Princess Peach: Showtime reviews are in the wild and they depict a game that many likely expected: a dress-up RPG that will appeal to younger players, particularly girls. If you’ve played other Nintendo games aimed at younger players — Yoshi’s Crafted World, for example — you’ll know what to expect. These are games that uncomplicated by design, and therefore unchallenging for older players. But what they lack in difficulty, they make up for in charm and craft, and nobody’s better at that than Ninty.
Here’s what the critics thought from here in Aus, and around the world.
Princess Peach: Showtime Reviews: The Aussies
Well Played awarded Princess Peach: Showtime its highest local score, an 8.5-out-of-10, saying, “Nintendo has a knack for finding brilliant new ways to keep an existing formula fresh, and in the case of Princess Peach: Showtime! they have managed to take the concept of a simple platformer and spin it on its axis to create something varied and engaging. The Showtime format offers a fantastic opportunity to explore the capabilities of Peach as a character, allowing her to literally slip into multiple roles and wear a myriad of hats – crushing each and every one she attempts. I came away hopeful to see more in future – though I will admit I’d love to see a dedicated Mighty Peach game, if they want to explore that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker spin-off route at some point. Please? Nintendo?”
Checkpoint Gaming also quite liked it, awarding an 8-out-of-10, saying, “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.”
GamesHub gave it four stars, saying, “After years of waiting, this is the spotlight that Princess Peach deserves. Even minor performance issues and slow loading times can’t take away from this glittering achievement. Years on the sidelines have emboldened Peach, and in this adventure, she finally gets a welcome chance to break out.”
VOOKS, also four stars, saying, “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.”
Press Start gave it a 7.5, saying, “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.”
Stevivor gave it a 6-out-of-10, saying, “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.”
The Rest Of The World
Overseas outlets were just as forgiving of its simplicity.
VG247 awarded the game a surprising 5-stars, saying, “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, a 9-out-of-10, saying, “Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an extremely enjoyable game, offers a significant amount of content, and is something that could be enjoyed by anyone.”
Destructoid gave it an 8-out-of-10, saying, “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.”
Four stars from VGC: “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.”
Eurogamer, another four-star review: “Nintendo’s second-ever Peach game finally realises the character is destined for smart level design and center stage.”
Game Informer awarded a 7.5-out-of-10, saying, “Princess Peach: Showtime could be a decent first game for young Peach fans, but longtime Nintendo players looking for the Princess’ equivalent of a quality Kirby platformer will likely be underwhelmed. Stylistically, however, the game is a success and, in typical Nintendo fashion, features an exciting finale. I just wish the difficulty had been more balanced in one direction or the other.”
A 7-out-of-10 from Inverse: “In the end, Princess Peach: Showtime! hits the mark way more often than it misses it. Despite not committing to the bit with its story, its aesthetics run wild with the theatrical premise, never failing to evoke glee. And while its shallow gameplay left me somewhat unsatisfied, the moments when it throws caution to the wind for train heists, table-flipping martial arts fights, and full-on space shooter segments are undeniably great. Princess Peach: Showtime’s simplicity and variety make it easy to recommend as a game for younger players. For everyone else, Princess Peach: Showtime! will probably leave you underwhelmed, but it’s still an enjoyable night at the theater while it lasts.”
IGN, also a 7-out-of-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.”
Games Radar began the lower-end of the reviews field with its 3.5-star review. “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.”
The Gamer, 3 stars: “Princess Peach: Showtime is a very approachable game and tries a lot of different ideas, which makes it perfect for extremely casual players or a younger audience. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t capture the ‘kids of all ages’ feeling of Mario’s adventures or the aforementioned Luigi’s Mansion. It’s more like Yoshi’s Crafted World, which makes sense as the two games were developed by Good-Feel. Though a significant step up from Super Princess Peach, Princess Peach: Showtime tries a little too much, and that means its best performances are overshadowed by discordant notes from the understudies.”
Image: Nintendo
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