Princess Peach: Showtime!

Does Princess Peach: Showtime! reach the level of, say, Super Mario Bros. Wonder? Probably not. But it’s certainly on par with any of the solo Luigi or Yoshi outings we’ve had. Here’s hoping that we don’t have to wait another two decades for Peach to get another starring role, because this one is well worth your time.

Princess Peach Showtime is a great action game for people of all skill levels. 10 different costumes provide us with unique playstyles in a game where you never know what's going to happen next. Are you going to be a flying hero punching down enemy ships? Or are you going to be a master thief hacking into security and sneaking through lasers? It's always something different and it's great to see so much potential in an often underused character.

I went into Princess Peach: Showtime expecting Nintendo-quality filler. A game to pad out the year’s release schedule without being a particularly memorable effort by the company. Instead, we get a wonderful, playful and clever little game that allowed Nintendo to make Peach a multifaceted hero without needing to subvert all those years spent building this incredibly valuable character. This feels like it could be the start of another very valuable property for the company.

Princess Peach: Showtime is a fantastic action-adventure title with many transformations that make the game fun and replayable. While some may find the boss battles tedious and repetitive, it is offset by enjoyable combat and a plethora of collectibles, making it fun for those who love the grind. Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime manages to hold its own as a Super Mario spin-off and proves that Mario doesn’t need to be in every game in its universe in order for it to be great.

Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an extremely enjoyable game, offers a significant amount of content, and is something that could be enjoyed by anyone.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a game with a simple appearance; however, it has a high degree of replayability and very challenging levels. The gameplay mechanic of using costumes makes the experience versatile. The environments, boss battles, and adventure development are very well executed. We may have a straightforward video game, but less means having more entertainment.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a welcome return to the spotlight for our favorite princess. It oozes charm, with loads of variety, providing plenty to do across multiple transformations, levels, and modes. It’s not super difficult, but it’s so entertaining that I don’t care. There are also multiple challenges and collectibles to keep players coming back for more.

Princess Peach Showtime! is a real show designed to have fun from start to finish. By playing all the main roles, young and old will find their account without getting bored even if the Switch exclusivity suffers from some latencies, a little long loading time and not very interesting boss fights. All in all, this new Mario will convince you if you need a light, colorful and entertaining adventure to consume in a few hours. The variety of levels is a real plus since each room offers a unique decor and as many treasures to find.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a treat, offering fun, approachable, and excitingly diverse gameplay as well as the most appealing (and downright cool) version of Nintendo's heroine to date. The game is fairly brief and has some performance hiccups, but its target audience of younger players, and those just wanting to see Peach ditch the damsel role, will likely be too busy applauding her latest turn in the limelight to care.

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?

Princess Peach Showtime! she was able to convince us with few reservations. Net of the technical uncertainties and some less successful than average roles to be played, the title from Nintendo and Good-Feel showcases an accessible, highly entertaining and pleasantly varied gaming system, enriched by sensational artistic direction. In short, if you love this kind of adventures, you shouldn't miss the appointment with Princess Peach.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an easy-to-understand, incredibly fun-to-play game with a style and charm that is sure to delight.

While Princess Peach: Showtime! doesn't offer too much of a challenge and is a bit on the short side, the game nevertheless offers hours of fun. The diversity in costumes ensures that you don't get bored and can't wait for the next level of each costume. It also shows that the idea of Peach as a damsel in distress is in the past. She doesn't need anyone to save her. In fact, she is the hero who saves others, whether that is by decorating cakes or fighting as a Swordsman or Kung Fu master.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a fun-packed title for the youngest of gamers and for those that want to join the ride. Colourful and refreshing, full of exciting mechanics, yet at times simply yearning for upgraded Nintendo hardware to perform better on. If you know what to expect, you will surely have a great time. Just try not to let a few imperfections ruin the experience.

Peach takes the lead role and proves herself in a unique and idiosyncratic setting. Show time! is a refreshing addition to the Nintendo games lineup.

Despite some very notable technical issues, Princess Peach: Showtime! exceeds on presenting a great number of simple, but brilliant gameplay ideas.

Those with somewhat gaming experience will have finished the story in less than ten hours. That's pretty short to shell out close to 60 euros for it. Still, that certainly doesn't mean you can't enjoy it as an adult. If you are looking for a game that does not demand too much energy, then this is game for you. For children, the game is definitely recommended.

