Princess Peach
Princess Peach | |
---|---|
Mario character | |
![]() Promotional art of Princess Peach | |
First appearance |
|
Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
Designed by | Shigeru Miyamoto Yōichi Kotabe |
Voiced by |
|
In-universe information | |
Species | Human |
Title | Princess |
Occupation | Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom Ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom |
Fighting style | Magic |
Significant other | Mario |
Origin | Mushroom Kingdom |
Princess Peach Toadstool[9][a] is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario franchise, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original Super Mario Bros. installment. She is the princess regnant and ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in her castle along with Toads.[10]
Being the lead female character in the series, Peach's role is often the damsel in distress or donor who can help Mario. She is typically a playable character in multiplayer games of the series, including main games such as Super Mario 3D World and spin-off media. In Princess Toadstool's Castle Run and Super Princess Peach, she is the protagonist and player character.[11]
She is one of the best known female protagonists in video game history,[12][13] with the most video game appearances of any female character.[14][15]
Development
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Peach_emblem.svg/220px-Peach_emblem.svg.png)
Peach's initial appearance was drawn by Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto later asked Yōichi Kotabe to redraw Peach with his instructions. He had asked Kotabe to draw her eyes to be "a little cat-like" and how she should "look stubborn, but a little cute."[16]
In Japan, Peach's name has always been Princess Peach (ピーチ姫, Pīchi-Hime, Princess Peach) since her debut in the original Super Mario Bros. in 1985, but she was localized as "Princess Toadstool" in the English-language manual. The English version of Yoshi's Safari, released in 1993, contained the first usage of the name "Peach" in the Western world, though she was called Princess Toadstool in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, released in 1994. In Super Mario 64, released in 1996, she uses both names in a letter addressed to Mario, signing it "Peach". From the 1996 game Mario Kart 64 onward, the name Peach is used in Western versions.
Overview
Peach is the native resident princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Within her castle are Royal Guards known as mushroom retainers. Peach's first appearance is in Super Mario Bros. (1985) as a NPC, in which she was captured by Bowser and Mario had to rescue her. However, the game suggests that Peach is not helpless as she is the only person capable of breaking the curse hanging over the Mushroom Kingdom.[17] In Super Mario Bros. 2, she became a playable character, uniquely able to hover.
Mostly playable, her roles vary between damsel in distress and protagonist, like in Super Mario Run.[18] She is at the center of her own story with Princess Toadstool's Castle Run (1990).[19][20] Her most prominent role is in Super Princess Peach (2005) on the Nintendo DS, where she must save Mario, Luigi, and Toads from Bowser.[21] She is not a playable character in New Super Mario Bros. Wii because a satisfactory mechanism to use her dress was not found.[22] She is a playable character in Super Mario 3D World and Super Paper Mario, is the main protagonist in Super Princess Peach, and is a playable character in most Mario spin-offs such as Mario Party, Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, and Mario Golf.
In Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario, a cabinet minister or chancellor is part of the Mushroom Kingdom government. [citation needed] Her father, the Mushroom King, though mentioned in the instruction manual to Super Mario Bros.,[23] has never made an appearance in the mainstream games.
In other media
In the cartoon series by DiC, she is always referred to as Princess Toadstool, because the name Peach had not been used in the Western world until Yoshi's Safari in 1993, and she had red hair instead of yellow. Unlike in video games, she is occasionally seen using power-ups such as the Tanooki Leaf. She is voiced by Jeannie Elias in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and Tracey Moore in the two follow up series, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
Shogakukan published between 1992 and 1994 a manga named Otenba Pīchi-hime, with a plot revolving around a younger version of the princess.[24][25] From February 2006 to March 2007, the magazine Famitsu DS+Wii published a comical manga based on the Super Princess Peach called Peach no Daiboken!? created by Kazumi Sugiyama.[26][27]
Princess Peach is also prominently featured within Universal Studios Japan's immersive Super Nintendo World area. A costume character meet-and-greet with her is located next to a large scale recreation of her castle, with the interior referencing its appearance from Super Mario 64. Peach and Baby Peach appear in the Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge and Yoshi's Adventure attractions, as well as the area's interactive phone app. The interactive "Power-Up Bands" feature a design based on her dress.[28]
Peach will be voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy in the upcoming 2023 film adaptation.[4] Her casting, alongside the rest of the principal cast, was announced via a Nintendo Direct in September 2021.[29] In an October 2021 interview, Anya expressed her eagerness for taking on the role: "Oh, it is so much fun. [...] The greatest part is that I get to say I am doing homework or work or research just by gaming. [...] The fan base is so intense, of course, I have to do it."[30]
Cameos
Peach has made cameo appearances in non-Mario games. She is a playable guest character in the GameCube versions of the Electronic Arts games NBA Street V3 and SSX on Tour. She is depicted in a painting in Hyrule Castle in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. A drivable Peach kart toy is in the Labrador and Friends version of Nintendogs. In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, her picture is sent to Mr. Write with the name "Christine" written underneath. In Kirby Super Star, she appears at the King Dedede battle arena, and in the minigame Megaton Punch. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, she is at the Dedede arena. Her crown is collectible in Pikmin 2, labeled "Unspeakable Wonder". In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Cranky Kong indirectly references her in some of his Monkey Museum ramblings.
