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Super Princess Peach Review
Written by Justin Davis on Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Over 70 levels packed with secrets
Puzzles and enemies too easy
I'm not entirely convinced that Super Princess Peach is the empowering experience for girls that a lot of people thought it would be. It's true that this time around Mario & Luigi have found themselves captured, and must be rescued by the Princess, creating some textbook role reversal in this classic-style sidescroller.
Yet the game focuses on her four "vibes," or emotions, to help her defeat badguys, bosses, and puzzles. The Happy vibe allows her to float. Sad creates a stream of tears that can put out fires or make plants grow. Angry envelopes Peach in flames, which can melt ice or burn through walls. Calm heals Peach over time. How many male videogame protagonists have been so in touch with their emotions that a 48 level quest could be built up around them? Why is Peach using her feelings instead of her strength or intelligence to progress?
But in truth this isn't the real problem I had with the vibe system. You're given access to all four right from the start, and after a few minutes of expirimentation you know essentially everything that all four are capable of. You meet new baddies and new puzzles as you progress, but they're essentially a fresh coat of paint on the same obstacles you faced in world 1. If both a Bob-omb and a Goomba can be dispatched with one swipe of Peach's parasol (along with most any other enemy), what difference does it make which one populates a level?
The puzzles had a similar feeling of obviousness and repetition. There are some clever ones, but for the most part its melting ice with your fire (angry) vibe, clearing away clouds with your whirlwind (happy) vibe, and other problems where the solution is self-evident. To that end, Super Princess Peach's biggest problem is its lack of difficulty. I cleared the entire quest without dying, and without a puzzle stumping me.
It's very important to point out that a lack of challenge doesn't translate into a lack of fun, however. Peach is classic 2D platforming executed in great form. If it's a genre you have a soft spot for (like I do), it should be a no-brainer purchase.
Each of the game's eight worlds has five levels and a boss. Each level has three hidden toads which must be rescued to beat the game. Levels are broken up into multiple small pieces, with many pipes and doors connecting them all. This somewhat non-linear level design is confusing at first, but its in place to allow the gamer to find and rescue the hidden toads without playing a level a ton of times.
Another big plus is the bonus and end-game content. Three minigames are included that make more use of the DS' capabilities than the main game itself, although only one (Toad Shot) did I find to be addictive. There's also musical tracks to purchase and discover, and puzzle pieces to find, which lead to their own minigame when all have been collected. Best of all, after clearing the main quest a surprisingly large number of bonus levels are opened up.
In the end Super Princess Peach has very few flaws. It looks and sounds great, controls well, offers up a solid quest and good extras. It's getting the score that it is not because of its flaws, but just because it isn't better. It competently fills a hole in the DS library and provides an enjoyable experience for those gamers who can't wait for New Super Mario Bros. in May.
