| Super
Mario Bros. (Nintendo - 1985) Though Mario and Luigi had both been introduced prior to 1985, this was the game that made them household names. In this game, as well as throughout most of the rest of the series, the brothers had to rescue Princess Peach Toadstool from Bowser. This series (and this theme) continued with games such as Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario RPG, Super Mario 64, Paper Mario, and Super Mario Sunshine. |
|
|
Other
games in the Mario series, however, allowed Peach to branch out into other
roles, though she has never really been shown as a strong lead character.
|
|
| |
< At the end of Super Mario Bros., Mario finally defeated Bowser and rescued the princess. Here she is seen in stereotypical princess attire--a dress and a crown. As with almost all video game damsels in distress, she could not have escaped on her own and was, thus, very grateful to her rescuer. | |
| > Here is an image of Princess Peach as she now is normally depicted in the Mario series of games. She still wears the crown, but her dress is now stereotypically pink. | |
|
| |
< This is Princess Peach and Princess Daisy (a later introduction to the Mario series) as they were depicted in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. In games such as this, as well as the Mario Kart, Mario Party, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Mario sports series, Peach was given a more active role in which she was not in need of rescue. However, she was still often one of the weaker characters in these games, and here she is shown with a shorter dress than she normally wore throughout the series. | |
| > In the upcoming game Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS, Peach finally gets her chance to be the hero when Mario is captured by Bowser and needs to be rescued. While this is a more modern and positive depiction of the princess, it is still problematic. Where Mario can jump on enemies, throw fireballs or hammers at them, or douse them with water, Princess Peach attacks foes using her emotions. The player touches one of the hearts on the lower screen of the Nintendo DS to initiate the corresponding attack. Thus, she is not the strong, physical hero that Mario is but instead is a woman who can only use her emotions to defend herself. | |
|
|
|
|
|