Reception
Players
In a reader poll on the Japanese website of Super Smash Bros., Peach was ranked as the 2nd most requested character for Super Smash Bros. Melee with 66 votes.[31] A reader poll in Official Nintendo Magazine rated her as the second greatest female character; the magazine stated that "some might view her as being a bit useless but we'll let her off as rescuing her is always so much fun".[32] In 2011, readers of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition voted her the 44th video game character of all time.[33] In a Redex website poll in 2020, she was voted as the 2nd most popular character from the Mario Kart series.[34][35] Actress Brie Larson said "I'm just excited about the idea of pushing for a Princess Peach solo game. I think it's just been too long. Let's put Peach up there, let's give her her time to shine".[36]
Critics
SyFy included Peach as one of the "Greatest Video Game Heroines of all Time", stating "it's great to have tough female characters like many of the others on this list, but it's great to have one that embraces the power of being a high femme".[37] GameDaily described Princess Peach as an "ideal woman that's as sweet as can be" in its list of "babes that should or shouldn't meet your mom".[38] The website ranked her 48th in its list of Top 50 Hottest Game Babes, claiming that she is "the quiet 'quick, come and rescue me' type, but in Mario Strikers Charged she's all action with a hot sports outfit and shows the boys who's boss".[39] IGN editor Matt Casamassina stated that "Nintendo prudes will probably find themselves taken aback with Peach's outfit, which shows more of the character than we've ever seen before".[40] IGN rated her as 8 out of 10 princesses worth saving.[41] The New York Times said she had "grit as well as grace" and that her "peachiness did nothing to upset the apple cart of expectation: she may have been athletic, smart and strong, but she was also adorable [and what] once-unisex, postfeminist parents are shooting for".[42] Gaming Debugged listed Peach 1st place in their top "10 Video Game Princesses", calling her "The Duchess of princesses" and indicating "She might seem prim and proper in pink, but she's definitely the top princess in our kingdom".[43] Manolith listed her among "25 Hottest Female Videogame Protagonists", citing her Strikers outfit.[44] S. Williams of Momzone magazine declared her "gaming's lone female role model", citing her humility and gutsy charm.[citation needed] UGO ranked her ninth on its list of the "Top 11 Girls of Gaming".[45] Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked her 10th among Top Ten Video Game Politicians.[46] She is on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list of 2007, with a fortune of approximately US$1.3 billion.[47] Kotaku dedicated the article "Princess Peach Was The Best Character In Super Mario Bros. 2".[48] GameDaily listed her among hottest blondes in video games, citing appearances in sports games such as Super Mario Strikers and SSX on Tour; in the former, she wears a pink crop top, bare midriff, and pink shorts.[49] It listed "damsel in distress" among the top 25 video game archetypes, citing Peach's frequent kidnappings.[50] Polygon ranked her 4th of 73 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighters "from garbage to glorious".[51]
Feminist organization Sister Namibia has been critical of the fact that Peach has always needed to be rescued, by reasoning "it propagates that women are helpless and in constant need of saving" and "[she] serves quite literally as a trophy for the completion of Mario's quest. She is ultimately just another object or reward for Mario to use."[52]
Destructoid's Gamer's Red Carpet graded her D, calling her pink dress "awful", as opposed to Princess Daisy with a B+ and Rosalina with an A+.[53] IGN called Peach "all smiles and politeness" but labelled her as one of the weirdest Mario characters due to her constant kidnappings.[54] IGN later stated that "when she's not staring blankly at nothing, she can be rather adorable", however the fact that "Mario can heroically collect 120 Power Stars all while saving Peach's kingdom and still get nothing but a cake in return makes us think this might be something of a one-sided relationship".[55]
She was nominated for "Cyber Vixen of the Year" at the 2006 Spike Video Game Awards.[56]
Legacy
On August 6, 2014, Nintendo declared August as National Peach Month.[57][58] A parody sculpture of the music video of "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus including Chain Chomp and Princess Peach has been made by custom figurine artist Kodykoala.[59]
