In the game, Peach sets out for a night at the Sparkle Theater with her loyal Toads. Things go awry when the theater is overrun by a ghastly witch known as Grape. Peach finds herself trapped, befriending the theater’s adorable star-shaped guardian known as Stella. Together, the two embark on an epic quest to restore the theater and its inhabitants to its former glory.

And so, the stage has been set in more ways than one. Sparkle Theater features several floors, each with four rooms set up for plays. The main gimmick is Peach’s ability to transform into various roles based on the play she’s trying to save. This provides outstanding variety, with each role granting special powers.

Peach is more than ready to take on the challenge. She dons ten different outfits throughout the adventure, from Cowgirl Peach to Dashing Thief Peach. Discovering each one is super fun, and the game does a good job of spacing them out. You’ll begin with access to four different plays on the first floor of the theater before unlocking the next floor. This provides three new plays, along with a sequel to one of the original four. It’s not until the fourth floor that you discover all ten abilities.

Once you’ve mastered an ability by conquering two dedicated levels, a third level unlocks in the basement. If you’re counting along with me, you should find yourself with thirty levels to enjoy. One concern I had starting out was whether this was enough to keep players occupied. Yes and no, is the answer. 

Each level takes between 10 and 20 minutes to complete, so they aren’t exactly short. A couple of other features also add to the longevity. Firstly, each level features hidden collectibles: a series of sparkle gems and a ribbon. I found myself missing at least a couple of these in each level on my first run, guaranteeing another playthrough if you’re a completionist like me. 

Secondly, there are bonus challenge levels to conquer, giving you a timed experience to defeat a certain number of enemies or collect coins. These shorter levels provide a nice contrast to the rest of the game, with a simple goal in mind. They’re also refreshingly trickier to master, catering for more adept players. You’ll earn a bronze, silver or gold trophy depending on your prowess. No collector will rest until the gold has been earned, making these bite-sized challenges an excellent addition.

All of that is great but it’s perfunctory to the fact that Princess Peach: Showtime! oozes personality, cuteness, and fun. Each transformation feels unique and special, with little details that bring a smile every time. It’s evident in the way Peach stealthily hides behind grass as Ninja Peach, or soars through the sky à la Batman as Dashing Thief Peach. Mighty Peach can lift buses; Mermaid Peach controls fish with her siren song. Whether Peach is riding a horse as Cowgirl Peach or skating up a storm as Figure-Skating Peach, each version of our heroine feels fresh. Kudos to the developers for the creativity behind each and every scene.

There are other touches that add to the experience. For example, Peach does the cutest little dance when she stands still. It’s adorable and it comes across as though she’s really enjoying herself without being a show off. She’s just .. being Peach. She also has several catchphrases depending on her outfit. I love the simple “It’s Peach time!”, which strikes me as a small nod to one of Mario’s own phrases.

Some players will find things too easy, of course. This is primarily aimed at a younger audience, although there are challenges present, as noted earlier. To help keep things accessible for players of all ages and skill levels, the controls are straightforward: A to jump and B to attack or perform any of Peach’s special transformative powers. This is one irk I had with the game initially, as, for me, jump is meant to be the B button, especially in Mario games. I’m not sure why this choice was made to switch things up, however you can alter this yourself in the settings. Phew! 

Visually, there’s a lot to love about Showtime. Each stage is bursting with set designs to rival the most expensive broadway production. Often, an area will rotate, revealing a completely new stage. Other little touches include strings for some objects, like Peach’s horse, or items that look real but are obviously cardboard, like fire and thorny branches. These elicit a vibrant presence that relies on color and style without being too realistic or violent. It works well.

The themes vary so wildly that there’s never a dull moment on screen. Medieval castles, underwater realms, a futuristic city overrun by aliens, and the Wild West are just some of the environments Peach encounters. Half the fun is discovering each new area, though opening up a second level is just as exciting. 

The audio is also worth mentioning, with tracks that vary almost as much as the visuals. Some tracks in particular stand out, like Cowgirl Peach and Figure-Skating Peach, but they’re all well done. It adds to the entire experience, and Showtime even features a list of tracks and videos to watch at your leisure.

