Fumihide Aoki, the creator of Waluigi, has surprised fans by unveiling early sketches and a 3D model of “Wapeach,” an unreleased character designed for 2004’s Mario Power Tennis. While Wapeach never made it into a Mario game, this revelation has stirred excitement among the gaming community.
In a recent Instagram post, Fumihide Aoki, renowned for his work on the iconic character Waluigi, shared a glimpse into the fascinating world of character design. He unveiled the long-lost character “Wapeach,” offering fans a look at what could have been an evil counterpart to Princess Peach in the Mario universe.
Wapeach emerges from the shadows
Aoki’s Instagram post, accompanied by the hashtag #characterdesign, showcased his early sketches of Wapeach, also known as “Warupeachi.” These sketches depict a character bearing a striking resemblance to Princess Peach, albeit with a sinister twist. Wapeach is portrayed wearing a crown, a leather or latex dress, and a spiked armband, a signature accessory of Bowser and Bowser Jr. In one intriguing sketch, she even wields an ax, hinting at her potentially malevolent nature.
The Japanese labels on the sketches, “Purichi” (プリチ) and “Warupeachi” (ワルピーチ), add authenticity to the character’s existence within the Mario universe.
Wapeach’s 3D Model revealed
Aoki’s revelations didn’t stop at sketches. He further astonished fans by sharing what appears to be a 3D model of Wapeach, which was created for the GameCube title “Mario Power Tennis.” This model gives us a detailed look at Wapeach’s attire, which is predominantly purple, bearing a resemblance to the color schemes of Wario and Waluigi, emphasizing her potential alignment with the darker side of the Mario universe.
In response to inquiries from intrigued fans in the Instagram comments, Aoki shed light on Wapeach’s origins. He revealed that the concept of Wapeach, or Warupeachi, was initially conceived during the development of “Mario Tennis” for the Nintendo 64. However, her design was fully realized during the development of “Mario Power Tennis,” a game co-developed by Nintendo and Camelot. Interestingly, despite her intriguing design and concept, Wapeach never made an appearance in any Mario sports game, leaving fans to wonder about her potential role in the Mario universe.
Nintendo’s stance on character relationships
The revelation of Wapeach brings to mind Nintendo’s historical stance on character relationships in the Mario series. In a 2000 interview with Nintendo Power, Camelot president Hiroyuki Takahashi discussed the concept of creating girlfriends for characters like Wario and Luigi. However, he revealed that Nintendo’s legendary game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, was not keen on exploring these character relationships. Mr. Miyamoto expressed his disinterest in introducing love interests or girlfriends for these iconic characters, suggesting that their adventures were the primary focus.
Speculation and fan reactions
The unveiling of Wapeach has ignited speculation and excitement within the Mario gaming community. Fans are pondering what role she might have played if she had been included in a Mario title. Some are even speculating on potential storylines and interactions with other characters in the Mario universe. The allure of an evil counterpart to Princess Peach has captured the imaginations of fans, sparking discussions across social media platforms.
Fumihide Aoki’s revelation of Wapeach, the mysterious and never-before-seen character in the Mario universe, has provided an intriguing glimpse into the creative process behind character design at Nintendo and Camelot. While Wapeach may have remained hidden in the archives of game development, her emergence on social media has reignited curiosity and excitement among fans. The story of Wapeach serves as a reminder of the rich and diverse world of characters that exist within the Mario franchise, even those that never made it into the spotlight. As fans continue to celebrate the legacy of this iconic gaming series, the possibility of discovering more hidden gems like Wapeach keeps the excitement alive in the gaming community.