Peach’s adventure may not possess the sheer wit and flair on show in Nintendo’s most recent tour de force, Super Mario Bros Wonder, but it acts as a long-overdue promotion for a promising heroine.

Princess Peach Showtime is a nice break away from our favourite plumber and his brother and while I enjoyed this as an older gamer, it definitely does have a more younger gamer appeal. Even so, it’s quite a clever premise and if you’re looking for something a little different, check out the demo via the Nintendo store and if you like it, Princess Peach Showtime might be the fun you’re looking for.

Princess Peach: Showtime is a fun and extremely varied adventure that serves as not only a great spin-off from the Mario franchise, but finally giving Princess Peach another chance in the limelight to shine like the star she is. It may be a fairly simple and straightforward experience, but there’s so much to see and do, and it’s hard not to suggest this to Nintendo fans of all ages.

Princess Peach Showtime! is full of wonderful bits and pieces, all showcasing a staggering variety of extremely well implemented gameplay styles, which come together as a very fun full game. It stumbles a little in terms of performance (perhaps some irony there in relation to theatre) but pulls itself back up. A Stella(r) second outing for Nintendo's leading lady and one that comes recommended regardless of age or any other features people use to create target audiences.

Princess Peach: Showtime is a very interesting, fun and creative game. It's great that Nintendo did something original for the princess, who was one of the only main characters in the franchise who didn't already have her own niche.

Princess Peach: Showtime! sometimes feels a little too scattered for its own good, but the gameplay variety and usual Good-Feel relaxed atmosphere make this a nice game to chill out with over the course of a weekend or two. If you’re not interested in replaying stages to find hidden goodies, this might be a bit too brief and breezy a game. The game also sorely needs an option to skip the lengthy cutscenes when going back into previously-cleared plays. Overall, this is a solid outing for gaming’s most famous princess, one that easily out-does her Nintendo DS star debut. Here’s hoping it’s just the start of her adventures.

Showtime embraces Peach's femininity and uses it to fuel her newfound heroics. Transforming into a graceful figure skater, a beautiful songstress or a cutesy chef is her way of saving those in need, and it's truly cathartic. On top of that, the levels are simply a whole lot of fun to play, despite how easy you might find them.

Princess Peach truly shines in this imaginative and colorful foray into main character territory. The game is clearly aimed at a younger generation of gamers, but still manages to deliver clever and engaging fun for all ages.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an ideal offering for those looking for a pleasant and accessible introduction to video games. There are no great challenges, no intriguing story or complicated mechanics, but several hours of simple fun in a charming setting. This might not be enough for experienced players, however.

Older gamers will probably be left wanting more, especially with the rumoured Switch 2 on the horizon. But we’d encourage you to go along for the ride, embrace the wacky changes to Peach’s powers, and let the little ones enjoy it to the full. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait another 15-plus years for another Peach game.

It’s a bit too short and easy to be truly satisfying for experienced gamers. That said, I defy any parent still in possession of an ounce of childhood joy and wonder to have a bad time taking turns playing alongside their kids.

Nintendo just knows how to do these things. And perhaps that's part of the problem. It's a quality game, and it's a lot of fun. But it won't bring you anything you didn't already know. Also, the game is very short and you can finish it in two days.

Although Peach cannot win an Oscar with her performance, she is still convincing thanks to her loving design.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a simple game, but it once again demonstrates the potential of a character in Mario's shadow. Nintendo has taken the opportunity to create a visually attractive game that combines many elements of video games: combat, stealth, puzzles, platforms or shoot 'em up.

Endlessly creative and adorably cute, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an uncompromising but approachable adventure that’s an absolute blast for kids and adults alike.

Princess Peach: Showdown is a delightful experience that shows how far you can get with simple, yet varied gameplay mechanics, fun level design, and colorful visuals.

What it lacks in depth and challenge, Princess Peach: Showtime! makes up for in variety and charm, making it an excellent entry-level point to its various gameplay styles for younger and less experienced players. Its appealing presentation style is let down only slightly by a surprisingly poor framerate during loading and transition screens that can hopefully be fixed with a performance-focused patch in the future. Although it never quite reaches the heights of a more focused gameplay experience, the variety of gameplay presented in Princess Peach: Showtime! make it an easy recommendation to make.

After her scene-stealing role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it was about time that the Mushroom Kingdom’s royal star had the spotlight placed on her own heroic prowess for a change. Princess Peach Showtime is more often a box office hit than a flop in delivering the experience it sets out to achieve, and, just like the best shows, it had us applauding for an encore as the curtain fell.

