Princess Peach

Peach was born into royalty as the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Her parents are never shown in the games, but she was raised by a steward and the loyal Toads. In the 2023 animated film, a new origin was introduced: like Mario and Luigi, she arrived in the Mushroom Kingdom as a baby and was raised by the Toads to become their ruler. She first appeared in Super Mario Bros. (1985) as the damsel in distress, kidnapped by Bowser. Originally called Princess Toadstool in English, she was renamed Princess Peach starting with Yoshi's Safari (1993) and consistently thereafter. [edit]

Peach is sweet, kind, and optimistic, with a polite and classy demeanor. She cares deeply for her subjects and friends, often apologizing for needing rescue. She shows compassion even toward enemies, like saving Mimi in Super Paper Mario or baking Bowser a thank-you cake in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Despite her gentle nature, she can be assertive when standing up for others, resisting Nastasia's mind control during the same game. Shigeru Miyamoto described her as cute but stubborn. [edit]

For most of the early series, Peach's role was limited to being kidnapped and rescued. This changed in the 1990s with spin-offs like Mario Kart and Mario Party, where she became a playable competitor. The 2005 game Super Princess Peach marked her first starring role, where she rescued Mario using emotion-based Vibe Powers. In Super Mario 3D World (2013) and Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023), she is fully playable alongside the brothers. Princess Peach: Showtime! (2024) gave her a solo adventure where she transforms into various roles like swordfighter and detective. Her portrayal in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) reimagined her as a capable, diplomatic leader who trains Mario and fights alongside him.[edit]

Peach has been both praised and criticized over the years. Early criticism focused on her passive damsel-in-distress role, which many saw as outdated. However, her evolution into a playable hero in later games and her own titles like Super Princess Peach and Princess Peach: Showtime! have been well-received. She remains one of gaming's most iconic female characters, instantly recognizable by her pink dress and crown. Fans appreciate her kindness and growing agency, though some still wish for more protagonistic roles in mainline Mario games.[edit]