Princess Peach Showtime gives the beloved princess of the Mushroom Kingdom the spotlight she deserves

When I watched the trailer for Princess Peach Showtime during last week's Nintendo Direct, I couldn't stifle a loud cheer. It came right from the heart of me. The new adventure from Nintendo is putting Peach directly in the spotlight, and better yet, it will see her break out of her classic role to become a badass sword fighter, a cake-making pastry chef, a kung-fu master, and a hecking detective hot on the case. Hell – and I say this with my whole chest – yeah. Princess Peach has always had a big presence in the Mario series, but, more often than not, has had the same part to play as the one who needs saving from the big bad guy. Showtime promises to let her take center stage and lead an escapade that's hopefully wholly her own, and it frankly feels long overdue.

Since Mario's inception, we've had a peach-shaped adventure in the likes of Super Princess Peach on the DS back in 2005, but this feels like a proper step up for a character so many (myself included) have come to love over the years. Peach isn't just the supporting act anymore, she's about to put on a show of her own, and I can't wait to experience it for myself.

Costume change

The new Princess Peach game was first announced earlier this year during the June 2023 Nintendo Direct. While we didn't yet have a title or know much about it, the prospect of an upcoming Switch game that revolved around the famous pink highness was enough to get me, and many others, excited. Now, thanks to the latest trailer, I'm all in. From the name to the concept and style, Princess Peach Showtime speaks to me on so many levels. Not only does it put Peach front and center, but it does so in a way that absolutely suits who she is as a character. From the designs of the transformations to the backdrops, she can save the day, and do it in style, too. We love to see it.

The fact that it takes place within a theater is sure to offer up some creative stages and scenarios, with the trailer showing off how it plays with different themes. One, for example, sees the queen of my heart sleuthing through a museum-like setting, searching for clues in a costume Detective Pikachu would approve of. Then, things switch up in a castle backdrop as she adopts the outfit of a sword fighter complete with rose decals - it's giving romantic musketeer vibes, and I couldn't love it more if I tried. From paper-mache tentacles on stage to a giant cake that Peach decorates, it's all quite the production. If Nintendo are great at anything, it's bringing to life engaging settings and platforms, and I can hardly wait to see what else is in store for Peach's Showtime extravaganza.

Blast from the past

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The transformations look set to make Peach a real star, with each one giving her new powers to use. It immediately brought to mind my favorite pink puffball Kirby's copy abilities, which give him various powers and guises and, honestly, it just makes me all the more keen on the idea of Peach's theatrical version. It's such a fun way to play on the idea of costume changes between acts, or the idea of switching between roles depending on the play that's being performed.

But more than that, it gives us the opportunity to see Peach step out of the role she's always had ascribed to her. We get to see new dimensions of her character as she becomes a kung-fu master, or a pastry chef. I've spent so many years saving the day for Peach. I'm so ready to save the day as Peach.

Princess Peach Showtime has all the potential to put on one very memorable and meaningful performance, and I'll be at the front of the queue to witness it for myself.

Look ahead to more exciting releases with our roundup of new games for 2023.

Heather Wald is the Evergreen Editor, Games at GamesRadar+. Her writing career began on a student-led magazine at Bath Spa University, where she earned a BA (Hons) in English literature. Heather landed her first role writing about tech and games for Stuff Magazine shortly after graduating with an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University. Now with almost seven years of experience working with GamesRadar+ on the features team, Heather helps to develop, maintain, and expand the evergreen features that exist on the site for games, as well as spearhead the Indie Spotlight series. You'll also see her contribute op-eds, interview-led features, and more. In her spare time, you'll likely find Heather tucking into RPGs and indie games, reading romance novels, and drinking lots of tea.