You can also purchase outfits for Peach and Stella at the shop in the foyer. It’s a small touch, but I love that changing Peach’s clothes persists throughout the game, including cutscenes. It makes it feel more dynamic and authentic.

Is Peach the perfect game? No, it’s not going to appeal to everyone. It’s aimed at a younger audience, but as an adult gamer who loves the challenge of a Mario title, I never found myself bored or disengaged. The variety and personality kept me smiling the entire time, and there are challenging moments. I did notice some sluggish performance at times, although these seem to be limited to loading screens or cutscenes. For example, the curtain that closes between levels stutters instead of waving smoothly, which looks a little jarring. Thankfully, none of these issues affect the gameplay.

Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime! is a welcome return to the spotlight for our favorite pink-clad princess. It oozes charm, with an attention to detail that can’t help but bring a smile. The variety is fantastic, 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. Plus, there are multiple challenges to keep players coming back for more. 

The post Review: Princess Peach: Showtime! (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Princess Peach: Showtime! was first teased in a Nintendo Direct last year, with further trailers over the last few months trickling through what we can expect from Peach’s latest solo outing. We enjoyed the demo, and we’ll let you know our thoughts on the full game soon, too. In the meantime, which is your fave of Peach’s transformation powers?

South Park: Snow Day feels like it was a long time coming. It was also teased some time ago, pitting a new kid against South Park’s greatest in what can only be described as one of the best days in a kid’s life: a snow day.

There’s a long list of other titles to check out this week – seriously, there are over 40 – so let’s get to it! Which games will you be playing this week? Let us know!

Nintendo Switch

• Princess Peach: Showtime! – Join Princess Peach as she steps into the spotlight in her very own single-player action game! As Princess Peach attends the Sparkle Theater, the wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch take control over the play to enact their own performances. Joined by Stella, the theater’s guardian, Peach must save each show and transform to match the performance – becoming Swordfighter Peach, Detective Peach, Ninja Peach, Patissiere Peach and more. Each transformation changes up the action and comes with its own abilities for Peach to best save each play and call curtains to Grape’s wicked plans. The Princess Peach: Showtime! game is available March 22, with a free demo available now on Nintendo eShop.
• MLB The Show 24 – It’s your Show. Ready to own it? Earn your call up from the minors to the big leagues and prove you’ve got what it takes at the top. Learn from the legends of the sport, take inspiration from their heroics and use it to improve your game. Chalk up the wins, pick yourself up after the losses. Hold your nerve when it matters and earn the right to be called World Series champion. Whatever happens, know you left nothing in the dugout. MLB The Show 24 is available now.
• SOUTH PARK: SNOW DAY! – Team up with Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny to save the town in this co-op action game. Customize your own New Kid and battle your way through the snow-piled streets of South Park solo or with up to three friends in an all-new story. Equip a variety of weapons and deploy devastating special abilities on an adventure to save the world and enjoy a day without school. SOUTH PARK: SNOW DAY! launches on March 26. Pre-orders are available now on Nintendo eShop.

 Activities

• Call for an Encore of Fun – The curtain is rising! Celebrate the Princess Peach: Showtime! game launch with My Nintendo rewards. My Nintendo members can redeem their Platinum Points for charming rewards inspired by the game, such as the printable Princess Peach: Showtime! Stationery Set fit for writing letters, royal invitations and more, as well as the Princess Peach: Showtime! Pocket Folder Set to help keep your notes safe and peachy! Or decorate your room with Peach aplenty using the printable Princess Peach: Showtime! Move Poster Set and the Princess Peach: Showtime! Transformations Door Hanger Set. To check out these rewards, visit https://my.nintendo.com/news.

 Nintendo eShop sales

• Warner Bros. Games March Sale – Experience new worlds and adventures during the Warner Bros. Games March Sale and save up to 85% on your favorite titles like Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat 1 and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga! This sale ends March 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information and to view the full list of games, visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/sales-and-deals/.
• SQUARE ENIX Publisher Sale – The SQUARE ENIX publisher sale has returned! Journey to Midgar and beyond to find deals from franchises like FINAL FANTASY, DRAGON QUEST, KINGDOM HEARTS and more! This sale ends March 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information and to view the full list of games, visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/sales-and-deals/.
• Capcom Publisher Sale – The Capcom Publisher Sale is on, introducing Capcom’s latest and greatest games at an amazing price. Take a look and save up to 83% on select titles! This sale ends March 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information and to view the full list of games, visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/sales-and-deals/.

