Super Princess Peach

When I first played Super Princess Peach on the Nintendo DS, I honestly didn’t expect it to stand out as much as it did. At the time, most Mario-related platformers followed a familiar formula: Bowser kidnaps Peach, and Mario saves the day. This time, however, the roles are reversed. Mario and Luigi are the ones who get captured, and Peach steps up as the hero. That simple twist already made the game feel refreshing, but what really surprised me was how creative and polished the experience turned out to be.

From the moment the game begins, it embraces its colorful, lighthearted tone. The art style is bright and cheerful, and the environments feel lively. Each world has its own distinct theme—grassy plains, beaches, haunted areas, icy landscapes—and while these themes are classic platforming staples, they’re executed with charm. The animations are expressive, especially Peach herself. Instead of being a passive character, she feels energetic and determined, which makes controlling her genuinely satisfying.

The core gameplay follows a traditional 2D side-scrolling platformer structure. You run, jump, defeat enemies, collect coins, and navigate through stages filled with secrets. However, what makes Super Princess Peach unique is the “Vibe” system. Using the DS touch screen, you can activate four emotional powers: Joy, Rage, Gloom, and Calm. At first, I thought this mechanic would feel gimmicky, but it actually adds a surprising layer of strategy.

Joy makes Peach float upward in a whirlwind of happiness, allowing you to reach higher platforms. Rage surrounds her with flames, letting her burn obstacles and deal stronger damage. Gloom makes her cry dramatically, and her tears flood the ground, helping her reach certain areas or defeat enemies in creative ways. Calm restores health over time. Managing these abilities requires monitoring a heart meter, so you can’t just spam powers constantly. I found myself thinking carefully about when to activate each one, especially during boss fights or tricky platforming sections.

The controls are tight and responsive, which is essential for any platformer. Peach moves smoothly, and the game rarely feels unfair. Even when I failed a jump or lost a life, I usually felt it was my mistake rather than bad design. The difficulty starts off fairly easy but gradually increases. Later levels introduce more complex platforming challenges and enemies that require better timing and smarter use of Vibe powers.

Boss fights deserve special mention. They’re creative and often require you to use specific emotions strategically. Instead of simply jumping on a boss repeatedly, you might need to trigger Rage at the right moment or use Joy to dodge attacks effectively. These encounters feel dynamic and break up the regular stage progression nicely.

One thing I appreciated while playing was the amount of hidden content. Each level contains collectibles and secret exits. You’re encouraged to revisit earlier stages after unlocking new abilities to access previously unreachable areas. This gives the game more replay value than I initially expected. Completionists will definitely spend extra time trying to uncover everything.

Visually, the game makes good use of the Nintendo DS hardware. The dual screens are used smartly, with the top screen typically showing the main action and the bottom screen handling Vibe activation and additional information. While the graphics are clearly from the mid-2000s era, they remain charming thanks to strong character design and vibrant colors.

If I had to mention a weakness, it would be that the overall tone can feel overly sweet at times. The emotional theme and presentation might not appeal to everyone, especially players looking for a more traditional or challenging Mario experience. However, if you embrace its playful style, the game reveals a solid and enjoyable platformer underneath.

Playing Super Princess Peach feels like discovering a hidden gem in the Nintendo DS library. It’s not just a novelty spin-off; it’s a thoughtfully designed platformer with unique mechanics and a refreshing protagonist role reversal. Even years later, it stands out as one of the more memorable Mario-universe titles on the system.

In the end, what stayed with me most was how empowering it felt to see Peach take control of her own adventure. The combination of classic platforming, creative emotional powers, and charming presentation makes Super Princess Peach a distinctive and worthwhile experience on the Nintendo DS.