Princess Peach enthusiasts have recently had numerous opportunities to step into the shoes of Nintendo's beloved princess in games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario RPG, and the latest addition, Princess Peach: Showtime. Despite Princess Peach: Showtime being a spin-off title focusing on Peach, elements resembling the mainline Mario games can still be observed in its level design, enemies, and the customization choices it provides. This unique blend allows Princess Peach to shine in Princess Peach: Showtime while also appealing to fans of the core Mario series.
Prior to Princess Peach: Showtime, players could only enjoy a solo Peach adventure through the Nintendo DS game Super Princess Peach. Although this title introduced new mechanics specific to Princess Peach, it heavily relied on fundamental Mario franchise elements like iconic enemies, bosses, and traditional Mario level structures. In contrast, Princess Peach: Showtime carves its own path by embracing a distinctive theater theme, introducing new Theet NPCs, and featuring unique adversaries like Grape and the Sour Bunch, yet it retains some core concepts from the mainline series beneath its spin-off facade.
Princess Peach: Showtime’s Customization Takes Cues from Super Mario Odyssey
The Mario series seldom delved into costume customization, typically locking characters into their default attire throughout most mainline games, with changes occurring only when using power-ups. However, Super Mario Odyssey broke this tradition by introducing the option to acquire new outfits for Mario using Gold or Purple Coins at Crazy Cap Shops located across the game's Kingdoms. This customization feature quickly became a fan favorite, with players eagerly collecting the 40+ available outfits for Mario.
Princess Peach: Showtime adopts a similar approach, inspired by the success of Super Mario Odyssey, allowing players to personalize Princess Peach's wardrobe. By collecting coins during gameplay, players can purchase new dress patterns for Peach and change Stella's ribbon color. These patterns can be unlocked by defeating specific bosses or locating the hidden Ribboner in certain levels, and then bought from the Lobby Shop in the Sparkle Theater's central hub, providing players with a new collectible goal to pursue.
Princess Peach: Showtime Introduces Super Mario Galaxy Mechanics
Besides borrowing the customization mechanic from Super Mario Odyssey, Princess Peach: Showtime integrates gameplay elements from past mainline Mario titles. Notably, the game incorporates a gravity mechanic reminiscent of Super Mario Galaxy. In this title, Mario can adhere to different surfaces based on the gravitational pull of a stage, leading players to switch between standing upside down and right side up, depending on gravity's direction in a specific level area.
Princess Peach: Showtime employs this mechanic in a boss battle against the Sour Bunch's Disco Wing. During the fight, Disco Wing alters gravity periodically, forcing Peach to evade the boss's attacks while standing on the ceiling, reminiscent of certain Super Mario Galaxy challenges. Although gravity mechanics are uncommon in the Mario series outside of Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, the utilization of this mechanic in Princess Peach: Showtime pays homage to the gravity puzzles central to Super Mario Galaxy.