Also new this week

• Fortunate Duo – 強運傭兵と宝石の姫騎士
• Aha! Let’s Photo Hunt!
• Air Traffic Sim: Airport Dispatcher Simulator
• Animal Buddies Party Beasts – Available March 24
• April’s Diary
• Arcade Archives MOUSER
• Around The World: Travel To Brazil Collector’s Edition
• Attack of the Karens
• Bad Chicken
• Bio Inc. Redemption
• Crypt Stalker
• Darkness and Flame
• Demon Drop DX – Available March 23
• Farming Simulator Kids – Available March 26
• Flower Shop: Winter in Fairbrook – Available March 22
• Instant Death
• Jello Run
• Krimson
• Monster Tribe
• Mortal Fight: Lethal Revenge
• Multi Maze 3D – Available March 22
• Nice Disc: The Last Hot Blood
• Paper Dash – City Hustle
• PORTAL SHOT GUN TELEPORT – Available March 23
• Pull The Pin: Ball Physic Puzzle
• Reaper Survivors – Available March 22
• Re:Cento
• Scott Whiskers in: the Search for Mr. Fumbleclaw
• Sector 98
• Sherlock Purr 2
• Shockman Collection Vol. 1  – Available March 26
• SOUTH PARK: SNOW DAY! – Available March 26
• Special Forces Strike: Tactical Swat Shooter
• Stickman Jailbreak 2024
• Stunt Paradise
• Sunny Café – Available March 27
• Sushi Battle Rambunctiously
• SUSHI Shot Online
• The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered – Available March 22
• ToyBox Easter
• Virtual Girlfriend Dating Simulator – Available March 22
• Western Frontier

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The Princess Peach: Showtime! demo is decent in length, giving us the chance to experience two of Peach’s transformation powers: Swordfighter Peach and Patissiere Peach. The full game will boast ten such transformations, so the demo presents us with 20% of Peach’s powers. We’ll still have to rely on trailers to see how the likes of Mermaid Peach, Detective Peach, and Mighty Peach fare. For now, let’s break down the two transformations within the demo.

The demo begins at, well, the beginning. We travel with Peach and her loyal Toads to Sparkle theater for a night on the town. This sets the scene for the game’s plotline, which we’ve seen in previous trailers. While the Toads are acquiring tickets to tonight’s show, events are disrupted by the wicked witch known as Grape, along with her Sour Bunch of minions. 

Stella – the theater’s guardian – appeals to Peach for help, gifting the princess with a magical ribbon. From there, it’s into the first stage to test out Peach’s new spin attack! 

The first thing I love about this game is the way Peach’s spin attack is used not to necessarily defeat foes, but to make people happy. There are small Toad-like creatures who work at the theater, and these poor saps have lost motivation due to Grapes’ actions. Peach’s special ribbon seems to lift their spirits, transforming them into various roles required for the current stage. It’s similar to the way Peach will soon transform.

After this brief introduction, it’s time to transform for the first time! Peach stands in a special space to become Swordfighter Peach, wielding a pointy sword and looking quite dapper in her blue jacket and hat. And her swordplay? Simply incredible. The Three Musketeers have nothing on Peach, it seems.

The demo provides just one level of sword fighting, which serves as a tutorial of sorts. It’s a decent length, though, taking Peach through various areas including a boss fight. Peach’s sword makes short work of some nasty-looking vines that entangle the stages, but don’t get too close – I found myself accidentally touching them and losing a heart a few times.

There are plenty of enemies to conquer, and a number of items to collect. In fact, there are a series of silver star-like objects to collect to complete the level. Will these unlock further transformations or levels? We won’t know until we get our hands on the full version.

