Princess Peach: Showtime! | Review Thread

[Lady]

Metacritic (74)
OpenCritic (75)

VG247 (5/5):

Peach's foray onto the stage is is full of whimsy and many moments of sheer joy, just as 2023's Super Mario Wonder is, but the difference is that this is Peach's game – and hers alone. Despite the Sour Bunch trying to sully the Sparkle Theater's reputation, Princess Peach is here - as a Cowgirl, Ninja, Detective, and so forth - to put a stop to that. And she puts on a wonderful, replayable, empowering performance while doing so.

Screen Rant (4.5/5):

Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an extremely enjoyable game, offers a significant amount of content, and is something that could be enjoyed by anyone.

CGMagazine (8.5/10):

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an easy-to-understand, incredibly fun-to-play game with a style and charm that is sure to delight.

WellPlayed (8.5/10):

With its emphasis on action, exploration, and a heaped helping of theatricality, Princess Peach: Showtime! showcases that our dear Princess is more than comfortable in the spotlight. If the odd performance issues subside, it may just be ready for a standing ovation.

Eurogamer (4/5):

Nintendo's second-ever Peach game finally realises the character is destined for smart level design and center stage.

Vooks (4/5):

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an enjoyable little game that doesn't push the boundaries but does most things quite well. It's more like a Kirby game than a Mario game, for better and for worse, and while it has its sore points, there's a heck of a lot of enjoyment to be had if you lean into it and take it for what it is.

God is a Geek (8/10):

Princess Peach: Showtime is a lovely time full of clever ideas, and a great way for Peach to make her solo debut.

Nintendo Life (8/10):

Princess Peach: Showtime! sees Nintendo finally give everyone's favourite imaginary princess the rollicking adventure she deserves. We had expected a rather throwaway offering here, a bunch of minigames and Mario-lite platforming maybe, but what we've got is one of the better kid-focused games on Switch. There's creativity, style, and fun to spare here, with levels packed full of secrets, cool outfits, and enough new mechanics to ensure nothing ever outstays its welcome. Come for the fashion, stay for the boss battles, slo-mo bullet dodges, and cardboard horse chases. Besides a few niggling performance issues, this is Nintendo on rather cracking form. Encore!

VGC (4/5):

Full of personality and variety, Princess Peach Showtime delivers a performance that's better than the sum of its parts, with some shallow mechanics lost in the glitz of its cabaret show. The challenge is definitely geared towards youngsters, but even experienced players will find it difficult not to be charmed.

Checkpoint Gaming (8/10):

Princess Peach: Showtime! finally gives our first Nintendo Diva the spotlight she has long deserved, and almost shockingly, once again brings us a Nintendo experience that feels both comfortably familiar and thrillingly different. Despite some weird frame-rate issues and a few costume changes that are less memorable than others, the amount of charm and satisfying simplicity oozing out of Princess Peach: Showtime! makes it a stage performance worthy of applause and adoration. Let's hope this first true starring role for Peach isn't her last.

Destructoid (8/10):

I was pleasantly surprised by Princess Peach: Showtime, and the aforementioned unpredictability is a huge reason why it will likely remain in my permanent rotation of Mario games going forward.

Press Start (7.5/10):

Despite its technical woes and pervasive simplicity, there's just enough of a spark in Princess Peach Showtime! that it had won me over by the time the curtains closed. It might not be deserving of a standing ovation but it's certainly got the stage presence to attract an audience. It's good, light, family fun that's consistently charming and perfectly cast.

COGconnected (72/100):

Maybe this comes off as unfocused or contradictory. I had fun, but Showtime failed to hook me somehow. The stage variety is both a weakness and a strength. I like switching between concepts so frequently. But this comes with a cost, namely a depth deficiency. You've got tons of mechanics that take no time to learn. Stages oscillate between easy and enraging. There's a giant list of collectibles that come in exactly two varieties. Even so, the raw concept is still cool. Giving Peach a whole closet full of roles is a great idea, albeit one I wanted more out of. If you give Princess Peach: Showtime! a chance, who knows? You might have a pretty good time.

IGN (7/10):

Princess Peach: Showtime! is more closely aligned with Kirby and Yoshi's simple, cheery romps rather than Mario's polished platformers and Luigi's haunted mansions. There's fun to be found in the Sparkle Theater, as these delightfully simplified takes on some of gaming's most popular genres are entertaining to blast through, and the whimsical stage play aesthetic gives Peach's game an identity all its own. I'm also thrilled that Nintendo is finally giving Peach another crack at her own solo outing after nearly two decades, and I hope this is the start of an ongoing spinoff series within the wider Mario universe. Some noticeable performance issues and the frustrating lack of a chapter select means I won't be returning for an encore, and I wish there were a few extra levels to lengthen the somewhat brief campaign, but Nintendo and Princess Peach at least know how to put on a good show.

