Princess Peach: Showtime!

Princess Peach: Showtime! (2024) is a running-and-jumping game where you play Princess Peach, exploring a magical theatre and transforming into different leading roles. Play is like other Mario games but with more focus on your different game-changing abilities. It stands out not only as Peach’s first solo game since 2005 but also for offering diverse, bespoke challenges that reflect the themes of her different roles in both gameplay and aesthetics.

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When Peach's trip to the Sparkle Theatre is compromised by the villainous Grape, it's up to you to save the theatre and put things right. You traverse each room's stage and beat the challenge Grape presents in his rewritten script. Each sequence has one of ten themes that Peach matches, changing her appearance and abilities to adapt to challenges including combat, traversal and stealth, figure skating or even baking. For example, you play the Wild West-themed levels as Cowgirl Peach, who can grab items and enemies with her lasso and ride her horse through platforming sections.

As you progress through each level, you rally other actors to your aid and conquer the final challenge tests your knowledge of Peach's current moves. This could be a boss fight, a platforming trial or a big performance. Each transformation (Swordfighter, Detective, Kung Fu, Patissiere, Ninja, Cowgirl, Dashing Theif, Figure Skater, Mermaid and Mighty) requires practice to best use, and over time you can find your favourite.

The result is an action-packed game that celebrates Peach's character and her influence over the Mario universe. The wide range of personas and playstyles ensures there is something for everyone and prevents the gameplay from ever feeling stale.

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Our examiner, Jake Kendall, first checked Princess Peach: Showtime! 7 weeks ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 4 weeks ago.