She is considered as an LGBT icon by several journalists.[60] The A.V. Club stated that "she became a perhaps unlikely but nevertheless important queer icon".[61] John Walker of Splinter described Peach as a "queer icon", saying "If you polled a room full of non-straight men about the women they consider to be 'queer icons' you'd probably hear a lot of 'Beyoncé', 'Dolly Parton', and 'Grace Jones'. But there's one name you might not hear that totally deserves a spot on that list: Princess Peach".[62] Gay Times listed Super Princess Peach in its top "9 video games queer people love, from Tomb Raider to Animal Crossing".[63] On March 11, 2010, Brightest Young Things named her "Gay icon of the week", saying that "For many, she was your first girlfriend ... and just pretend you were the hottest, baddest bombshell who could float, dig down 300 feet of desert sand, and beat mice with sunglasses".[64]
The release of Peachette in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe led to fan speculation and theories as to how the new Super Crown power-up works within the Super Mario universe.[65] In 2018, a short comic "The Super Crown's some spicy new Mario lore" on DeviantArt and Twitter transforms Bowser into a monstrously sinister female resembling Peach,[66] which fans named Bowsette.[67] The character subsequently went viral, with Ars Technica writing that Bowsette's popularity was partly due to her contrast with Princess Peach.[68]
Notes
- ^ Japanese: ピーチ姫, Hepburn: Pīchi-hime, pronounced [piːtɕi̥ çime]
References
- ^ "Mario Is Missing!". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Hotel Mario". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Jessica Chisum". Topo Swope Talent Agency. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ a b Murphy, J. Kim (September 23, 2021). "Nintendo Direct: Chris Pratt Will Voice Mario in the Super Mario Bros. Movie". IGN. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "GOGOマリオ!!とは (ゴーゴーマリオとは) [単語記事]". ニコニコ大百科 (in Japanese). Retrieved March 7, 2021.
その歌が評判が良かったため、さらに谷山浩子がその歌詞を一部変更と間奏中にナレーションを追加して歌った。ただし、プリンセスピーチ名義で発売されているのと、本人のアルバムにも収録されていなかったりする。" "The song was so well received that Hiroko Taniyama made some changes to the lyrics and added narration during the interlude. However, since it was released under the name of Princess Peach, it may not have been recorded on his own album.
- ^ "「マリオ」BGMがカラオケに!「GO GO マリオ!!」JOYSOUNDで配信決定、映像にも注目". インサイド (in Japanese). Retrieved March 7, 2021.
ボーカルは谷山浩子氏が謎の歌手「プリンセス・ピーチ」名義で担当するという、驚きの展開を見せました。""Hiroko showed a surprise that she would be in charge of the mysterious singer Princess Peach.
- ^ "7P-1002 | Super Mario Brothers GO GO Mario!! Princess Peach – VGMdb". vgmdb.net. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ "News Release : Nov. 30, 2022 "Illumination and Nintendo Announce Second Trailer and the Japanese voice cast for The Super Mario Bros. Movie"". Nintendo Co., Ltd. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Young, Jason. Mario Tennis Prima's Official Strategy Guide. p. 21.
Officially known as Princess Peach Toadstool, our little monarch has a long history with Mario.
- ^ July 2015, GamesRadar 13 (July 13, 2015). "How Nintendo's most famous castle changed Mario forever". gamesradar. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Why Nintendo should make a 'Princess Peach' game". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Ryan, Joal. "30 best female video game characters, ranked". CNET. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Loveridge, Sam (August 8, 2016). "Most iconic female game characters of all time, ranked". Digital Spy. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "More Than A Damsel In Distress: 15 Awesome Things You Didn't Know About Princess Peach". TheGamer. June 13, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "15 Things You Didn't Know About Princess Peach". ScreenRant. February 4, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
This little factoid might not be too surprising – after all, Princess Peach has been in the world of Mario since 1985. However, it's still worth mentioning that Peach is officially the female character who has been in the most games
- ^ "Iwata Asks: The Birth of Bowser". GameZone. May 4, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "Nintendo's Revised History Of Super Mario Bros". Kotaku Australia. December 10, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Parkin, Jeffrey (December 21, 2016). "How to unlock all playable characters in Super Mario Run". Polygon. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ MB, Frankie (May 10, 2020). "Super Princess Peach, un alegre cambio de papeles para la serie de Mario Bros. con buenos cimientos para una secuela". Vidaextra (in Spanish). Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Portable Plumber: The Complete History of Mario in Handheld Games". Complex. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Totilo, Stephen (October 1, 2020). "35 Thoughts About Mario on Super Mario's 35th Anniversary". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Craig (October 15, 2009). "Miyamoto on the New Mario". IGN. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. Instruction Manual (PDF). Nintendo. 1985. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2011.
