"Help! Mario, I am getting kidn.... wait, scratch that. I am the rescuer this time"

Help! Mario, I am getting kidn.... wait, scratch that. I am the rescuer this time

After so many years of getting kidnapped by the Bowser family, Princess Peach must be relieved that it was Mario and co. that got kidnapped this time round. But let's not dwell on who kidnapped whom, because at the end of the day, it was still Bowser who did it.

***** Plot *****

Like every other Mario game, the plot is mostly the same (and irrelevant), except this time the role is swapped. This time, Mario, along with Luigi and company are captured and locked up in Bowser's castle, located on Vibe Island. Luckily, Peach was on an afternoon stroll around the Mushroom Kingdom and avoided the heist (yep, a convenient plot device). If Peach got kidnapped as well, who's going to save the day?

Toadsworth, knowing the long and hard journey ahead, gives Peach an umbrella to block out the harmful UV ray and the rain. The umbrella also talks and has some special abilities, such as sucking the life out of enemies and float on water as a boat.

There is a story behind the talking umbrella as well on how it becomes what it is. But seriously, you are not playing this game for the story, are you?

***** Gameplay *****

Similar to Mario, this is a 2D side scroller. On many levels, this game is easier, and more engaging than her rescuer in previous games.

The level design is similar to Mario. You still hit the bricks, the enemies are still (mostly) the same and the game is still divided into worlds. But there are many differences. You initially get three hearts and a vibe metre (both of which can be extended through upgrade purchases). If you get hit by an enemy, you lose half a heart. If you lose all hearts, you start the stage from the beginning again. No longer will you die an instant death upon touching the enemy. Now you even have a chance to recover.

Vibe metre indicates the time you have of your inner emotions, only a woman can change emotion so quickly. There are four different emotions or vibe, happy, sad, angry and calm. When Peach is happy, she can literally fly over the moon. It allows her to fly. Being sad makes her a cry baby, but somehow, she runs faster when she is sad, maybe she wants to run away from sadness or something. You can see the fire that burns around her when she is angry. When she is calm, she uses the vibe to recharge her life.

Each of the emotion uses vibe and depending on the power, it has a different rate of use.

You can recharge your life with vibe, but what to do when vibe runs out? That's where the umbrella comes in. One handy feature of the multi-function umbrella is to suck the vibe out of enemy. All you need to do is the scoop them up and kneel down. The umbrella will do the rest. You can also replenish your vibe by getting the blue power ups.

You can use the umbrella to hit things, but you don't get vibes from killing enemies. If you have certain upgrades, your umbrella can do different things. For example, it can float on water, be a glider (of sort), and can even shoot energy beam to dispatch the enemies. Jumping on them like what Mario loves to do will also work.

To buy upgrades for your umbrella or extend you max health / vibe, you need coins. Just like Mario, you collect coins as you progress through the stage. Besides buying things that will help you throughout your adventure, you can also buy puzzle pieces and music scores. They don't serve any real functions except for your viewing and listening pleasure.

The game is separated into eight worlds. Each subdivided into stages. Each world has its own theme. Some environments can have subtle impact on the way Peach reacts in it. For example, the ice is slippery, so Peach needs to be careful not to skid off the edge when she runs downhill.

At the end of each world is the big boss. They are literally big. But of course, Peach is not afraid, and will take close to no time to dispatch them. Before you can reach each boss, you need to get Peach to their hiding place. And it is here that the touch screen is utilised mostly. You might be required to remove obstacles that are in the princess' way as she falls from the sky, or roll the log that she is standing on to the top of the narrow path infested with traps. Once you reached the boss, it is back to normal play.

In normal play, the top screen is where the action is, while the touch screen is used to change Peach's vibe. In the thick of the action, you will most likely to be using your thumbs to touch the vibe rather than using a stylus.

***** Graphics *****

The graphics is on par with other 2D side scroller out there such as NSMB. Unlike NSMB, you don't get a 3D character on a 2D plane. The colour is vibrant, and cheery. The environment is well defined. It doesn't feel any different than you would when playing NSMB on the DS. The princess' face on the touch screen will change as she changes emotions. Not particularly useful, but a nice touch.

***** Sound *****

Again, the sound is on par with SMB. You can hear the jumping and flying and hitting. It does feel generic, but it is adequate. The music is cheerful, lively and although it is not as memorable as, say, the SMB tune back in the old days, it is catchy, clear and feels very much part of the game.

***** Replay Value *****

There are many things to do in the game. You can collect puzzle pieces that are scattered around Vibe Island to complete pictures which you can view in the gallery. You can also collect sound files that you can listen to. There are mini-games to be unlocked. They are not the great, but it is a nice distraction.

There are extra stages after you have finished the game. And you can obtain the final umbrella ability that you can use against the enemies in the post game world. These extra stages are just the same as the normal ones. Just treat them as secret worlds, and it will keep you entertained for a little while longer.

***** Overall *****

On many levels, Princess Peach is just Mario in a dress and makeup. There are many similarities between them. You still get to go underwater; in and out of green water pipes; jump on the same kind of enemies. But you don't get the mushrooms and you don't die straight away.

There are many things to do during and post game. Toads to be saved, mini games to be unlocked, puzzle pieces and sound files to be collected, secret world to troll through. Peach might be a girl, but this game is definitely not aimed squarely at girls. Real guys and guys acting like girls could get as much fun out of this one as everyone. This game is certainly fit for a princess.

Good:

* Easy gameplay
* Crystal clear graphics
* Catchy tunes
* Lots of things to do / side quest

Bad:

* May be too easy for some

Score (out of 10)

Plot: 4
Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 8
Sound: 7
Replay: 7

Overall: 8

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/05/07

Game Release: Super Princess Peach (US, 02/27/06)