GameSpot (7/10):

Princess Peach Showtime is a breezy exploration of genres aimed at novice gamers.

TheSixthAxis (7/10):

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a good game, but It will not be for everyone and those with decent gaming experience won't find a challenge here... but that isn't the point. This foray with Peach into acting scratches that itch of a game that is just a fun little time within minimal stress or worry – something we all need right now. Peach's adventure isn't anything groundbreaking, but the commitment to its theming and spades of the classic Nintendo charm make it worth sticking with until the curtain call.

GamesRadar (3.5/5):

Showtime is completely entertaining from top to bottom, but while it has enough variety to avoid ever becoming boring, it doesn't have the depth for much lasting appeal. But hey, in a world where video games are demanding more and more of my time and energy, there's something to be said for an experience that cuts the filler to deliver polished charm in spades. Princess Peach: Showtime may not be an all-encompassing production, but the entire troupe has given its all to make sure the crowd goes home happy.

Stevivor (6/10):

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.

Metro GameCentral (5/10):

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.

 

[Larry "Cheatsy" Koopa]

Sounds like a lot of fun. If it comes out on the Switch 2 or a sequel does, I'll be sure to play it.

Ok so I just saw you updated this thread and most of the reviews are favorable, so yeah. Definitely going to
play it.

 

[Lady]

Okay, here is my opinion on the game (I haven't played it): Great game...if you're an 8-year-old girl. This game was only meant for young fans, all of the older fans have been taken out of consideration. And it's WAY overpriced. $70 for a 10-hour experience is way too much.

 

[Nightwicked Bowser]

I'm a 26 year old man who likes watching Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones and whose favorite game is NEO: The World Ends With You, yet I have played Princess Peach Showtime and quite enjoyed it. You don't have to be 8 years old to be able to have fun with a game like this.

 

[LeftyGreenMario]

I find it amusing that the general vibes of the reviews and the ESRB's E10+ rating are at odds with each other.

I would totally get this for any girl 9 and under though. I'm hoping the game does well enough to get people to realize that there's a viable and even very profitable market space for video games for girls.

 

[MeritC]

Wha...? Nothing personal, but from some of those reviews that I've seen, some are still a bit biased to me.

For one thing, I do agree that this Princess Peach: Showtime! game itself is in no doubt targeting a certain "group" of people here - sure, it's aimed for those who are in the childhood range/pre-teenager range (hence the E10+ rating from the ESRB), but I have no doubt that this is another installment having Peach in lead role territory that all of us who are enthusiasts of her can get behind and represent on.

I don't have a Nintendo Switch console personally (still fighting to get funds to even get that console itself); but when I do, this game is way up there on my target list to get along with many others under the Mario series category here.

 

[Ray Trace]

I was playing Diablo when I was an 8 year girl

 

[Princess Viola]

Okay, here is my opinion on the game (I haven't played it): Great game...if you're an 8-year-old girl. This game was only meant for young fans, all of the older fans have been taken out of consideration. And it's WAY overpriced. $70 for a 10-hour experience is way too much.

If you haven't played the game, then your opinion is kind of pointless. It'd be like me giving my opinion on IDK the Mario RPG remake, which I haven't played.

Also the game is $60.

 

[Lady]

I'm a 26 year old man who likes watching Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones and whose favorite game is NEO: The World Ends With You, yet I have played Princess Peach Showtime and quite enjoyed it. You don't have to be 8 years old to be able to have fun with a game like this.

I was just trying to be sarcastic. I'm sorry

 

[Lady]

If you haven't played the game, then your opinion is kind of pointless. It'd be like me giving my opinion on IDK the Mario RPG remake, which I haven't played.

Also the game is $60.

Well, I guess my source wasn't correct.

Opinion Definition (according to Google): "a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge."

 

[Nightwicked Bowser]

I was just trying to be sarcastic. I'm sorry

No hard feelings. Of course, for fun, difficulty and excitement I'd much rather play Kingdom Hearts.

 

[Lady]

Okay, I will take back everything bad I said about Peach Showtime. I watched the Phantom Thief Peach segment and it changed my life 3.5 out of 5 stars. I love Peach and Persona so this is perfect.

