Character Sheet: Princess Toadstool (Original Sidescrollers)

PRINCESS TOADSTOOL

Now that we have all of the original sidescrolling Mario titles for the NES and SNES under our belt, I think it's time we go through and evaluate every character we have picked so far as being playable.

This time we have several, many of which can be fully developed right now, many who do not have a full moveset yet but have been pegged for their role in the series, and many with only half a moveset. We'll start with our main cast for now:

1. Mario
2. Luigi
3. Princess Toadstool
4. Toad
5. Yoshi
6. Bowser
7. Koopalings
8. Wart

Princess Toadstool (or Peach, as she would come to later be known), is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom and Mario's new love interest, replacing Pauline. Throughout these five games, the Princess actually doesn't do a whole lot, simply being there waiting for Mario at the end of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World respectively, meaning she doesn't give us much to work with on those and leaving us with Super Mario Bros. 2 only to work with.

Unlike Mario and Luigi however, whose moveset was made up almost entirely of references to the other games, Princess Toadstool's can be directly pulled from Super Mario Bros. 2's moveset. In that game she could hop on top of enemies and pick them up to use as a projectile, pluck vegetables and other items from the ground (a move that would become her Down B in Smash itself), perform a special super jump if she held down long enough, throw bombs around, and hitch a ride on various items such as autobombs and flying carpet. Technically, you could also count the P-Wing and Music Box items from Super Mario Bros. 3 as possible movesets for her, considering she was the supplier of said items in-game. Beyond that, although her iconic parasol has not become a thing quite yet, her ability to jump and float in the air came straight from Super Mario Bros. 2.

Here is the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Pick Up and Throw

Peach will pick up and throw the nearest character, using them as a projectile toward other characters. This isn't quite a grab, as the move will be one single action of her upending the player and tossing them forward, disorienting the player and doing moderate damage.

Side B: Ride

Princess Peach will hop on top of an enemy (possibly one of those from SMB2 that are not likely to ever see playable status (I'm thinking Ostro)) that will run around the stage briefly, damaging anyone in its wake.

Up B: Super Jump

Peach will crouch for a second, start to glow, and then launch into the sky like a rocket, reminiscent of the super jump ability from Super Mario Bros. 2. This move will do damage on takeoff.

Down B: Vegetable

Peach will perform her Down Special from Super Smash Bros., plucking a vegetable from the ground which she can then throw at any enemies. This differs from her Standard B as she can carry the vegetable around for a second before throwing it. Also has the random chance of plucking a bomb.

Final Smash: Music Box

Peach uses the Music Box item that she supplies in Super Mario Bros. 3, which allows Mario to put all enemies on the map to sleep for a short time. This functions in the same way as her final smash, Peach Blossom, as I suspect it was part of the inspiration for the move.

Entrance: She floats down from the sky.

Taunts: Her kiss of Mario at the end of many games could be one.

Next up: We will cover Toad, Princess Toadstool's faithful bodyguard.