Princess Peach is headed to the theatre with some of her trusted Toads to see a show. But when the theatre is attacked by masked goons who trap her and some of the staff and patrons, it’s up to her, a magical flower, and the power of Sparkle to save the day in the adventure platformer Princess Peach: Showtime! published and developed by Nintendo.
The past few months have seen a unique blend of games from Nintendo. They have managed to innovate with some of their core franchises and pay homage to their past. The legendary developer continues to show that they understand what players love about their games. This latest entry in Nintendo’s stable of games feels like something entirely new. It holds the endearing charm that Nintendo has always held at its core. At the same time, it delivers a gameplay experience that feels varied and different from other games the developer has put out.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
Princess Peach: Showtime! feels like it draws heavily from the iteration of the character we got in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. When her help is requested in freeing the theatre at the start of the game, there is no hesitation from our hero. She starts the game armed with a magical ribbon. This ribbon allows her to bring hope to the scared civilians, as well as whip enemies. However, it’s not long before Peach expands her tool kit, allowing her to take new forms to battle her enemies.
In each of the two areas of the game available in the demo, Peach takes on a different costume that serves as the crux for the gameplay in that area. In the first stage, Peach dons a swashbuckler’s garb. While in this section of the game, she cuts down enemies and dodges attacks. The game gives her acrobatics lots of flair. Worthy of the classic films that serve as its inspiration, Peach flips, rolls, and leaps as she strikes dashing poses to save the day.
The attack and parry combat here is the simplest I’ve ever encountered. Basic dodges can be performed with the B button, which also serves as the attack command. A couple of larger enemies require A button jump dodges, but this is the only mix-up in the combat formula. It’s simple but fun, allowing the player to enjoy the charm.
In the second area, she dons a baker’s suit. This area has no combat. Instead, she must help prepare a replacement feast for one stolen by the intruders. Here, baking mini-games and cake decorating are the order of the day. This fun step away from combat opens the game up to various potential gameplay options.
These mini-games provide slightly more challenge than the combat. But not much. Repeat button presses to mix cookie batter within a time limit are the focus of the first challenge. Steering Peach over various cakes while applying frosting is the second task the baker must overcome. Both have time limits, with a scaling rate of success. So, if a player gets off to a slow start, they may need to double back to get the highest score.
While each stage holds its unique concepts, some elements tie them together. Secret stars can be collected as the player moves through the areas. Also, players want to make special notes of anything that seems placed to capture their notice. When standing in certain areas of a stage, a spotlight will appear. A button press will cause a platform to manifest as Peach strikes a pose, taking her to a hidden section of the stage to do a side task for extra coins or to unlock a star.
All of the fun Princess Peach: Showtime! delivers comes to the player through a charming visual presentation. The linear, 3D area plays out with a cartoonish sensibility that longtime fans of the Mario franchise will find all too familiar.
Princess Peach: Showtime! impressed me with its charm and variety. I’m glad to see the longtime character get a standalone title again. Nintendo’s intent on giving her something uniquely her own is just what the iconic princess deserves.
Princess Peach: Showtime! releases March 22nd on Nintendo Switch.
