Keep in mind The Yr of Luigi? You already know, that last-ditch effort advertising and marketing marketing campaign Nintendo rolled out again in 2013 when not a lot else was occurring for the corporate? To be honest, some strong video games got here out of The Yr of Luigi, like New Tremendous Luigi U and Dr. Luigi, however all of the Luigi spin-offs and re-skins on this planet couldn’t save Nintendo from shedding over $400 million in 2013 when it was all mentioned and completed. The Yr of Luigi stays an unintentionally hilarious footnote from a very completely different period of Nintendo, and poor Mr. L by no means deserved to get wrapped up in one of many greatest Ls in firm historical past. It goes with out saying that Nintendo hasn’t actually tried one other advertising and marketing marketing campaign like this since.
Nintendo finds itself in a really completely different monetary state of affairs at this time in comparison with a decade in the past, and it’s not in a spot the place it must depend on gimmicks to succeed; Nintendo Swap and its video games communicate for themselves. However, if Nintendo did put a label on the final 12 months, I’m assured they’d name it The Yr of Peach. From her distinguished function in The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film to lastly starring in a brand new standalone sport, Nintendo’s giving Peach extra consideration than ever earlier than, and admittedly, it’s lengthy overdue. So this 12 months on Mario Day, I’m asking the favored plumber to step apart and embrace the Mushroom Kingdom’s fearless chief lastly getting her well-deserved second within the highlight.
Over the previous a number of many years, Peach has been kidnapped, sidelined, and practically compelled into marrying Bowser whereas different characters have hogged all of the starring roles. Sure, Peach is a staple of ensemble video games like Mario Kart, Mario Occasion, and Tremendous Smash Bros., however I’ve at all times felt Peach has been underutilized whereas different aspect characters like Luigi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Yoshi, and even the pathetic (however lovable!) Captain Toad acquired video games of their very own. For the sheer quantity of video games Nintendo releases that happen within the Mushroom Kingdom, it’s been shocking that we’ve lacked a standalone sport starring the franchise’s main girl.
However that modified final summer time when Nintendo revealed Princess Peach: Showtime, the primary solo journey for the character since 2006, and solely the second total. Whereas it stays to be seen how the sport will prove, it’s undeniably cool that Showtime seems to exist solely as its personal factor, fully separate from the remainder of the Mario universe. As my colleague Rebekah Valentine put it, “I genuinely wish to see Nintendo make a sport the place Peach is outlined solely by herself, and never by labels like Mario’s love curiosity, Mario’s damsel, Mario’s princess.” Whereas we nonetheless don’t know for sure if Mario will rear his mustachioed head in Showtime, in the interim it looks as if that want is coming true, and it’s improbable to see Nintendo including a Peach-focused journey to its intensive lineup of Mario video games, indifferent from the traditions and expectations of the mainline collection.
Princess Peach: Showtime isn’t the one cause that we’re dwelling in The Yr of Peach. Final 12 months, Princess Peach was probably the most necessary characters in The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film, as Nintendo and Illumination neatly flipped Peach and Luigi’s conventional roles, sending Peach and Mario on an journey to save lots of the captive Luigi. Peach had as a lot display time as anybody within the movie, and it felt proper seeing her front-and-center moderately than trapped in yet one more fortress.
Following this, Peach was a completely playable character in Tremendous Mario Bros. Surprise, and it was about time. Rising up taking part in the New Tremendous Mario Bros. video games with my older sister, we by no means understood why cookie cutter characters like Blue and Yellow Toad have been included moderately than recognizable fan-favorite characters like Peach and Daisy, and Tremendous Mario Bros. Surprise lastly delivered a fleshed-out roster of characters the place you possibly can play via the complete sport as anybody you want, no Mario required. Credit score goes to Tremendous Mario 3D World for doing this greater than 10 years in the past, however I beloved seeing Tremendous Mario Bros. Surprise take the concept and run with it.
Only a month after Tremendous Mario Bros. Surprise got here Tremendous Mario RPG. This remake of the SNES basic options Princess Peach as a celebration member, and taking part in out turn-based battles with a crew of Peach, Mario, and Bowser was simply as thrilling in 2023 as I am certain it was within the authentic Tremendous Nintendo model. And later this 12 months, Nintendo will launch a remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Yr Door, which incorporates a particularly memorable storyline centered round Princess Peach, together with some devoted segments the place she is highlighted because the playable character. I am unable to anticipate Nintendo followers who missed the GameCube authentic to see how superior Peach is in The Thousand-Yr Door, which I think about to be considered one of her coolest appearances ever.
There’s by no means been a greater time to be a Princess Peach fan, and I hope Nintendo continues its efforts to construct out her blossoming nook of the Mushroom Kingdom. If all goes effectively, Princess Peach: Showtime can be simply the primary of many solo Peach video games to return, and considered one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters will handle to succeed in Nintendo followers younger and outdated in solely new methods. Transfer over Mario Day, as a result of that is the unofficial Yr of Peach, and I’m fully right here for it.
Logan Plant is IGN’s Database Supervisor, Playlist Editor, occasional information author, and frequent Tremendous Ninfriendo on Nintendo Voice Chat. Discover him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.