Princess Peach: Showtime’s Theets Might Share a Connection with Another Mario Spin-Off Character

Highlights

Theets in Princess Peach: Showtime resemble Watt from Paper Mario, potentially linking the two spin-off characters in the Mario franchise.
Unlike traditional Mario games, Princess Peach: Showtime focuses on a standalone adventure for the princess with subtle Mario franchise nods.
The design and characteristics of Theets suggest a connection to Lil Sparkies and Watt, showcasing a possible shared spin-off history.

Of all the new characters introduced in Princess Peach: Showtime, Sparkle Theater’s Theets are perhaps the most interesting addition. These beings are the inhabitants of the venue and act in the roles of the stage performers throughout each of the levels in Princess Peach: Showtime, with 10 Theets, known as Sparklas, taking on the roles of heroes in the plays, whom Grape captures in an effort to take over Sparkle Theater. While there isn’t much known about these Theets beyond what the game presents on the surface, their design and characteristics could connect them to another memorable Mario spin-off character.

Although it is a spin-off of the greater Mario franchise, Princess Peach: Showtime sheds many aspects that make a Mario game recognizable in order to develop itself as a standalone adventure for the princess. As a result, the game draws very few elements from the core series, instead opting for subtle allusions to the mainline Mario franchise in its features and mechanics. However, digging deeper into the Sparkle Theater’s Theets could provide a connection to the popular party member Watt from the N64 title Paper Mario, potentially giving Princess Peach: Showtime more of a connection to the rest of the franchise than it initially seems.

Princess Peach: Showtime Misses an Opportunity to Reference Another Mario Spin-Off

Princess Peach: Showtime does a great job capturing the theater aesthetic, but it’s missing one detail that another Mario spin-off nails perfectly.

Theets Seem Very Similar to Watt from Paper Mario

Fans of Mario’s RPG spin-offs are likely familiar with Paper Mario for the N64, a title that saw the plumber take on a new dimension as a flat character in a paper world. In Paper Mario, the plumber is tasked with once again rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser’s clutches, and retrieving the Star Rod stolen by the Koopa King. Along the way, Mario encounters a number of companions who aid him on his quest, including the character Watt, whose cute appearance and helpful combat abilities helped her become a fan-favorite of the title.

Watt is a baby Lil Sparky who joins Mario’s party in Paper Mario‘s Chapter 4 location of Shy Guy’s Toy Box. She has the appearance of a small, yellow ball of electricity, and keeps her signature pacifier in her mouth to symbolize that she is still quite young for a member of her race. After rescuing her from the Big Lantern Ghost that had kidnapped her, Watt joins Mario and utilizes her nature as a Lil Sparky to help the plumber illuminate dark areas that would otherwise be impossible to traverse.

Lil Sparkies are a race of creatures originally introduced to the series in Super Mario World for the SNES as enemies that move along platforms and will shock Mario if he touches them, similar to Hotheads. While these characters haven’t appeared in many titles in the franchise, they can mostly be found in spin-offs like Paper Mario, the Mario & Luigi series, and Super Princess Peach. With this background in mind, there is a good chance that Princess Peach: Showtime‘s Theets could be related to Watt and Lil Sparkies as a whole, given their shared spin-off history.

To further support this theory, the characteristics and visual design of the Theets are very similar to Lil Sparkies, and Watt in particular. Theets are shown to have the ability to illuminate the stage using the glow of their noses, suggesting they have some control over electricity, much like how Lil Sparkies emit electricity from their bodies. The design of Watt in particular bears a close resemblance to the Theets of Princess Peach: Showtime thanks to the pacifier in her mouth, which has a similar shape to the Theets’ noses, potentially meaning that she served as the inspiration for the design of the Theets.