After brandishing your sword at the final tentacle-laden boss, it’s time to return to the foyer. Here we find a new stage has opened, this time introducing us to a sweets festival. Naturally, this gives Peach a chance to don a new outfit, transforming her into Patissiere Peach. I’ll admit, I found this to be the oddest of the transformations presented in the trailers. Now, after spending some time in Peach’s cute chef’s boots, I’m completely turned around on the whole subject.

In this level, your tasks include baking and decorating cakes. This is a very different format to the previous sword-fighting sections, giving Peach a chance to test her skills in a fresh way. And it’s actually tricky! The tasks are time-based, so you need to accomplish your baking duties in a timely fashion. Mixing bowls is part of it, but the real fun comes in cake decorating.

We saw Peach’s decorating abilities in an earlier trailer. She sits dangling on a rope from the rafters as she adds icing to giant cakes. Again, time is of the essence, and the goal is to match the picture behind the cake as closely as possible. It’s fast and furious, and a lot of fun.

One of the things I love about Showtime is the little things, like Peach’s abovementioned boots. When she’s idle, she does this adorable little dance, moving from shoe to shoe like a little elf. It’s hard to explain, but it seems so sweet, and I look forward to seeing what else Peach might do when in costume.

Nintendo also dropped a new trailer to coincide with the Princess Peach: Showtime! demo, which you can check out below.

Overall, I had a fun time with the Princess Peach: Showtime! demo. It’s safe to say that we’re super excited about Peach’s upcoming outing. Have you played the demo yet? Let us know if you enjoyed it as much as we did.

The post Princess Peach: Showtime! demo: first impressions appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

In the latest trailer, Princess Peach showcases four new abilities:

• Figure Skater Peach – Use her practiced poise to take to the rink and put her foes on thin ice. Join a dazzling performance filled with quick-timed spins and jumps, and skate around the competition to help your fellow dancers!
• Dashing Thief Peach – Traverse, infiltrate, and swing through this daring performance with various gadgets and sneak by the defenses of the thieves of the Sour Bunch. Embrace the thrills (and charms!) of espionage, then make your dramatic escape.
• Mermaid Peach – Being beneath the sea won’t stop Peach from carrying a tune! Use her magical voice to control schools of fish and harmonize with an aquatic orchestra. Direct these friendly fish to reveal pathways and help solve puzzles.
• Mighty Peach – Look toward the sky: It’s … Mighty Peach! Go from hero to superhero and defend the locals with powerful punches and superhuman strength. Fly, fling objects and fight enemies in an action-filled spectacle in the sky and on the ground.

Princess Peach Showtime teams Peach up with the guardian of the Sparkle Theatre, Stella. Together they must save the theater from the wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch. Peach takes the stage of each show during the game, transforming and confronting Grape’s evil acting troupe. As Peach, players will be able to take on several leading roles, from swordfighter and detective, to ninja and patissiere. not to mention the four new abilities just revealed.

Check out the latest trailer below. Which is your favorite of Peach’s abilities so far?

Princess Peach Showtime launches for the Nintendo Switch on March 22, 2024.

Source: Nintendo

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In One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X, Bandai Namco will be using the amiibo to unlock costumes.  Shown in the scan below from a Japanese magazine, it shows characters from the One Piece 3DS game wearing Luigi, Fox, and Link costumes.

In addition to One Piece, Bandi Namco will also be using amiibo in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Plus.  In this new Ace Combat title, amiibo will be used to unlock skins for various aircraft.  Players will have access to the F-22 Mario and the A-10A Koopa, which are Mario and Bowser-themed planes respectively, right from the get go.  The Princess Peach fighter can either be unlocked through the game or by using the Peach amiibo.  The remaining aircraft, F-14D Link, YF-23 Samus Aran, and the F-35 Luigi, will only become available by using the Link, Samus, or Luigi amiibo.

Hopefully Bandai Namco is not the only third-party developer to use amiibo with a game.  Since Bandai Namco did assist with the development of Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS and Wii U, they probably did get a little extra experience working with the figures than other companies.  This may be the reason why the developer has been able to integrate the figures into their games so soon.  Either way it is nice to see a third-party developer making use of the popular figures and hopefully this practice continues in more third-party games for both the 3DS and Wii U.

Source: NintendoEverything, CVG

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