With that lovely Nintendo animation and colourful visuals it looks amazing on both the Switch screen and the bigger docked TV. A solid but not outstanding effort by the Nintendo peeps.

The only new exclusive for the Nintendo Switch at the start of the year, Princess Peach: Showtime takes on the pressure weighing on its shoulders with style and creativity. The princess of the Mushroom Kingdom multiplies roles of all kinds. Pastry chef, swordsman, skater but also superhero, she knows how to do it all and does it brilliantly despite the diversity of these activities. The varied gameplay above all serves a creative and ingenious production and staging of Good-Feel, the main qualities of the title. A very accessible adventure which clearly makes you want to see Peach more often in leading roles, whether on Nintendo Switch or not.

Nintendo should, by all means, take what it’s learnt from Princess Peach: Showtime! and expand upon it, but it shouldn't fall into the trap of keeping her, or indeed any of its other female characters, confined to dress changing antics only. Peach deserves more backstory – more freedom from Mario – so that she can become as lauded as the likes of Lara Croft, albeit in her own, unique way. Pretty in pink is Princess Peach’s opening number, but for the show to truly go on, she needs to be allowed to broaden her horizons. Princess Peach: Showtime! is a fantastic first step, now all Nintendo needs to do is embrace the era that’s on the cusp of dawning.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an exemplar of Nintendo's game design philosophy, delivering an innovative and cohesive gaming experience that challenges expectations and recalls the essence of video games.

Princess Peach Showtime! is the typical case of a game that does not attract attention, but if you give it a chance, it has the weapons to conquer you. It is a simple game, for all audiences, that manages to catch you with a varied development and an overflowing sympathy. It plays in a different league to Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but it is fun.

Nintendo's second-ever Peach game finally realises the character is destined for smart level design and center stage.

Princess Peach: Showtime! sees Nintendo finally give everyone's favourite imaginary princess the rollicking adventure she deserves. We had expected a rather throwaway offering here, a bunch of minigames and Mario-lite platforming maybe, but what we've got is one of the better kid-focused games on Switch. There's creativity, style, and fun to spare here, with levels packed full of secrets, cool outfits, and enough new mechanics to ensure nothing ever outstays its welcome. Come for the fashion, stay for the boss battles, slo-mo bullet dodges, and cardboard horse chases. Besides a few niggling performance issues, this is Nintendo on rather cracking form. Encore!

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.

In order to talk about Princess Peach: Showtime! you first need to understand that it is a game made for all audiences, with all the good and the bad that implies. It may not be the kind of game you were expecting for this one, but it'll help you in taking care of your inner child, which more often than not is actually pretty necessary.

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.

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.

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.

Princess Peach: Showtime is a lovely time full of clever ideas, and a great way for Peach to make her solo debut.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a very charming and colorful game full of collectibles to find in each level. Although its all-ages approach may put some players off (it's as easy to play as Yoshi or Kirby games), we still had a great time with it.

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.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a quick, easy, and direct game. It's a fantastic introduction to platformers, with great graphics and minimal difficulty. Enjoy the surprisingly varied gameplay in this short game, assuming you don't mind it being this short.

A varied and charmingly presented Jump&Run-Minigames-Mix, which in some places seems a little half-baked.

I loved the many mini-adventures within Princess Peach: Showtime! and hope that it inspires folks to enjoy the theater with its imagination-fueled campaign full of dress-up challenges that'll make you believe you can be anything you set your heart to.

Princess Peach gives proof of great transforming talent in this her second "solo" adventure. Ten transformations take turns in levels filled with mini-games and secrets. A colorful and fun game marked by a low level of difficulty, which penalizes longevity and targets it mainly at a very young or novice audience.

It took 20 years for Peach to be the main character in her own game again, the last one dating back to 2005 and we were on Nintendo DS. Times have changed, as have morals and Nintendo has understood this well with Princess Peach Showtime, which also stands out from Mario by moving away from the classic platformer. Here, it is more of an adventure designed to highlight the many abilities of the character, capable of changing outfits as well as gameplay, all surrounded by a perfectly crafted theater theme. Ninja, swordsman, mermaid, detective, superhero, pastry chef, skater or downright kung fu expert, we move from one style to another with great pleasure, even if the absence of challenge risks making the players wince the most seasoned. In any case, the game is clearly intended for younger people, those who will be less demanding and will not complain about the sometimes incomprehensible framerate drops.

