Super Princess Peach

Super Princess Peach is a game released in late 2005 for the Japan region, and in 2006 for all other regions made for the Nintendo DS. In this game, the roles are reversed, as Mario, Luigi, and Toads have been kidnapped by Bowser, using the magical Vibe Scepter, and taken to Vibe Island. Princess Peach must save them, using a talking umbrella called Perry and her powers of emotion. This is the first adventure installment for the Mario series in which Peach appears as a stand-alone playable character.

Story
While Princess Peach goes out for a sunny stroll, Bowser and his legion of minions swarm the castle, this time easily overpowering the guards and even the three heroes Mario, Luigi, and Toad with their newfound weapon: the Vibe Scepter. Upon Peach's return, she is horrified to find all of her guards running about the castle, either hysterically crying, euphorically happy, or angry beyond measure. Since Bowser has already absconded with Mario, Luigi, and Toad, Peach resolves to go after Bowser herself and rescue them as they have rescued her on many occasions.

Toadsworth gives her an umbrella as a parting gift, saying only that it is a very strange umbrella. Later, the player finds out that the umbrella is named Perry, and has a very tragic backstory of his own to unravel. Regardless, as Peach travels throughout the many locales of Vibe Island, Perry is known to be a very useful ally in many situations.

Vibe Island Locations
Vibe Island is the World Map for Super Princess Peach, consisting of eight locations (or Worlds):


 * Ladida Plains: A normal grassland world, with generic enemies being common.
 * Hoo's Wood: A forest-themed world, with generic enemies being common.
 * Shriek Mansion: A Mansion-themed world, with ghost and sad enemies being common.
 * Fury Volcano: A volcano/lava world, with fire and angry enemies being common.
 * Wavy Beach: A beach-themed world, with generic enemies being common.
 * Gleam Glacier: An ice world, with sad and angry enemies being common.
 * Giddy Sky: An aerial, sky-themed world, with calm and glad enemies being commmon.
 * Bowser's Villa: Bowser's Castle, with all types of enemies.

Peach's "Vibes"
During the course of gameplay, the player is able to help Peach trigger one of four Vibe abilities - provided she has an adequate amount of energy in the Vibe Gauge to pull it off (located on the Nintendo DS' top left screen below her main health meter). In order to do this, there are four heart color affiliations on the Nintendo DS' bottom screen that represent a certain vibe; the player can touch them to allow Peach to proceed with the related action for each Vibe ability.

The four vibes are as listed on the following chart:

To refill the Vibe Gauge, Peach is able to collect blue gems that are scattered around each stage. Perry is also able to eat most basic enemies to achieve the same result (by picking them up while they're upside down and stunned, then pressing "Down" on the Control Pad to swallow them).

Perry's Assistance
Perry can form into several different objects to aid Peach's travels as well, from a boat to a submarine, from a cable car to a laser weapon. More details about each strategy are listed below:


 * Bowlbrella
 * Floatbrella
 * Poundbrella
 * Chargebrella
 * Slidebrella
 * Subrella
 * Dashbrella

Worlds 1 through 7
Upon completion of the main five levels in each world, Peach is able to proceed to the boss area. The first seven bosses are as listed below:
 * World 1: Petey Piranha
 * World 2: Hoo
 * World 3: King Boo
 * World 4: Wiggler
 * World 5: Gooper Blooper
 * World 6: Blizzaurus
 * World 7: Giant Kamek

The Final Showdown (World 8)
This procedure has the same layout like the previous boss battles. However, in order to face the final showdown with Bowser, all the Toads from the first five levels of previous worlds prior to Bowser's Villa have to be rescued. Additionally, all the Toads in the first five levels of Bowser's Villa itself have to be found and rescued as well. When this criteria is met, Peach and Perry are able to proceed toward the final showdown with Bowser.

Unlike previous boss battles themselves where Peach and Perry only fight one major boss at the end of each world, the final showdown is split up into three confrontations, consisting of:


 * Army Hammer Bro (Bowser uses the Vibe Scepter, transforming a normal Hammer Bro into this state.)
 * Bowser (After defeating Army Hammer Bro, Peach and Perry give chase to the next floor for their first real confrontation against Bowser.)
 * Bowser 2 (Bowser uses the Vibe Scepter once again, resulting in his growing up to enormous proportions. Peach and Perry's final confrontation is held at this point.)

Game Extras
During the course of gameplay, there are extra unlockable materials that players can obtain upon meeting certain criteria.

Perry's Dreams
After each boss battle, Peach and Perry rest before continuing on to the next area in Vibe Island. During each rest period, Perry has a recurring dream that seems to reveal more and more about his past. Perry's story shows that he was originally a human boy, but was taken from his grandfather by a pair of evildoers who then trapped him into an umbrella form. The story itself is completely different from Peach's main tasks in her adventure.

There are a total of seven sequences in all, and they can be viewed by choosing "Bonus" on the World/Stage Selection screens. However, at least one "Perry's Dream" sequence has to be viewed in the main game itself in order for this option to be available.

Music Room (The "Peach Hit Five")
The Music Room for Super Princess Peach is where the player is able to listen to the game's musical score. Prior to unlocking this area, Peach and Perry have to collect at least one "musical note" item and/or purchase musical scores from Toad's Shop.

Players can also collect and purchase these same scores to build up Peach's musical group, the Peach Hit Five.

Enemies in Super Princess Peach
Every time the player defeats an enemy (or, in the case of an invincible enemy, take a hit from it), the enemy's description will appear in a glossary in the game, similar to a Bestiary.

Mini-Game
These games featuring Peach's mushroom friends can be unlocked upon collecting "Mini-Game" items on regular stages. Additionally, extra levels can be purchased by visiting Toad's Shop. There are a total of three minigames to play, which include the following:

Toad Jump
In Toad Jump, the player needs to help Toad safely reach the end of the stage by blowing on the microphone. Every time that the player blows into the mic, Toad will jump. The minigame ends if the player touches an enemy or falls in a pit. There are 2 types of jumps: a Normal jump, when the player quickly blows into the mic, and a Long jump, when the player continues to blow into the mic.

Toad Tote
In Toad Tote, the player needs to lead Toad safely to the end of the stage by using the stylus to drag him through a maze of fire. There are some obstacles throughout the maze, such as streams of fire being fired out of the wall, and in later levels spiked balls will slide back and forth in the path. The minigame ends if the player touches a wall or any type of obstacle.

Toad Shot
In Toad Shot, the player has 50 seconds to help the Toads shoot down some targets that float across the Touch Screen. To shoot a target the player needs to tap on it, but if they tap and miss a target, they will lose a point. The minigame ends when time runs out, or when the player reaches the specified goal. There are seven types of targets, each of which are worth a different point value. Goombas are worth 1 point, Koopa Troopas are worth 3, Hammer Bros. are worth 5, and Bowsers are worth 10, Luigis are worth -3, Marios are worth -10, and Bob-Ombs, while not worth any points, will explode instantly shooting down all nearby targets.

References to Other Games

 * Super Mario World: Most of the enemies in Super Mario World and its sequel reappear in this game.
 * Super Mario Sunshine: Toadsworth returns in this game.

Trivia

 * This is the only Mario series spin off platformer not to receive a sequel of any kind.
 * This is the last Mario game where Jen Taylor records any new voice clips for Princess Peach and Toad. Nicole Mills would be the voice actress who would record new voice clips for Peach until she was replaced by Samantha Kelly. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games would reuse voice clips from other Mario games where Jen Taylor voiced Peach.

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