Princess Peach: Showtime! Reviews
All that said, Showtime! is relentlessly charming, and its short, relatively uncomplicated plays will probably kill with a younger demographic. In fact, the setting also plays to the game’s favor whenever secret areas are too obviously telegraphed: Being able to see the strings, like the ones holding up Kung Fu Peach’s martial-arts marionette rival, is a part of the overall aesthetic and performance, not a mark against it. In the end, and perhaps above all, it’s just peachy to see such love given to the arts, with Darkle foes dispatched as much by dazzlingly synchronous ice skating and “the power of song” as by lassos, katanas, and a properly parrying kick.
While Super Princess Peach on the DS was criticised for reducing a female lead to being very literally controlled by her emotions, Princess Peach Showtime only works to allow her to embody so many different roles because there isn’t really a defined character underneath it all. For all its faults, 2023’s Super Mario Brothers Movie at least gave us a Peach who was driven, confident and capable – if Nintendo needs tips on how to build a Princess who could helm a game on her own, they should just ask Anya Taylor-Joy for tips. For now, I don’t see Showtime making it to Broadway – but I might still check out the matinee if there’s nothing else going on.
All the way down, the theme of “not enough” pervades Princess Peach: Showtime! The costumes Peach wears look cute but their gimmicks are limited both in terms of their abilities and the game’s implementation of them. The lack of imagination is unbecoming of Nintendo, and it’s a real shame because Peach deserves a much better game. It’s like nobody’s heart was in the making of this, and while there are some entertaining moments, Showtime! simply has very little to show for itself.
A disappointingly shallow and unfocused adventure that is aimed solely at a young audience – and even they're likely to feel somewhat bored and patronised by the end.
Kids will enjoy the pomp and colour, but Princess Peach's long-awaited star turn is disappointingly shallow
Princess Peach: Showtime! further proves that it doesn't require Mario to show up to save the day because Princess Peach can hold her own.
The promise of Princess Peach: Showtime! was in the name: to deliver a "show". But unfortunately it's not bold enough to enchant us with its short campaign.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Princess Peach: Showtime! had the potential to be much more than it is. It’s upsetting that it’s so simple and easy, and feels like a waste of the sheer amount of creativity that went into the concept of the theater, plays, and costumes. It’s that creativity that’s preventing me from giving this game a lower score. But on the merits of its gameplay alone (and the fact that it’s not a very long game — I completed it in about 15 hours), this isn’t Nintendo’s strongest showing.
In this platformer, the focus is not on the difficulty of the individual levels, but on the many surprises that await me with Peach's creative outfits and transformations. The Sparkle Theater, Princess Peach and the game environments are detailed and lovingly designed. Even though the levels can be played through quickly, collecting coins and hidden stars gives me the motivation to play through them several times. It's a rather easy game, but a real feel-good experience.
Review in German | Read full review
In the Mushroom Kingdom there is life beyond the plumber. That is why it is a pleasure to see how the Princess takes the reins of the game to lift it herself. With a strong focus on the little ones, the simplicity of the levels is accompanied by a plot that is easy to understand, but that still shows high moments (such as the final battle). The transformations in the different archetypes will be accompanied by a change in the gameplay, becoming a succession of phases in which we will try different approaches and mini-games. For the most dedicated players who feel that this title will not have any challenge, there are collectibles that will be difficult to obtain in the first round, unlocking added challenges at the end of the game (in addition to the trials). Without a doubt, it is a pleasant approach for the new generation to start playing different genres while being protected by a friendlier adventure.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
