The main draw of Princess Peach: Showtime is the transformations that Peach undergoes in each stage as part of her quest to gain control of Sparkle Theater back from Grape and the Sour Bunch. Each of the transformations in Princess Peach: Showtime corresponds to a Sparkla, the hero of each stage whom Grape has imprisoned in the theater's basement. However, not all of these transformations are created equal, some introducing more interesting concepts and leading to better gameplay design than others.
There are 11 core transformations for Peach that players will experience in Princess Peach: Showtime, with each one only being available in their specific stage. While each of these transformations is designed to interact with a stage in a specific way, some of the ways in which they play out are more inspired than others. As a result, the best transformations in Princess Peach: Showtime are the ones that incorporate unique gameplay elements alongside satisfying mechanics that make the player excited to tackle a stage using the power of that Sparkla.
S-Tier: Radiant, Ninja, and Mighty Peach
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Radiant Peach
Radiant Peach is only accessible during the final boss fight against Madame Grape, but it is by far the coolest transformation in the game. Peach is able to take down this baddie using Sparkla projectiles while levitating around the stage, showcasing the true power of Sparkle in Princess Peach: Showtime.
Ninja Peach
One of the first stages players will have access to in Princess Peach: Showtime puts players in the shoes of Ninja Peach. Ninjutsu: The Art of Rapids is the first stage where Ninja Peach becomes available and perfectly showcases why this transformation is so fun with its use of stealth elements, ninjistu combat, and fluid level traversal wherein Peach can wall jump, wall run, and even submerge herself in water using a bamboo snorkel. Ninja Peach returns in the 4F level Ninjitsu: The Art of Flames and takes these mechanics to their logical outcome in a satisfying display of level design.
Mighty Peach
Mighty Peach is the ultimate power fantasy transformation in Princess Peach: Showtime, allowing players to gain superhero-like abilities as she battles against the Sour Bunch's invasion. This transformation grants players the power of super strength, which they can use to lift objects to solve puzzles and battle the Sour Bunch's UFOs. The combination of satisfying puzzle-solving and super-powered combat of this transformation makes its stages some of the most memorable in the game.
A-Tier: Detective, Mermaid, and Dashing Thief Peach
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Detective Peach
Although the stages featuring Detective Peach are a drastic departure from the rest of Princess Peach: Showtime's levels, they offer some of the most unique gameplay in the title. Rather than fighting her way through Grape's minions, Detective Peach must investigate her environment and utilize her Strike of Intuition ability to uncover clues and solve the mysteries of these stages. This sleuthing gameplay is a nice change of pace from the typical gameplay of Princess Peach: Showtime, demonstrating the range of concepts the game has to offer.
Mermaid Peach
Like Detective Peach, the Mermaid Peach stages in Princess Peach: Showtime focus more on puzzle-solving than combat. As Mermaid Peach, the princess is able to use her singing voice to control sea creatures, creating gameplay similar to the Pikmin series where players need to collect enough minions to open new paths and collect objects like coins and Sparkle Gems.
Dashing Thief Peach
The Dashing Thief Peach stages can be some of the trickier ones in the game, requiring players to use Peach's grappling hook to traverse the level and avoid its obstacles as she infiltrates the Sour Bunch's hideout. What this transformation lacks in combat abilities it makes up for in tight movement and satisfying puzzle-platforming gameplay. The varied gameplay of the Dashing Thief Peach stages makes them some of the most engaging in the game.
B-Tier: Swordfighter, Cowgirl, and Kung Fu Peach
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Swordfighter Peach
Swordfighter Peach is likely the most straightforward of all the transformations in Princess Peach: Showtime, but it still allows for some solid, satisfying gameplay moments. This transformation allows Peach to take on the role of the Swordfighter Sparkla and utilize a rapier to break through obstacles and defeat enemies on stage. A unique element of this transformation is the Swordfighter's ability to perform a dodge and counterattack her foes.
Cowgirl Peach
The Princess Peach: Showtime stages featuring Cowgirl Peach capture the Wild West aesthetic well, but their gameplay is somewhat limiting. The Cowgirl Sparkla allows Peach to wrangle items and enemies using her lasso, which allows for some clever gameplay moments but is not as fleshed out as some of the other transformations.
Kung Fu Peach
While the Kung Fu Peach stages in Princess Peach: Showtime do a great job of giving the player the feeling of being in a 2D action brawler, the gameplay is very similar to the Swordfighter Peach stages. Like Swordfighter Peach, Kung Fu Peach can attack both enemies and obstacles on stage, fighting through members of the Sour Bunch to rescue a martial arts school from their clutches. The most interesting parts of these stages are the fights against the Kung Fu master, which feel akin to a 2D fighting game.
C-Tier: Patissiere and Figure Skater Peach
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Patissiere Peach
Some of the least interesting stages in Princess Peach: Showtime are the ones that feature Patissiere Peach. These stages mostly involve the player participating in Mario Party-style mini-games where Peach must use the Patissiere Sparkla to decorate cookies and cakes in the correct order in a limited amount of time. While this Cooking Mama-like gameplay is novel at first, it feels less substantial than most of the stages in Princess Peach: Showtime.
Figure Skater Peach
Arguably the least interesting transformation in Princess Peach: Showtime is Figure Skater Peach. The stages featuring this transformation never really feel like they have the same quality of puzzle or combat concepts as others, with players mostly maneuvering Peach around on the ice to perform tricks at the correct time, or encouraging the ice-skating Theets to stand up to the Sour Bunch foes found within these levels. There are some unique ideas within these levels, but this transformation never takes full advantage of them.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Franchise
Super Mario
Platform(s)
Switch
Released
March 22, 2024
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure
See at Nintendo eShop
