In Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS, the chance discovery of a powerful magic scepter gives Bowser the advantage he needs to storm the Mushroom Kingdom and capture Mario and Luigi. With the Mushroom Kingdom's biggest heroes out of comission, it's now up to Princess Peach to save the day.
This long-overdue twist on the series' damsel-in-distress formula isn't quite the "grrrl power" revolution one might expect, though. Peach's super abilities are triggered by erratic mood swings-- or as the game calls them, Vibes. Joy makes her float high in the air and spin away smog; Gloom makes her burst into a geyser of tears that water plants or freeze ice; Rage makes every jump an ground-pounding stomp while flames surround her and burn enemies and obstacles; Calm allows her to regain her heath meter.
Yes, Peach has a health meter-- there are no 1-ups to be found here. That's just as well, because it's just not possible for Peach to die. If the bright pastels, up-tempo music and cheery nature of the game didn't clue you in, SUper Princess Peach is aimed more towards the casual gamer, rather than the seasoned platformer wizard.
But if those aforementioned platformer wizards decide to pass on Super Princess Peach, they risk missing out on a game that provides a smorgasboard of solid gameplay from many Mario titles. Princess Peach's use of Vibes to overcome obstacles is a page right out of the best of Wario Land. She can absorb enemies with her Parasol to recharge her power meter ala Yoshi's enemy-eating ability in Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island. Her floating ability from Super Mario Bros. 2 is crucial in many parts of the game. Without the pressure of a countdown timer for each level, many stages later on become more open-ended and have many different ways to be completed. There are lots of power ups to buy with the coins you collect, several unlockable mini-games, and 24 bonus levels that are unlocked once you complete the game.
And enemies from nearly all the various Mario games make an appearance-- from the jumping white Nipper Pirhanna Plants from Super Mario Bros. 3, to the Hammer Brothers from Super Mario Bros., to the Marine Pop from the first Mario Bros. game on the Gameboy. Many of the more familiar enemies (Goombas, Koopas, Boos) have their own moods, too, and will attack you with enhanced Vibe powers accordingly.
Let's break down each element of the game:
Graphics
Bright, pastel-colored graphics abound in Super Princess Peach. Peach herself is smoothly animated-- as well as the enemies and level environments. The backgrounds seem to veer between a happy sky with scrolling backgrounds for outside areas to "cheerfully spooky" in the haunted house levels. The entire game is permeated with bright primary and pastel colors and lots of pink, making for one of of the most distinctive presentations I've seen on the DS.
Gameplay
The gameplay makes sparse use of the DS microphone, and limited use of the touchscreen and stylus (you'll mostly use it to choose a Vibe for Peach or in special boss battle stages). Super Princess Peach starts out rather straightforward in its level design, but once you get the hang of your various abilities, and progress further in the game, you'll find that the level design branches out along with you. Much of the game involves figuring out how to best use her Vibe powers to overcome obstacles in each level.
Sound
The music is relentlessly upbeat, even in the haunted houses (giving the stages more of a "wacky" feeling rather than "spooky"). Voice samples are crisp and clear. The background music is cheerful and fits in with the mood of the game, but I can't really think of any tracks I'd want to listen to outside of the game.
Lasting Appeal
After you've completed the game, is there any reason to come back to the game? Well, the gameplay does reward you with a whopping 24 extra levels to play after you beat the game. There's a few collection elements present, (rescuing all the Toads, buying all the power-ups) but it's all completely optional, and at no point did I feel any of the collection goals to be obnoxious or time-wasting.
Fun Factor
This game is enjoyable fun for all skill levels, from the casual gamer to the platformer pro. Though seasoned video game veterans may not find as a great of a challenge, they'll still find Super Princess Peach to be time well spent.
The 411
If you can chew past the game's candy-coated veneer, you'll find a solid, rewarding platformer that is a welcome addition to the Mario Bros. lineup.
