Nintendo`s iconic heroine, Princess Peach, wasn`t always known by that name. For many years leading up to the release of Super Mario 64, she was commonly referred to as Princess Toadstool. The intriguing reason behind this initial designation has now come to light, and surprisingly, it wasn`t a decision made internally by Nintendo.
In a recent interview with Time Extension, Leslie Swan, a veteran of Nintendo with nearly three decades of service, shared the fascinating origins of the “Toadstool” moniker. Swan, whose extensive career includes localizing numerous Nintendo classics, contributing to Nintendo Power magazine, and even voicing Princess Peach in Super Mario 64, revealed that in Nintendo`s early days, communication between the Japanese development teams and the US marketing divisions was notably limited.
According to Swan, for the original Super Mario Bros., Nintendo outsourced the creation of the game`s manual to an external advertising agency. “And the ad agency just kind of created names for things,” Swan explained. “And so they`re the ones who came up with Princess Toadstool as the name for Peach.”
This name, coined by the advertising agency, persisted for approximately a decade. Swan recounted that during the North American localization of Super Mario 64, she collaborated with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto, she noted, was quite fond of the name “Peach” and expressed a desire for its inclusion in the game.
Swan then proposed a solution: combining both names for the US release, with “Peach” serving as Princess Toadstool`s more informal alias. This creative compromise explains why, at the beginning of Super Mario 64, Peach`s letter to Mario is officially signed “Princess Toadstool,” with the name “Peach” affectionately handwritten in pink.
While Swan`s full interview offers extensive insights into her impactful career, Princess Peach herself has recently enjoyed a significant evolution, stepping out of Mario`s shadow. Far from her traditional “damsel in distress” role, she showcased her strength and importance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and, in 2024, starred as the main protagonist in her own game, Princess Peach: Showtime!, her first lead role since 2006`s Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS.
Despite Peach`s increasing independence and recognition, her relationship with Mario has become more ambiguous. Nintendo recently took steps to clarify to fans that Mario and Princess Peach are, in fact, just “good friends.”