As the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach is a favorite kidnapping target for Bowser, who wishes to marry her and rule over said kingdom. And though Peach is often playing the “damsel in distress” for Mario to come and rescue, she’s proven that she can hold her own. She’s been a playable character over the years, in games such as Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario RPG in addition to starring in Super Princess Peach. She also has consistently been a playable character in the Mario Party and Mario Kart series.

Peach was created and originally designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, though her final design was drawn by Yoichi Kotabe, who has also worked as an illustrator and designer for other Super Mario titles, as well as The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon. Miyamoto wanted her to look “stubborn, but cute,” and her blonde-haired, blue-eyed look has endured throughout the years. Though she has typically appeared in her trademark pink ballgown, she hasn’t been afraid to shed her regal robes for athletic wear when it comes time to race karts or play a round of tennis.

Though she’s easily recognizable as “Princess Peach” now, in the United States, the character was originally known as “Princess Toadstool.” The Toadstool name was used consistently in the US in the games and in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show until the 1996 release of Super Mario 64, which then switched to calling her Peach as she had been called in Japan.

She appeared in GameCube’s tropical set Super Mario Sunshine and New Super Mario Bros. on Nintendo DS – getting kidnaped by Bowser Jr. in both games. Her abductions continued in games like New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii U, and she was a playable character in the Super Mario Run mobile game. In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, she was one of the playable characters who visits the Flower Kingdom when Bowser steals the Wonder Flower and turns it into a flying castle.

In 1990, she starred in her first solo game, Princess Toadstool’s Castle Run that was released on the Nelsonic Game Watch. She switched from captor to rescuer in 2005’s Super Princess Peach when Bowser kidnapped Mario and Luigi, giving Peach the opportunity to be the hero. Her most recent titular adventure was 2024’s Princess Peach: Showtime! in which she tries to save Sparkle Theatre from Grape and her minions. In the game, Peach has many transformation options like Detective Peach, Mermaid Peach, Kung Fu Peach, Figure Skater Peach, and Swordfighter Peach.