Finally a new approach and not just another Nintendo platformer. Peach's transformations add a lot of variety, but lack challenge. Experienced players might get bored because of this. The technical implementation also leaves a lot to be desired.

Princess Peach Showtime! only lasts around six hours and a couple more if you want to collect everything. It’s a breeze to get through and doesn’t offer much difficulty beyond collecting all those pesky gems, but it manages to give us a sampling of Peach’s potential as the star of future games. Featuring a good mix of action and relaxation, the game gives you plenty of variety even though it stays within the realm of pleasing a younger audience. Peach’s transformations are simple but give her a whole new range of skills you would never know she had until now. It’s a shame the game ends when it does as certain levels are quite fun and engaging. Considering Mario Odyssey was accessible to all ages but still offered hours of fun and adventure, there is no reason why Peach’s exploits should only be limited to starring roles in make-believe plays.

Princess Peach: Showtime! closely follows the footsteps of its predecessor, Super Princess Peach. While it provides a unique opportunity to play with a beloved Nintendo character, the entire adventure remains overshadowed by the more well crafted Mario games.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a delightful and engaging platformer that successfully combines the whimsy of the Mario universe with a unique theatrical twist. The game's innovative costume mechanic and beautifully designed levels offer players a fresh take on traditional platforming, wrapped in a narrative that’s both charming and immersive. However, certain design choices, such as the limited usage of costumes outside gameplay and the inability to backtrack for collectibles, may leave some players wanting more.

Peach makes a comeback with a fun and artistically inspired video game perfect for kids, a little less so for hardcore gamers.

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.

Showtime! displays great promise for a Peach franchise.

Princess Peach Showtime! is a nice introduction to 3D adventures for younger audiences.

A fun and original game showcasing the Princess Peach's most hidden facets, with some technical issues and a very low difficulty that may not satisfy all players.

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.

It's Peach Time! Creative and sweetly designed pastime with a lot of variety at the beginning, but which lacks motivating content as it progresses. The adventure would have benefited from more tricky puzzles and mini-games or additional game mechanics.

Princess Peach: Showtime benefits a lot from the idea of wearing different costumes, giving Peach a high variety of special abilities. Like usual for Nintendo games, the game brims over concerning loving details. The very low difficulty level and the partly inappropriate performance prevent the game from a higher score.

The first mainline game for Princess Peach in nearly two decades is a charming adventure with some solid ideas and excellent boss battles. Princess Peach: Showtime demonstrates that the heroine is worthy of being a leading protagonist on her own merit, despite a few performance issues.

Maybe this comes off as unfocused or contradictory. I had fun, but Showtime failed to hook me somehow. The stage variety is both a weakness and a strength. I like switching between concepts so frequently. But this comes with a cost, namely a depth deficiency. You’ve got tons of mechanics that take no time to learn. Stages oscillate between easy and enraging. There’s a giant list of collectibles that come in exactly two varieties. Even so, the raw concept is still cool. Giving Peach a whole closet full of roles is a great idea, albeit one I wanted more out of. If you give Princess Peach: Showtime! a chance, who knows? You might have a pretty good time.

It's an experience that delivers just enough, plays on automatic and doesn't quite do a fine job of making itself a memorable video game. It's not a bad start by any means for a new sub-franchise, but it would be ideal if Nintendo decided to bet heavily on the character regardless of how well this game sells and that we already have a sequel in development. Time will tell how committed the Big N is to this cause.

As an empowering journey, Showtime proves THIS princess doesn't need a plumber to rescue her; you sense its intended audience will crush a grape as Peach follows suit. [Issue#397, p.122]

Princess Peach Showtime isn't Peach's solo debut, nor will it be the game she'll be remembered for in the future, but it feels like the ultimate start to a new and promising career for this cherished character from the Super Mario universe. For older players who have grown up with Nintendo and Super Mario, the novelty of Princess Peach Showtime wears off quickly, feeling repetitive and lacking in challenge. All in all, it's still not Yoshi's Crafted World or Luigi's Mansion, but judging by this release, the character and this new world have the potential for more and better.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is short, fun and full of charm. Is it one of the best games on the Switch? Not in the slightest, but it's a nice game for children, getting into gaming for the first time.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a colorful and fun Nintendo Switch platformer that's best suited for young gamers.

