Super Princess Peach: Peach Saves Mario on DS

GamePrincess PeachNintendo DS

This time around, it's Mario who needs rescuing. Developed by TOSE and released on 20 October 2005 in Japan, then on 26 May 2006 in Europe, Super Princess Peach turns the saga's formula upside down. This guide covers Vibe Island, the stolen scepter, the four moods that each grant a power, and Perry, the talking umbrella.

Super Princess Peach (the name is unchanged in English, Super Princess Peach) is a platform game released on Nintendo DS in 2005 in Japan and in 2006 in Europe. Developed by the studio TOSE, it turns the usual Mario formula on its head.

Here, Mario is no longer the one rushing to the princess's rescue: it's Peach who sets out to save Mario and Luigi, armed with her emotions and a talking umbrella named Perry.

Contents

• When the captive becomes the heroine
• Vibe Island and the stolen scepter
• Four moods, four powers
• Perry, the umbrella that talks
• A rarity in the Mario universe
• Quick facts
• FAQ

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When the captive becomes the heroine

Ever since Super Mario Bros. in 1985, the plot has never changed: Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, and Mario crosses the Mushroom Kingdom to free her. In 2006, Super Princess Peach completely reverses the roles.

This time, Bowser captures Mario, Luigi and several Toads and locks them up in his castle. For the first time in a full-fledged platform game, it's the princess who takes charge and heads off to the rescue on her own.

The game was released on 20 October 2005 in Japan, then on 27 February 2006 in North America and on 26 May 2006 in Europe. It was developed by TOSE, a low-profile Japanese studio that has lent a hand to countless Nintendo productions, and published by Nintendo.

At a time when platform-game heroines were still rare, handing an entire game over to Peach was a rather bold gamble for Nintendo.

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Vibe Island and the stolen scepter

The whole adventure unfolds on Vibe Island , a mysterious land lying not far from the Mushroom Kingdom.

On this island slumbered a fearsome artifact: the Vibe Scepter , able to turn the mood of any living creature upside down. By seizing it, Bowser sows chaos: enemies and inhabitants turn emotionally unstable, swinging without warning from wild joy to uncontrollable rage.

The game is built around eight worlds, each split into several levels and capped by a boss fight, right up to the final showdown against Bowser. Paradoxically, that very power over emotions, the source of the disaster, becomes Peach's main weapon.

The princess's goal is crystal clear: work her way up the island, freeing the captive Toads along the way and snatch Mario and Luigi from the clutches of the king of the Koopas.

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Four moods, four powers

The game's big idea lies in its four playable emotions, which Peach triggers at will with a single tap on the touch screen. Each one unlocks a very distinct ability:

• Joy: Peach whirls up in a dancing tornado that lets her glide and reach high platforms.
• Rage (also called Anger): she bursts into a shield of flames that reduces blocks and enemies in her path to ashes.
• Sadness: her tears gush out in two waterfalls and water plants and mechanisms, growing stems for her to climb.
• Calm (serenity): Peach settles down and regains health points, a way to heal up mid-game.

These moods aren't just for fighting: they sit at the heart of the progression puzzles, with every level inviting you to juggle emotions to clear the way. The system, dubbed “ Vibe ” in the original version, sparked debate — inventive for some, reductive for others — but it remains the game's signature mechanic.

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Perry, the umbrella that talks

Peach doesn't take on the island alone: she's backed up by Perry, a magic umbrella gifted with speech handed to her by Toadsworth at the very start of the adventure.

Perry is both weapon and tool: the princess uses him to strike and fling enemies, glide through the air or trigger special actions. Upgraded with the gems collected in the levels, he can even transform — into a submarine or a boat — to get through certain passages.

Above all, Perry hides a past that is surprisingly dark for a Mario game: he was once a young human boy, turned into an umbrella by a spell. This revelation, doled out chapter by chapter, stands in stark contrast to the series' usual lightheartedness.

The game also makes the most of the console's strengths: the touch screen triggers the emotions and lets you interact with the scenery — pulling on vines to turn them into catapults, for instance — while the DS microphone comes into play for certain actions.

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A rarity in the Mario universe

Super Princess Peach is one of the rare full-fledged games in which Peach is the only playable character. The princess had of course been playable before, notably in Super Mario Bros. 2 — the 1988 Western version, adapted from the game Doki Doki Panic, not to be confused with the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, released here under the title The Lost Levels.

But here, she is no longer one character among many: she carries the whole adventure on her own. You'd have to wait for Princess Peach: Showtime!, on Nintendo Switch in 2024, to see her take sole top billing in a game again.

On release, the game was praised for its originality and its accessibility, even if critics found it a little short and a little easy. Once finished, it serves up mini-games and bonus challenges that extend the experience. It remains, all the same, a singular milestone in the saga: the day the damsel in distress traded her tower for the role of heroine.

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Super Princess Peach at a glance

Title	Super Princess Peach
Console	Nintendo DS
Release (Japan)	20 October 2005
Release (Europe)	26 May 2006
Developer	TOSE
Publisher	Nintendo
Genre	Platformer
Playable heroine	Princess Peach (alone)

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FAQ

• Which console was Super Princess Peach released on?
  On Nintendo DS, in October 2005 in Japan and on 26 May 2006 in Europe (February 2006 in North America). The game was developed by the studio TOSE and published by Nintendo.
• What is the story of the game?
  Bowser steals the Vibe Scepter hidden on Vibe Island and uses it to capture Mario, Luigi and a handful of Toads. It's then up to Princess Peach to set off alone and free them.
• What are Peach's powers?
  Peach draws her strength from four moods: Joy lets her glide, Rage wraps her in flames, Sadness sends tears flowing that make plants grow, and Calm restores her health.
• Who is Perry?
  Perry is the talking magic umbrella who accompanies Peach and doubles as her weapon. According to the game's story, he was originally a young human boy turned into an umbrella by a spell.
• Has Peach been playable in other games?
  Yes. She was already playable in Super Mario Bros. 2 (the 1988 Western version) and in several spin-offs. She became the sole heroine of a solo game again with Princess Peach: Showtime! on Nintendo Switch in 2024.

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