Simply put, Super Princess Peach is the best Mario game to come out in a very long time. It has been far too long since there has been an original 2D Mario-style game from Nintendo. What you get with Peach is just that, only without the Mario part. Nintendo has decidedly gone for the not-so-hardcore girl gamer demographic with this title. But you should not let the feminine side of things get in the way.
Although this game fits into the series quite well, it is not exactly what Mario fans are looking for. I fear most people will wait until May when New Super Mario Bros. is released. This is a shame, because if you pass up on Peach, you will be missing a unique take on the standard Mario story.
When Peach is out on a stroll, Mario and Luigi are kidnapped. This role reversal works quite well, and setting Princess Peach as the main character was a great idea. She controls quite the same as any Mario platformer, but also has an entirely unique move set that we have never seen before. The moves and powers that Peach has distinguishes this game and are used to great effect throughout your adventure.
Other than Peach, you are looking at standard fare for a Nintendo platforming romp (not a bad thing). Everything from the Mario universe is here, even down to the classic Bowser Castle (or in this case, "Villa") design elements. The game just looks stunning — it's 2D done right and is every bit as likable as an iPod. Colors are crisp, and the animations are as tight as the controls themselves. Keeping the game in 2D was a smart decision, as it feels like an extension of Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island.
Super Princess Peach uses the feature set of the DS well. The DS Rumble Pak is supported, so you will feel every hit Peach takes. When you move through pipes you feel a slight vibration, and if there is something hidden in the room you feel a vibration there too — otherwise it is just an auditory effect with an exclamation mark on the touch screen.
Peach has four "Vibes" that are represented by colored hearts on the touch screen. Changing Vibes is easy thanks to the size of the hearts in the quadrants of the touch screen. You will not have to take your eyes off of the top screen to switch from "Rage" to "Calm."
Article comments