For a while, fans of Mario and the gang. In theory, Super Mario Bros. 3 is actually a stage play of sorts. The opening of the curtains at the beginning of the game, the platforms hanging from the ceiling, and when Mario ends a level he simply walks off the stage and into the next level.
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Back in 2015, the theory could finally be confirmed when Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto took part in a short video debunking various rumors about the classic Nintendo series (thanks, IGN ). In the video, Miyamoto is asked if Super Mario Bros. 3 is “just a show,” to which the Mario creator nods. Yes, Super Mario Bros. 3 is what many people think of as a stage play.
If you look at other games in the series, you can see a lot of other stylistic choices, with hints that they’re also more dramatic than fans may have imagined. Previously, in a 2012 interview with GameInformer and Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator was also asked about the relationship between Bowser and Mario. Time and again, the hostile turtle kidnaps Princess Peach, but again and again, we see Mario casually playing tennis or go-karting with his nemesis. What is that about?
Miyamoto responded: “If you’re familiar with Popeye and some of the older comic book characters, you’ll often see these characters taking on different roles based on the comics or cartoons. […] Depending on the story being told, they change characters. So, in a way, I look at our characters in a similar way and feel like they can fill different roles in different games.They’re more like a big family, or maybe Actor troupe“.
Shigeru Miyamoto called Mario’s cast of characters an ensemble cast, and later confirmed that Super Mario Bros. 3 was a stage play, which is sure to make you look at Mario in a different way. With The Princess Peach Show announced and set to hit theaters soon, it’s time to revisit this question.
Princess Peach Showtime also wears Nintendo’s theatrical flair on its sleeves. In this game, Peach becomes the main character again after her first game (Super Princess Peach, 2005), and it’s all about Peach restoring peace when the Spark Theater finally goes off-script. Peach’s time on stage is certainly much more defined than previous Mario games, but there’s no denying that this is Miyamoto’s stage play philosophy at its best.
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, we saw that Princess Peach was the real driving force behind the Mario heroes’ antics; it’s time to give her her own stage show to showcase all of her abilities. Super Princess Peach will see Peach become her own “actor” as she takes on multiple starring roles in an attempt to stop the Bad Grapes and Sour Grapes gang from stealing the show; we’ll see Peach play a detective, a sword fighter, and even a chef, Because she’s trying to get the script back on track.
We’ve seen Peach go-kart, play tennis, and mostly play damsel in distress for Mario to rescue. Even in Super Princess Peach – where the damsel-in-distress image is reversed as Peach works to rescue Mario and Luigi – we see Peach travel through multiple worlds, but she doesn’t get what she deserves Glow time. Instead, she got a talking umbrella and a “mood meter,” which all felt a bit sexist. As one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters, Princess Peach deserves much more than that, and Princess Peach: Showtime appears to be just that.
It’s great – and more important than ever – that Peach is finally getting her own stage show that’s at the forefront; in addition to being an original princess with some mean karting skills, there’s also some Something that clearly demonstrates all she is capable of. Instead of using her emotions as a gameplay mechanic, the game lets Princess Peach throw herself into different characters, showing all players (especially the younger ones) what they can do if they put their mind to it.
If all Mario games are stage dramas about characters tirelessly saving the world — while playing doctors, go-kart racers, plumbers, and whoever else in their spare time — then it’s about time we saw Princess Peach showcase Her talents and abilities have manifested in iconic stage plays or her own stage plays. She’s a role model after all, so it’s time we gave her character a chance to be known for every one of her talents.
It’s show time, Koopalings!
Princess Peach Showtime will be released on Nintendo Switch on March 22, 2024.