever, certain levels can still present a challenge from time to time – especially the fast-paced Dashing Thief level – and retrieving all the collectibles on offer can be a puzzle in itself.

These collectibles are sparkling gems that complement the ribbons and pink bows hidden in each level (which unlock new outfits for Peach and her companion Stella). While some collections are hidden in plain sight, you’ll find others that require some backtracking or fairly quick reaction times to collect, making them a bit of a challenge for keen collectors. So, regardless of age and experience, there’s still plenty to enjoy, revel in and get stimulated. That’s no surprise, though: This is Nintendo’s usual modus operandi.

My only qualm with Princess Peach’s showtime was a very minor and perhaps predictable one: the boss fights. In later battles, the instructions may be unclear, and your only help is to study the boss’s suggestions and press the “B” button when the time comes to attack. Of course, this is nothing new in Child’s Play, but in Showtime’s climactic encounter, the “right moment” isn’t always obvious.

Once you figure that out, the rest of the boss fight is smooth sailing, but it can be frustrating to bang your head against the wall (or the actual boss) for a while before finally spotting that brief moment of opportunity.

The bosses you’ll encounter are pretty unique, though, and despite some minor frustrations, it did bring me a lot of joy the first time I encountered them. Sadly, I can’t spoil any of my favorite bosses here, but let’s just say that over time, some of them reminded me of some favorite literary, theatrical, and cinematic antagonists. I admit, this could just be a coincidence, but Sour Bunch has some pretty interesting bosses.

Peach’s take on the stage is filled with whimsy and many moments of pure joy, just like 2023’s Super Mario Miracle, but the difference is that this is Peach’s game—and hers alone . Even though the Sour Gang tries to tarnish the Glitter Theater’s reputation, Princess Peach is here to stop it all as a cowgirl, ninja, detective, and more. In doing so, she delivers a brilliant, replayable, and powerful performance.

“Peach Blossom Show” will be released on Nintendo Switch on March 22. This review was written based on Switch code provided by Nintendo.