Credit: NintendoAmid all the exciting Super Mario news from the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, it was revealed that Princess Peach will star in her own game. And it looks like a step in the right direction for the beloved character.
The Super Mario Bros. franchise has commanded all of the attention for 2023. Not only has The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) grossed over $1 billion, but its presence at various Universal Theme Parks has boosted attendance, making Universal Studios even more of a threat to the Disney empire.
If the June 2023 Nintendo Direct is anything to go by, this isn’t going to stop any time soon. Tons of Mario-related projects have been announced, including a remake of Super Mario RPG (1996) and the new 2D platformer Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023).
On top of this, more characters from the Mushroom Kingdom are getting attention. The eternal understudy, Luigi, is getting a remaster of Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (2013), a spooky sequel that came on the Nintendo DS, and another WarioWare game is in the works. But the most enticing project is for Princess Peach, who is getting a yet-to-be-titled adventure next year.
Peach Steps Into the Spotlight
Right in the middle of this Nintendo Direct, Nintendo just casually dropped that we’ll be getting a Princess Peach game in 2024. While no details were given, some cool things were seen in the gameplay footage. For one, it looks like the game takes place in a theater, with Peach using some kind of power to get rid of baddies and change the scenery.
On top of this, she has a little flower friend and when they step into a specific spot on stage, something happens. We don’t know what, but it is definitely something.
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This type of theatrical theming has been seen before in Mario video games, specifically Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) and the Paper Mario series. However, the rest seems novel enough to excite fans for Peach’s new adventure.
However, you may be surprised that this isn’t Princess Peach‘s first solo video game. And much like what happens when Peach stands on a specific spot on stage, it was definitely something.
‘Super Princess Peach’ Was a Fun (and Sexist) Adventure
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Released on the Nintendo DS, Super Princess Peach (2005) was the first game to star Nintendo’s favorite damsel in distress. This time, she was rescuing Mario and Luigi as she battled enemies using a parasol named Perry and the Vibe Scepter. That’s right; she had an item called the Vibe Scepter.
A traditional 2D platformer, Super Princess Peach separated itself from other games by giving Peach unique powers tied to her emotions. Joy had her literally float through the air, anger set her on fire, sadness made her cry and ran fast, and calmness restored Peach’s health.
While the game was a lot of fun and featured some clever gameplay elements, it was brought down by people criticizing Nintendo for finally making Peach the lead of a game but making everything about her emotions. They didn’t like how it played into female stereotypes, specifically citing that it made fun of mood swings, and many critics have called the video game sexist.
Fortunately, almost twenty years later, it looks like Nintendo has taken note, and this new Peach game won’t feature this mechanic at all. Instead, this will just be focused on her being a fascinating character. Princess Peach is genuinely taking center stage, and she deserves it.
What would you like to see in Princess Peach’s new video game? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!