於 2005 年在 Nintendo DS 上推出的 《超級碧姬公主》，在整個瑪利歐系列歷史中佔有相當特殊的地位。

這一次，大膽翻轉經典的「英雄救美」套路。被綁架的不再是公主，而是瑪利歐、路易吉與奇諾比奧，取而代之的是由碧姬公主親自踏上冒險旅程，成為拯救眾人的唯一主角。她手持神奇雨傘，身穿標誌性的粉色長裙，展現出前所未有的主角魅力。

最核心的特色，在於將「情緒」轉化為實際的遊戲機制。與傳統瑪利歐動作遊戲不同，玩家需要透過觸控螢幕操作四種情緒能力——喜、怒、哀、樂，來進行戰鬥與解謎。當碧姬進入「喜」的狀態時，她會旋轉升空，甚至產生龍捲風清除障礙；「怒」則讓她全身燃起火焰，能破壞場景並製造強力震動；「哀」讓她放聲大哭，淚水不僅能灌溉植物，也能在特定地形中發揮特殊效果；而「樂」（或稱平靜）則能緩慢恢復體力，在高難度關卡中格外重要。這些能力都會消耗「情緒能量槽」，玩家需要透過收集藍色水晶或吸收敵人來補充，使整體遊戲節奏多了一層資源管理的策略性。

在冒險過程中，碧姬並非孤軍奮戰。她的夥伴是一把會說話的魔法雨傘 Perry。這把雨傘不僅能讓她在水面滑行、潛入水中探索，還能隨著遊戲進度解鎖更多能力，例如抓取與投擲敵人，甚至發射衝擊波，讓戰鬥與探索的變化更加豐富。

在視覺表現上，延續 Nintendo DS 時代鮮明而細膩的點陣風格。色彩明亮、角色表情誇張生動，特別是碧姬各種情緒的呈現，成功塑造出一位既可愛又充滿個性的主角。整體難度相較於傳統瑪利歐作品也更為親切，重點在於運用正確情緒來解開機關，而非極限操作，因此非常適合各年齡層玩家。同時，也提供豐富的收集要素，包括拼圖、音樂與迷你遊戲，大幅提升耐玩度。

從歷史角度來看，這款作品確立碧姬公主作為主角的地位。雖然她曾在其他作品中以可操作角色登場，但這是她首次擔任完整動作遊戲的核心主角。直到多年後的 Princess Peach: Showtime!，這樣的定位才再次被延續。同時，也充分展現 Nintendo DS 雙螢幕與觸控操作的潛力，在當時具有相當代表性的意義。

在角色塑造上，將「情緒」轉化為力量，呈現出不同於傳統英雄形象的魅力。雖然當年曾引發關於性別刻板印象的討論，但整體而言，這樣的設計讓碧姬顯得更加立體——她既溫柔，又具備足以拯救世界的強大能力。

總體來說，《超級碧姬公主》是一款充滿創意與色彩的作品。它證明碧姬公主從來不只是等待被拯救的角色，而是擁有獨立行動與守護王國實力的真正主角。對喜歡復古遊戲、或偏好解謎與動作結合玩法的玩家而言，這款經典之作至今依然值得一試。

Released in 2005 on the Nintendo DS, Super Princess Peach holds a uniquely special place in the history of the Mario franchise.

This time, Nintendo completely flipped the classic “rescue the princess” formula. Mario, Luigi, and the Toads are the ones kidnapped by Bowser, leaving Princess Peach—dressed in her iconic pink gown and armed with a magical parasol—as the sole hero of the story.

At the heart of the game lies its most distinctive feature: emotions as a source of power. Unlike traditional Mario platformers, the gameplay revolves around four emotional states—Joy, Rage, Gloom, and Calm. Players activate these abilities via the DS touchscreen, turning Peach’s feelings into tools for both combat and puzzle-solving.

When using Joy, Peach spins happily and lifts into the air, even generating small tornadoes to clear obstacles or enemies. Rage engulfs her in flames, allowing her to burn barriers and unleash powerful shockwaves through ground pounds. Gloom, perhaps the most unconventional ability, has Peach crying dramatically—her tears can water plants, create slippery paths on ice, or even boost her movement speed. Calm, on the other hand, lets her regain health slowly, becoming essential in tougher stages. All of these abilities rely on the Vibe Gauge, which must be replenished by collecting blue crystals or absorbing enemy energy.

Peach is not alone on her journey. She is accompanied by a sentient parasol named Perry, who acts as both a companion and a versatile tool. Perry allows Peach to glide across water, dive underwater like a submarine, and eventually gain new abilities such as grabbing, throwing enemies, or firing shockwaves. This adds a surprising level of depth to the game’s combat and exploration.

Visually, the game embraces the vibrant charm of the DS era, featuring colorful sprite-based graphics and expressive character animations. Peach’s exaggerated emotional reactions are not only gameplay mechanics but also a key part of her personality, giving her a level of charm rarely seen before in the series. Compared to more hardcore Mario titles, the difficulty here is relatively accessible, focusing more on solving environmental puzzles with the right emotional ability rather than demanding precise platforming skills. This makes it approachable for players of all ages, while still offering plenty of collectibles such as puzzles, music tracks, and minigames.

Historically, this title marked a major milestone for Peach as a character. While she had been playable in earlier titles, this was her first fully dedicated starring role in a major action game—something that wouldn’t happen again until Princess Peach: Showtime! nearly two decades later. It also stood as a strong example of how the Nintendo DS could integrate dual screens and touchscreen mechanics into meaningful gameplay.

The portrayal of Peach in this game is particularly noteworthy. By turning emotional expression into powerful abilities, the game presented a different kind of strength—one that blends sensitivity with capability. While this approach did spark some discussion about gender representation at the time, many players appreciated this version of Peach as both gentle and formidable.

In the end, Super Princess Peach is a colorful, creative, and genuinely fun experience. It proves that Peach doesn’t need rescuing—she has always had the strength and intelligence to save the Mushroom Kingdom herself.

And honestly, when it comes to retro games, that “Joy” emotion might be the most relatable of all—the pure, simple happiness of discovering (or rediscovering) something timeless.