Mario franchise strategy guide/Locations/Princess Peach's Castle

Princess Peach's Castle is one of the Mushroom Kingdom's most famous landmarks and the home of Princess Peach. It has played a prominent role in several games in the |Mario series. Whilst it has changed over the years, it has retained a reasonably constant appearance, as opposed to changes that other Nintendo locations have undergone.

Super Mario RPG
The castle made its first appearance as Princess Peach's home in the Mushroom Kingdom of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Its first appearance was markedly different from later appearances.

Super Mario 64/Super Mario 64 DS
The current form of Peach's Castle first appears as the hub world of Super Mario 64. Here, the plot revolved around Bowser having seized control of the castle and trapped all its occupants. Mario (as well as Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario in Super Mario 64 DS) had to enter various paintings (and other decorative items such as stained glass windows) in order to collect stars. These stars were then used to open up sealed doorways within the castle itself. The castle also contained 3 entrances to special 'Bowser courses', the first two of which contained keys that allowed the player to access later parts of the castle.

In Super Mario 64 DS, there were some slight differences in the castle's design, including the addition of some new stages and the re-sculpting of the castle grounds. On multiplayer mode, the pool was drained and a floating platform and wild Chain Chomp were added, as well as barriers in front of the castle's entrances so that it cannot be entered.

Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. features a level set on top of a floating platform with a bird's-eye-view the castle making up the background. The stage uses a remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme music as its background music, and features a moving platform at the bottom of the screen and a rogue Bumper floating overhead.

Paper Mario
In Paper Mario, Bowser steals Princess Peach's castle, lifting it into the sky on top of his own castle. The player controls Peach between main sections of the game, where she sneaks around to gain information to aid Mario. Due to the castle being under Bowser's control, it has a darker appearance than usual.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The castle never appeared on screen in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, but sometimes Peach would sing the first few notes of the castle interior's music from "Super Mario 64" whilst in the shower.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee is the first appearance of Princess Peach's castle on the Nintendo GameCube. It is found in the form of the first Mario stage on VS mode and the boss arena of the Mushroom Kingdom level on Adventure Mode, where the player would fight Peach and Mario (or, depending on certain circumstances, Luigi). The stage consisted of only the roof of the castle, and was almost the same as in "Super Mario 64", although the towers and windows were slightly different in shape, and a flowerbed had mysteriously appeared in front of the castle. The stage's background music was another remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme that also featured parts of the original cave music, although on Adventure Mode it was replaced by the Rainbow Cruise music. Occasionally, Banzai Bills would launch themselves at the castle and explode. There were also cap blocks and switches, adding up to a sometimes chaotic battle. The castle could also be seen in the background for the Mushroom Kingdom level of Adventure Mode, and as a trophy.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
The Peach Invitational in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is set in the castle grounds, which has been completely reworked into a golf course.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time the castle acts as the main level/hub due to space-time rifts caused by Professor E. Gadd's time machine. It has four floors and two item shops (the main one on the ground floor and Fawful's beans for badges shop underground). The player learns some of the main abilities in the front courtyard. A version of the castle (set in the past - approx. 25 years ago) also appears as the final dungeon of the game.It is overrun by shroobs.

Super Princess Peach
In Super Princess Peach, Bowser has the Hammer Brothers raid Peach's castle, capturing Mario, Luigi, and Toad in the process. Peach, who was out on a walk, returns to see the castle in disarray. Furious, Peach goes off to Vibe Island to rescue Mario, Luigi, and Toad.

New Super Mario Bros.
In New Super Mario Bros., Mario and Peach are taking a walk outside, with the castle visible in the background. Thunderclouds suddenly form, startling the pair. Mario runs off towards the castle to investigate the source of the commotion but Peach remains behind, which gives Bowser Jr. the opportunity to kidnap her.

Mario Power Tennis
The castle did not actually appear in Mario Power Tennis, but a fast, up-beat remix of its music was used for the paintball minigame.

Mario Superstar Baseball
The course "Peach Garden" takes place in the gardens of the castle, while blocks that have special effects hang over the court.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3
The court "Peach Garden" takes place in the castle garden, and Lakitu serves as the basket hoop.

Mario Party 3
In Multiplayer you choose what you want to play with the Millennium Star in front of the castle.

Mario Party 7
The castle can be seen in a picture in the Duty-Free Shop.

Mario Kart 64
The castle is seen in Mario Kart 64 as a backdrop to the Royal Raceway stage. The award ceremony after a race was also in this location. A close inspection of this castle reveals some differences with the SM64 version: the moat is lined with bricks instead of stone blocks, the outdoor cannon is missing, and the waterfall is gone.

Mario Kart Super Circuit
The castle appears in the background of Peach Circuit, the very first race track of Mario Kart Super Circuit, as well as in the award winning ceremony, with only a straightaway coming from it. Also, it appears in the background of the SNES-remade Mario Circuits 1 and 4, when the extra courses are unlocked, having the remixed Super Mario Kart Mario Circuit theme playing in the background. Peach's Castle is also on top of Bowser's Castle in the background of the "Rainbow Road" track. This is a reference to the original Paper Mario.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Princess Peach's castle can be seen on Mario Circuit.

Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, like Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Princess Peach's castle can be seen on Mario Circuit. There is also a new track called Peach Gardens in which the courtyard includes a maze over run by Chain Chomps, among other things.