 

[Anglefish]

WARNING: SPOILERS BUT SINCE YOU CLICKED/TAPPED ON THIS THREAD YOU WANT TO SEE REVIEWS OTHERS MADE ABOUT THE GAME SO HERE YOU GO!

This review was made by me, someone who has fully completed the game and 100% it. I apologize in advance for not using creative words and phrases, making this review seem much more boring than it is meant to be.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a game starting Princess Peach in her first starring role since Super Princess Peach, a game I'm unfamiliar with. Unlike the aforementioned game, it doesn't have Mario, Luigi or Bowser in it! So how does Princess Peach fare in a game all about her? Read on to hear my thoughts about the game!

The plot is a simple one, but that doesn't mean it's boring! Princess Peach must team up with Sparkle Spirit Stella to save the Sparkle Theater from Grape and her Sour Bunch army! Peach undergoes many transformations that grant her different abilities throughout her adventure. Something that makes me happy is the fact that I used the power of Sparkle to cleanse the theater!


Unfortunately it's not Twilight Sparkle, but still, it's pretty awesome!

The gameplay is relatively simple, using only two buttons. This means that all abilities use the same button for their moves. I don't know if this game is compatible with a single Joy Con controller; I've played with my Purple and Yellow Joy Cons attached to the black controller that comes with the Nintendo Switch. The difficulty is on the easy side (I didn't even fail once!), but this is a game meant for young kids, and the game's still fun nonetheless. Here we have me, a 20-year old guy playing this game. To be fair, I've played Mario games all my life and am now watching My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Do you see that Muffins is my profile picture?

I love the gameplay variety with each transformation! It keeps the game fresh and changes things up. Swordfighter Peach, King Fu Peach and Mighty Peach go off against hordes of enemies with cool epic battles with bosses. Ninja Peach, Cowgirl Peach, Figure Skating Peach and Dashing Thief Peach have plenty of action with very exciting stages that kept me engaged while playing. Patissiere Peach, Detective Peach and Mermaid Peach were a nice change of pace and laid back. I'll admit that Patissiere Peach and Detective Peach were my least favorite transformations because of how long and slow they were… more on that later.

Customization was a nice feature to change up Peach's and Stella's appearances. I found myself changing the styles of Peach's dresses and the colors of Stella whenever I found new options as I played. It doesn't change up the gameplay, but it's still fun to try out new looks for the characters.

There are bosses in this game, fought with Peach's normal abilities. They're well done and creative, all based on various stage props and animals, meant to be puns (like Purrjector Cat and Spotlion). Grape was a cool villain, but the final fight with her was really easy - I didn't even take any damage! Her second phase (Grape the Great) was menacing though, and the battle was good. Radiant Peach shine brightly as I put an end to this theatrical troublemaker.

Unfortunately, there are some minor issues I have with the game:

• The tutorials could be better. To learn the abilities of an ensemble, you must be in a specific spot in a stage and press X to have Stella tell you about something you may forget later. She doesn't tell you every ability of every outfit also. I wish there was a "controls" menu where I could see the moves of the transformations. I feel bad for people who accidentally skip the tutorial that tells you to press "ZL" or "ZR" at specific spots during levels to cause something to happen… good thing that didn't happen to me!
• The framerate could be better. To be fair, most Nintendo Switch games are 30fps, and this one is too. The performance was still smooth, so this is more of a nitpick.
• Cutscenes can't be skipped. The stages are interesting the first time they're played through, but if you miss a Sparkle Gem or something and have to go back in, you have to sit through all of the dialogue and cutscenes, which cannot be skipped. The only cutscenes that can be skipped are the transformation sequences. This was a problem in slow stages with lots of dialogue (like Patissiere Peach and Detective Peach). I was saying "I know what happens! Just get me to the action already!" The mysteries for the Detective Peach stages were fun to figure out, but when replaying them nothing changes, so they become boring.
• The text sometimes goes by too fast. Another nitpick, but if you have to replay levels then this isn't really an issue.
• My biggest problem: the hide and seek with the apprentices is pointless. After clearing the game, there's post game content that has decorations, boss rematches and finding ninja apprentices in EVERY SINGLE STAGE, including the Sparkla rescues! It's basically replaying the game at a faster pace trying to find 1-3 apprentice Theets in all stages. They're so easy to find too, and yet I still missed some on my first go. The reward for finding them all is the Secret Dress, so I guess it's worth it? The game wouldn't be any different without this.

Overall, I give this game a 9/10. It's a fantastic show stopping adventure starring Princess Peach that I recommend for fans of her and Mario in general.