With a focus on style over substance and a lack of any real friction in gameplay, Princess Peach: Showtime! is not going to provide a deeply engrossing experience. However, fans of the character and people looking for a relaxing jaunt into the dramatic arts will find plenty to enjoy.

Princess Peach: Showtime! has so much to offer, but the overall length makes it feel like it’s not reached its full potential. Given its $60 price tag, you would expect more content. If the short playtime doesn’t concern you, though, Princess Peach: Showtime! is a fun and memorable little adventure that is absolutely worth your time.

Princess Peach: Showtime! feels like a safe release from Nintendo, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing: it’s fun, it’s inventive, and it looks wonderful. Its quirky level designs and Peach’s range of fancy costumes will no doubt put a smile on your face but ultimately, there’s little more here than that — a pretty, if shallow, Nintendo adventure that’s best played in 30-minute bursts.

Princess Peach Showtime! is a fun, charming, and well made game. It has its issues, but very few that its intended audience will care about. Hopefully it gets a follow up that gets to iterate on the core ideas.

A fun, playful, and diverse mix of "big mini-games" with good ideas, a pleasant atmosphere, and plenty of strong moments. However, it sometimes suffers from wild inconsistency, poor balance, and unclear vision.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a great option for young children who want a casual collectathon to sink their baby teeth into without fear of any difficulty spikes halting their progress. The variety of stages and abilities also helps to keep the experience fresh, while simultaneously never becoming so complicated to prove intimidating or confusing. That said, a lot of the inventive mechanics do feel undeveloped, lacking the required time to be fully explored. The low difficulty ceiling, even with collecting every single collectible, will likely put off older gamers – especially with the likes of Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Yoshi’s Crafted World doing a greater job of pleasing multiple audiences.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a cool game for families and younger players with its charming characters and varied content.

Even with some flaws, Princess Peach: Showtime is worth its price of admission. Peach shows her superstar potential by stepping into nearly a dozen roles and nailing them all. After spending almost four decades as a princess, it's nice to see her show some range.

Princess Peach: Showtime turns the Mushroom Kingdom’s monarch into a digital Barbie, filling any role she’s given with personality and charm. Some levels place you on the edge of your seat, while others leave you praying for the interval. A very good game for a highly specific demographic - adult Mario fans, be warned.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a good game, but It will not be for everyone and those with decent gaming experience won’t find a challenge here... but that isn’t the point. This foray with Peach into acting scratches that itch of a game that is just a fun little time within minimal stress or worry – something we all need right now. Peach's adventure isn't anything groundbreaking, but the commitment to its theming and spades of the classic Nintendo charm make it worth sticking with until the curtain call.

Princess Peach: Showtime!, even considering the target audience and disregarding the very low difficulty, is a collection of tasty appetizers, lacking a proper continuation of the meal.

Having completed Princess Peach: Showtime! it is not the virtual absence of difficulty that is its main drawback. In fact, it is an excellent game for beginners and we can confirm that children love it. It's varied, has some very original ideas and a number of very good moments, but the more mediocre levels, the corsetting, and the lack of technical finesse prevent our unanimous ovation.

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.

Princess Peach Showtime is a friendly, inviting game that's made to be easy to digest. Some of the genres work better than others in this format, but none of them are too tricky or off-putting, and most of it will come down to personal taste. None of these stages are fleshed out enough to support their own game, but they're an invitation for novice gamers to explore a bunch of different game types, with a charming (and apparently polymath) princess offering her gloved hand to welcome them in.

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.

It's too soon to tell if Princess Peach: Showtime! will do for the character what Luigi's Mansion did for Mario's brother, but I find myself hoping we'll see Nintendo revisit this concept in the future. Hopefully by then they'll have ditched some of the weaker transformations, and give the graphics an overhaul worthy of royalty.

Despite the fact that Princess Peach: Showtime! has some brilliant elements and is effortlessly fun, it is clear that it feels like a safer and more rudimentary offering from Nintendo. But, for younger folk or those less familiar with gaming or the world of Mario, there is heaps of fun to be had with this game.

Princess Peach: Showtime delivers a fresh and inventive platforming experience, showcasing Nintendo's iconic character in a variety of captivating roles. Despite its engaging transformations and level design, disappointing performance issues and a lack of content compared to other Nintendo titles undermine its overall appeal.

Princess Peach: Showtime! does enough to create a fun, unique experience, even if it remains fairly simple. It's a shame the Switch has a hard time running the game.

