Princess Peach: Showtime! is a joyful platformer that was worth the wait

There’s something to be said for charm and the power of fun. Princess Peach: Showtime! is a bright and bubbly platformer that arguably isn’t as deep or meticulously crafted as her plumber counterparts latest efforts. But when playing it is this much fun, who cares?

Princess Peach: Showtime is one of the only major releases to feature the iconic royalty in their own game, and certainly the first in recent memory. Despite her major presence in the Super Mario lore, including appearances in basically every game featuring the moustachioed blue collar hero, Peach has yet to headline even a fraction of her own adventures. It’s fair to say that after such a long wait, expectations are reasonably high. After all, it’s about damn time.

Does Showtime! fulfil every expectation? No, of course not. That’s simply not possible. But it does something that’s equally impressive, and, arguably, more important. It presents a case for an entire line of Princess Peach games that are just as impressive and necessary as anything Mario has to offer. For gamers looking for a relaxing adventure with a fan favourite, Princess Peach: Showtime! delivers the best possible experience you could ask for.

The story is just as charming as you’d expect. Princess Peach is looking forward to a nice, quiet evening at the theatre, when the evil Grape and her Sour Bunch take over the place. Assisted by a living star called Stella, Peach must traverse through the expanse of theatre land, donning new outfits and talents in the process, to stop the evildoers and save the day.

It’s a very simple, yet sweet and endearing setup, just as we’ve come to expect from Nintendo. As a company, they’re masters of the form, delivering consistently lovable adventures crafted from essential components. As with Mario’s escapades, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an exemplary showcase of using archetypes and familiar fan favourites to great effect.

The gameplay is familiar if you’ve already enjoyed other titles in the vast Mario saga. Where Princess Peach: Showtime! stands out though, is in the costume mechanic, allowing for our heroine to dive into any genre-aware career that comes her way. Be it swashbucklers, patissiers, or ninjas, Peach proves herself a capable action hero regardless of the scenario. Each talent comes with a different set of moves and skills, and every level does a great job of letting the player figure out how to play them to their strengths. In classic Nintendo fashion, there’s a huge emphasis on playability, exploration, and the joy of discovery.

What’s more, Princess Peach: Showtime! is delightful in its inclusivity. Every element of the adventure is designed to ensure the player, regardless of who they are, is having fun. From the dialog prompts to the cleanly designed interfaces and levels, what might come off as simplistic for more experienced players, is a testament to how meticulously Nintendo has crafted the experience for accessibility. This is a game you could hand to anyone, regardless of their experience, and they would be able to enjoy it.

There’s also a lot to be said about the message, which emphasises empowerment and self-worth at every turn. Peach literally wears many hats during her adventure, and each one of them fit. They might not all feel comfortable or might not be what you want to play as for the rest of the game, but that’s kind of the point. In life, not everything will be something you enjoy, but there’s nothing stopping you from going for it, nonetheless. It’s a wonderfully simple, but immensely vital message, one that Princess Peach: Showtime! delivers gracefully through gameplay.

The relaxing atmosphere extends to the gameplay as a whole. Princess Peach: Showtime! is rarely punishing, and it does its level best at keeping everyone along for the ride. There’s no fail state, and even losing all your hearts in any given level only sends you back to the nearest checkpoint. It’s a nice change of pace from more demanding titles, and while some might gripe about its forgiving nature, I found it endearing.

At just over 7 hours in length, it’s not a particularly long game, but it does feature a plethora of items and secrets to discover, well after the main story is done. Annoyingly, some of these items are easily missed, and the side-scrolling action doesn’t allow you to explore the stages freely. If you accidentally move to the next screen, you have to start the entire level over again. It’s a small, but irksome design decision, one that frustrates those who can’t let a single collectible fall by the wayside.

It is a minor quibble, though. Especially considering how much fun the big picture is.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an easy game to recommend. If you’re a fan of platformers, you’ll enjoy it. (Though, let’s face it, you’re not going to grit your teeth with this like you would with Super Meat Boy or something.) If this is your introduction to the genre, you’re in for a treat. It’s a deft balancing act between familiar and innovative that is consistently engaging and, above all, fun.

For fans of the iconic princess, it’s a game that was well worth the wait. For everyone else, it’s finally time to get a glimpse at what the rest of us have loved for so long. Here’s hoping this is the first in a long line of adventures for her majesty.