I’ve played every Mario game, but the latest one turns things upside down
PRINCESS Peach: Showtime marks the first time the iconic princess has had a solo outing on a home console.
Thematically, it plays to Peach’s strengths extremely well, adding a new dimension to a typical one-note Mario character.
Each level is designed like a stage performance, with cardboard cutouts for backgrounds and glamorous costume changes in each level.
These costumes serve to give Peach unique abilities, such as becoming a master swordsman, ninja or detective.
It gives each level a special atmosphere, both in terms of atmosphere and gameplay.
One moment you’re heroically charging through a city and knocking UFOs out of the sky, the next you’re investigating a stolen artifact from a museum.
It provides a fast-paced experience, allowing you to switch between fast-paced platforming, stealthy stealth or relaxing baking.
Most levels are short – no longer than 10-15 minutes – but allow each level to be an contained experience, telling a quick but fun story before dragging you into the next stage.
The downside of this loop is that it makes the game exceptionally easy.
This game feels more kid-oriented than most of Nintendo’s other first-party titles, as it isn’t suitable for gamers looking for more of a challenge.
Where games like Super Mario Wonder balance simple stages with hidden challenges and collectibles, Showtime doesn’t fully commit to including these elements.
Each level has a range of unique collectibles, but they’re not at all difficult to find, and anyone with even a little video game experience will be able to spot the obvious hiding places.
Challenge levels make up for this a bit, but they suffer from being far too short and offering no meaningful rewards, so I often didn’t feel like doing them.
That said, the basic concept is enough to keep me coming back for more.
Each level has something new to offer that just makes me smile as I discover all the cute little details in every corner.
It’s so good that I’d say it’s worth playing just to see how much fun the team had creating a game specifically for Princess Peach. It finally sanctifies a lot of the personality that fans have injected into the character over the years.
Still, a full £50 is a lot to ask for a game this short and simple.
With main levels, a handful of boss battles and side challenges – most of which you’ll get through quickly – it can’t hold a candle to Mario’s recent adventures, or even other spin-offs like the Luigi’s Mansion games.
However, it does have something meaningful to offer, and while I don’t think the overall package fits together perfectly, I still had fun playing each level because of its charming design.
It won’t appeal to every gamer, but if you like Peach as a character, this game will do it justice.
Rating: 3/5
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