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.

With Princess Peach: Showtime! you get a game that is right up her alley. You play a fun action adventure game in the theater that is filled with variety, making it not easily boring. With accessible gameplay, it is for everyone, young and old, but this also makes the game fairly quick to finish. The difficulty level is simply too low, and the blurry image quality doesn't do much for the gaming experience either. Keep this in mind, but the main thing is that you will at least have fun with it.

Princess Peach: Showtime! had the potential to be much more than it is. It’s upsetting that it’s so simple and easy, and feels like a waste of the sheer amount of creativity that went into the concept of the theater, plays, and costumes. It’s that creativity that’s preventing me from giving this game a lower score. But on the merits of its gameplay alone (and the fact that it’s not a very long game — I completed it in about 15 hours), this isn’t Nintendo’s strongest showing.

Princess Peach: Showtime! aims to introduce young players to gaming with its friendly, accessible, and varied gameplay, featuring different genres. However, it suffers from oversimplification, diluting the experience, especially evident in its lack of depth and overly basic mechanics. Despite this, it offers enjoyable moments, particularly in levels like Peach Thief, with a well-paced rhythm, collectibles, varied gameplay, fantastic presentation, and an excellent soundtrack. It falls short of fully utilizing its mechanics, resulting in a game that could have been much better, but still serves as a good entry point for younger gamers.

Princess Peach: Showtime! does some good things, but in the end it falls short. This platformer is full of good ideas, but the problem is that they remain just that: ideas. It's as if its developers had put together a bunch of proofs of concept in a single game without worrying about the most important thing: that they form a fun product and turn out to be more than the sum of all its parts.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an experience that will hook you with its magical visuals, but only the first time. The game, which mixes several genres, has slow stages that don't offer much replayability and few extra challenges, making it stand out as a unique adventure in which Peach navigates the most varied nostalgic memories of our childhood.

Princess Peach: Showtime! gives mixed impression. It's the second solo Princess Peach game after the Super Princess Peach, and another game that kind of misses the mark of Nintendo's usual splendor.

What sets Showtime apart is that each level almost feels like its own game.

Princess Peach: Showtime has a lot going for it, but it sometimes comes across as a concept demo for a larger game that will be much better. Peach shouldn't have to wait another 19 years for her next solo outing, but hopefully her next game takes the time to give the Mushroom Kingdom's princess a proper, full-scale adventure.

Princess Peach: Showtime! It is a game that is fun but only for a while. It has good mechanics, concepts, and a mix of genres that only works well when it sticks to the platform genre. Some of the transformations are interesting, others do not fit at all or were not well worked out. Graphically, pretty but it can't maintain a stable 30fps performance.

The game’s performative, vignette-y nature all but forces it to aim for moments of quick spectacle over a slower-burning dramatic substance.

Technically, Peach's Performance leaves a lot to be desired, then. Nevertheless, the lovingly designed levels in small fun-sized bites are a lot of fun. The staging of the plays, the many small design options for Stella and Peach's costumes make this one a charmer.

A beautiful game that gives Peach a multifaceted solo role to match. The moderate challenge and limited longevity are some elements to review and improve in future developments.

Princess Peach Showtime does not reach the heights of the average Mario game. Although the cool princess steals the show with a range of unique power-ups, many levels perform poorly due to the superficial gameplay. Combined with the dated graphics, we are left with the feeling that there could have been more to this.

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.

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.

Princess Peach: Showtime! takes an iconic character and tries to do too much with her. The ambitious game is a brilliant introduction to the colourful world of gaming but is frustratingly straightforward, despite the madcap situations you’ll find yourself in.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a charming start to a new series, even if it feels like a dress rehearsal for the real show.

All the way down, the theme of “not enough” pervades Princess Peach: Showtime! The costumes Peach wears look cute but their gimmicks are limited both in terms of their abilities and the game’s implementation of them. The lack of imagination is unbecoming of Nintendo, and it’s a real shame because Peach deserves a much better game. It’s like nobody’s heart was in the making of this, and while there are some entertaining moments, Showtime! simply has very little to show for itself.

A disappointingly shallow and unfocused adventure that is aimed solely at a young audience - and even they’re likely to feel somewhat bored and patronised by the end.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a good game, and shows a glimpse of what the character has to offer what it has a chance to be in the spotlight. But, despite having numerous good ideas, it doesn't seem interested in developing them to its full potential.