Exclusive reveal: Unearthed 'Walpeach' sketches shake the Mario universe - see the wild design that never made the cut in Mario Power Tennis
Dec 01, 2023 9:13 PMExciting news for Nintendo fans and followers of the Mario franchise: the creator of Waluigi, Fumihide Aoki, has revealed concept art for a scrapped character known as 'Walpeach,' who was intended to be a rival for Princess Peach. The sketches and 3D renderings shared on Aoki's Instagram showcase a purple-clad character with a style edgier than Peach's, including spiked accessories and buckled boots.
Originally, Walpeach was proposed for inclusion in Mario Tennis 64 and again for Mario Power Tennis on the GameCube, but the character never made it past the concept stage. It was also mentioned that Shigeru Miyamoto was not keen on introducing the girlfriends of Wario and Waluigi into the Mario universe. Aoki detailed that Walpeach would have a personality similar to Wario and Waluigi, becoming fierce when angered, and viewing Peach as her adversary.
The idea of expanding the 'Warui' or 'bad' versions of beloved Mario characters was also touched upon by Aoki, who once envisioned a draconic Yoshi variant to accompany Walpeach. Despite these characters never realizing their potential in official games, the concept art provides inspiration for fan creations and showcases the creative avenues explored by Nintendo developers.
While the fate of Walpeach remains in the realm of what could have been, this revelation has sparked interest and discussion among the gaming community regarding the wealth of ideas and character designs that ultimately never see the light of day.
Jordan Keats
Jordan Keats is a former professional gamer turned journalist, whose competitive background gives them a unique perspective on esports and multiplayer games. Jordan's expertise in strategy and game mechanics is unmatched, offering readers a deeper understing.
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Mr. Bison commented on: 2023-12-01 22:38:05
Ah, the mystery of Walpeach finally gets a little spotlight. It's wild to think how close we came to getting a full rogue's gallery of anti-Mario characters, and it's a bittersweet tease that has me wondering what other 'Warui' versions we've missed out on due to the whims of development.
Rolling R!ck commented on: 2023-12-01 22:28:04
Ah, the mystery of Walpeach finally surfaces, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the 'what-ifs' of the Mushroom Kingdom. It's a real treat to see the creative roads not taken, and it keeps us dreaming about the myriad of untapped possibilities within the Mario universe.
