Rabbid Peach

Rabbid Peach is a character appearing in the 2017 video game, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. She is a Rabbid, a rabbit-like species, whose appearance is meant to resemble Mario character Princess Peach by dressing like her namesake. The character initially became known through game leaks of Kingdom Battle, quickly attaining a popular following.

Concept and creation
Rabbid Peach is one of multiple characters created for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, one of the first created for its prototype. Lead producer Xavier Manzanares wanted to ensure that Rabbid Peach was more than just a Peach lookalike, feeling that would be uninteresting for everyone. Thus, they made a point of depicting Rabbid Peach "as a hero, as an archetype, as a character with a strong persona." The popularity she held with people at Nintendo was encouraging for them. Manzanares stated that Nintendo were "avid fans of animation," and identified Rabbid Peach as the highlights of their animation skill in the game. She is accompanied by Rabbids and others, including characters from the Mario series, and is considered the "diva" of the group. Unlike her human counterpart, Rabbid Peach is depicted as a sassy and reckless character, who is constantly preoccupied with taking selfies on her mobile phone. Princess Peach was used as a reference model for Rabbid Peach's animations.

During development of the sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, series director David Soliani discussed difficulties making new Rabbid characters; he argued that the popularity and charisma of Rabbid Peach was a major contributing factor. Rabbid Peach was given more importance in Sparks of Hope, which lead to them crafting personalities that contrasted with hers, such as Rabbid Rosalina's, who has a lazy attitude.

Appearances
Rabbid Peach appears in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle as a playable character, a Rabbid merged with a Princess Peach wig. During the adventure, Rabbid Peach fights along her teammates to save the Mushroom Kingdom. She later appeared in the downloadable expansion to Kingdom Battle called Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle: Donkey Kong Adventure. She also appears in the sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.

Rabbid Peach appears in Just Dance 2018, serving as the alternative playable mascot for Beyoncé's song "Naughty Girl". She also appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Spirit, a collectible item depicting her official art.

As part of marketing for Kingdom Battle, an Instagram account was created, designed as though it was operated by Rabbid Peach. This account was originally used for other marketing before Kingdom Battle.

Rabbid Peach has been the recipient of multiple pieces of merchandise. A Sparks of Hope prize pack by My Nintendo included a figure and sticker of Rabbid Peach, among other merchandise with other characters. This figure was also released as part of Ubisoft's "Ubicollectible" set of figurines.

Reception
When Kingdom Battle initially leaked, Rabbid Peach was the subject of mockery, in part due to her "phone obsession." However, she eventually became a "beloved mascot" of the franchise in the Mario + Rabbids series, Eurogamer writer Chris Bratt initially felt Rabbid Peach was "crassly designed," only to "fall head over heels in love" with her. She was considered a standout character of the game by multiple critics,   and was identified as one of Shacknews' favorite characters of 2017. Game Revolution writer, Paul Tamburro, noting his dislike of Rabbids, felt that Rabbid Peach was particularly responsible for improving them in his eyes. He called her a great character, noting how she "steals the show" despite featuring "a roster of gaming’s most famous faces." He felt that a character like Rabbid Peach, who has an "actual personality," is what the Rabbids were missing. Eurogamer writer Oli Welsh praised her, calling her a "creature of satire, a meta-commentary on the self-referential fandom of the ridiculous game she stars in" and a "sassy bundle of diva delight." He discussed various aspects that contribute to these qualities, such as her nonchalant attitude.

The Rabbid Peach Instagram account received mixed reception. GamesRadar+ writer Sam Prell praised Rabbid Peach for her "sassiness and vain attitude," appreciating the concept of the page and its execution. Writer Laura Kate Dale similarly enjoyed the account, stating that Rabbid Peach "undeniably stole the show" when the game released, particularly citing her love for selfies as a contributing factor. However, Kotaku writer Gita Jackson was critical; while they found her "cute," they felt that the concept were creepy, preferring "fictional characters to remain fictional." They were also critical of the concept of the account, arguing that it makes women on Instagram an "object of mockery." Polygon writer Julia Alexander praised her appearance in Just Dance 2018, calling her a "mascot for Generation Z," noting how this contrasted with the "prim and proper" Princess Peach. Edge Spain writer Azul Corrosivo felt that Rabbid Peach damages the image of women. They felt that the conflict between Peach and Rabbid Peach was a product of how society pits women against each other, keeping them from thinking of other things.