"Seperating the boys from the men."

“Separating the boys from the men”

For those many Mario loyalists who've complained about the repetitive storylines, Nintendo has turned the tables. Super Princess Peach stars the former damsel-in-distress as the main protagonist in an adventure which requires her to take advantage of… her emotions. While the concept sounds strange and sexist, it manages to work in a very fun and unique way which is in some ways better than New Super Mario Bros.

Storyline: 6/10
Mario storylines aren't known for having the depth and detail of a quality RPG but because they're platformers this isn't important. Super Princess Peach is original in what it does and the cute style is entertaining but the main hook is the ‘Mario – Peach' reversal which, unfortunately won't be very appealing to someone who hasn't played a Mario game before.

You see, there exists a land not too far from the Mushroom Kingdom known as Vibe Island. Bowser having heard rumours of a legendary Vibe Sceptre has built himself a Summer Villa on the island. After he finds the legendary Vibe Sceptre (with the ability to control emotions) he decides to ambush the Mushroom Kingdom. Why? To get revenge on Mario of course. Once there, the Koopa squad manages to kidnap Mario, a green guy and a loudmouthed mushroom as the game describes them (Luigi and Toad in case you didn't get it). In all the chaos, Peach was out for a walk with Toadsworth. When they get back they find the kingdom in trouble and a note from Bowser regarding Mario's capture. Peach decides it's her time to shine and storms out of the castle, supplied with her new Umbrella, Perry. Once she arrives at the island, she finds that Bowser has made a mistake with the sceptre and sent the whole island into emotional trauma. This strange magical presence has also enhanced Peach's own emotional strengths.

After the starting scene there aren't many story related events for the rest of the adventure. Peach's umbrella, Perry, does have flashbacks of his past after you complete each world but these slowly become boring as they repeat the same picture slides only with more text detail each time. What makes things worse is that Perry's story is left unfinished upon completing the game. Room for a sequel? I don't know, but I won't spoil anything more.

Basically, the storyline comes down to the nostalgia. The idea of Peach saving Mario is a very comical one and despite the cuteness of the Vibes and characters it wouldn't be fair to rate this high in comparison to other games out there. Either way, this will not affect your gameplay experience at all.

Graphics: 8/10
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Super Princess Peach is cute. The game uses sprites and while this doesn't push the DS' graphical boundaries by any means this style is preferable because it is part of the games charm. Any screenshot is a good example of the style you'll be seeing throughout the game, although the backdrops are by no means repetitive. Each world is represented by a type of land (eg. Grass, Snow, Sky) and they are all well detailed and, again, cute (with the more dramatic levels having animated backdrops).

Peach and her enemies animate well and the player should find no problems. The sprites are definitely detailed and look much like their 3D counterparts. I found no problems at all with this part of the game but certain people may be disappointed with the differences from New Super Mario Bros. Similar to the storyline, the graphics come down to personal preferences. There are no glitches or problems whatsoever and if you don't like the bright and happy atmosphere of the game then you'd best look elsewhere.

Gameplay: 8/10
Get ready to unleash your inner princess. In Super Princess Peach you play as none other than Peach and you must play through 8 worlds, collecting Toads as you go. The gameplay is your standard Mario affair, get to the end without dying and collect three of something (in this case Toads) while you're there. But there's a twist. Peach finds her emotions are strengthened on Vibe Island and you'll be able to use the powers of Joy, Rage, Gloom and Calm to defeat enemies and pass areas. To access these abilities you simply tap the colour-coded heart on the touch screen. Joy allows Peach to fly, Rage turns her on fire, Gloom sends her crying (also allowing her to run faster) and Calm heals health. Peach has a Vibe Gauge which controls her usage of emotions, as well as a heart style health gauge. This is different from the one-hit-K.O method seen in New Super Mario Bros. and allows for less frustration and a more enjoyable (while slightly less challenging) experience. In terms of combat, Peach can hit enemies with Perry by using B or Y, Jump with A or scoop and eat enemies with X (to restore the Vibe Gauge).

Peach's emotions are required to pass certain obstacles and this is where the game becomes more involving. Rather than simply running through a level and killing enemies if need be, Super Princess Peach requires you to fly across gaps (as well as into secret areas), cry to water plants or run over disappearing platforms, burn bridges to access secret places and so on. The puzzle elements are not too extreme to the point of tediousness but feel just right within the game. Warp pipes make a return and you'll need to find secret pipes or corners to rescue all three Toads per level. The collection theme of each level is executed well but may seem too easy to some. In an area where a Toad or bonus content is located, Peach will have a little animation of surprise on the bottom screen so you know just where to look. The Toads are located in places that are not too hard to find but are still very fun to search for.

Length is always an issue with games and it is rightly so. Super Princess Peach has 8 worlds each with 6 levels (counting Boss Battles). Upon completing the game you will unlock the ability to unlock three more levels for each world (by defeating each boss for a second time). There's plenty of bonus content too as not only will you find Toads in levels but also music tracks and puzzle pieces for the respective activities found outside of the main adventure. From the main shop in the game you can use your hard-earned coins to purchase health and Vibe Gauge upgrades for Peach, puzzle pieces, music tracks, additional minigames and even bonus abilities for Peach. The mini-game collection pales in comparison to Mario's outings on the DS but the three minigames themselves provide great entertainment even if short-lasted. There's a lot to find in the game and while the main adventure won't satisfy the most dedicated platformees the bonus content should keep everyone satisfied.

Sound: 8/10
The sound too follows the games theme. Each world has three background tunes which vary depending on the world. For example, the Wavey Beach world has a Hawaiian, vacation type of tune and Bowser's Villa follows a darker, dramatic style. The tunes are definitely of quality but don't seem very different from beginning to end. While they definitely fit their respective worlds well the songs loop in obvious places which can build frustration. Fortunately you'll find yourself in a new world before the sound causes any serious problems. A cool feature worth mentioning is that the music actually changes when you're using different emotions so if Peach is sad chances are the music won't be too happy.

Further on we have sound effects. There's nothing much to complain about here, it's your same old platformer stuff. A sound for each jump, for each enemy dying and for each special item you find. Jen Taylor voices peach as per normal and her attacks are accompanied by a shout and a clash of the umbrella. The vibes also have their own minor voicing such as a ‘wee' while flying or a ‘waah' while crying. Unfortunately there is no voice work for any enemies (or nothing obvious that I can remember). Sound really shouldn't sway your opinion of a platformer game unless it's overly annoying. This isn't the case with Super Princess Peach which manages to maintain a solid (but slightly repetitive) soundtrack through the duration of the game.

Conclusion:
To sum it up, Super Princess Peach makes great use of the vibes and this is what truly separates it from the other platformers available for the DS. The game is fun, requiring you to think to pass levels and the joy you feel at finding that last pink Toad box is a great sense of accomplishment. What may have been seen as a spin-off to lessen the wait for New Super Mario Bros. is in most cases the better choice of the two. Even if you have to get your mom/girlfriend/wife to get it for you it's worth the purchase and one of my favourite DS titles.

Final Score: 8.6/10 (not an average)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/05/07