- ^ "上重☆さゆりの作品リスト". January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "おてんばピーチ姫". j-s.work. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "RANDOM HOO HAAS .:. Scans & Bits (Fami2Comic)". Flying Omelette. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "ピーチの大冒険!とは – Weblio辞書". www.weblio.jp. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Explorer, T. D. R. (September 28, 2022). "Super Nintendo World 2022 Guide & Tips". TDR Explorer. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
- ^ "Nintendo Direct 9.23.2021 - Nintendo Official Site". www.nintendo.com. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ James, David (October 28, 2021). "Anya Taylor-Joy Reveals Her Plan To Understand Peach's Character In Super Mario Bros". We Got This Covered. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "アンケート集計拳!!". www.nintendo.co.jp. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Leading Ladies". Official Nintendo Magazine. September 12, 2009. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
- ^ Marchiafava, Jeff (February 16, 2011). "Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time". Game Informer. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- ^ "Peach or Mario? The Internet's Mario Kart Habits Revealed". Redex. November 19, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Mario Kart's Most Popular Character Is a Tie Between Peach & Mario". ScreenRant. November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Bailey, Alyssa (November 17, 2020). "Brie Larson Took Me Through Her Favorite Nintendo Switch Games, From Fortnite to Luigi's Mansion 3". ELLE. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Staff, Fangrrls (January 30, 2019). "The greatest video game heroines of all time". SYFY WIRE. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Ten Babes Who Should and Ten Babes Who Shouldn't Meet Your Mom". GameDaily. June 25, 2008. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ "Top 50 Hottest Game Babes on Trial". GameDaily. February 25, 2009. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ Casamassina, Matt (December 2, 2005). "Super Mario Strikers – GameCube Review at IGN". IGN. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ "Mario's Ladies: The Princesses of Mario Galaxy". IGN. November 13, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ Orenstein, Peggy (December 24, 2006). "What's Wrong with Cinderella". The New York Times. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ Garstang, Ian (August 17, 2013). "Top 10 Video Game Princesses". Gaming Debugged. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "25 Hottest Female Videogame Protagonists". Manolith. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ UGO Team (January 15, 2008). "Princess Peach – Top 11 Girls of Gaming". UGO. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ Sharkey, Scott (November 2008). "Top 10 Videogame Politicians". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
- ^ "#15 Princess Peach". Forbes. December 11, 2007. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
- ^ "Princess Peach Was The Best Character In Super Mario Bros. 2". Kotaku. August 24, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Babes of the Week: Hottest Blondes". GameDaily. May 6, 2008. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Top 25 game Archetypes". GameDaily. October 6, 2008. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ Parish, Jeremy (December 3, 2018). "We rank the Smash Bros. (and friends)". Polygon. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Junge, Inger. Women not allowed in tech-no-geek & gaming culture. Sister Namibia. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
- ^ Concelmo, Chad (May 13, 2010). "The Gamer's Red Carpet: Super Mario Bros". Destructoid. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ "Weirdest Mario Characters". IGN. October 11, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Drake, Audrey (February 14, 2012). "Who Should Be Mario's Valentine?". IGN. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ "Spike TV's 2006 game awards detailed". GameSpot. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "August is National Peach Month, Nintendo joining in on celebration". Destructoid. August 8, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "August Is Officially Princess Peach Month, According To Nintendo Of America". Nintendo Life. August 8, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "She Came in Like a Chain Chomp – Win a Miley Cyrus-Inspired Princess Peach Figurine". Hardcore Gamer. April 21, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Dockray, Xavier Piedra and Heather (August 13, 2018). "All the best queer memes inspired by Nintendo". Mashable. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Read This: Mario Kart 64's Princess Peach endures as a queer icon". The A.V. Club. January 20, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Walker, John (January 20, 2016). "Why Mario Kart's Princess Peach is a queer icon". Splinter. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "9 video games queer people love, from Tomb Raider to Animal Crossing". GAY TIMES. April 7, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Gay Icon of the Week: The Princess". Brightest Young Things. March 11, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Phillips, Tom (September 17, 2018). "Nintendo fans are trying to work out new character Peachette". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ "Super Crown by ayyk92 on DeviantArt". DeviantART. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Kent, Emma (September 24, 2018). "Nintendo fans are splicing Bowser with Peach and now Bowsette is trending". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Machkovech, Sam (September 28, 2018). "Nintendo reveals it invented "Bowsette" before the Internet did". Ars Technica. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
External links
- Princess Peach
on Play Nintendo
- Princess Peach on Mario Wiki