In our “People” series, we occasionally talk to people who have made their mark on the world of video games. After legends like Warren Spector or creators like 8bit People, today we’re especially pleased to live up to our reputation as a somewhat elite gaming website of academics with our next interviewee. Dr. Peach is not only a leading physician, but also a welcome guest in aristocratic circles. We are delighted that she was able to take the time to answer our questions.
Wall Jump: Dear Mrs. Peach, or Mrs. von Toadstool… how may we actually formally refer to you?
Dr. Peach: Dr. Peach is quite sufficient, thank you for asking!
Wall Jump: As the girlfriend of Mario…
Dr. Peach: Well, that’s off to a fine start! As you should have realized with the princess at the start, but with the doctor at the latest, I’m much more than a friend of Mario.
Wall Jump: Excuse me, but our readers are just very interested in knowing about your relationship with Mario….
Dr. Peach (lightly pricked): Fundamentally, my relationship with Mario is my personal life. But I’ll make this clear once and for all right now: Mario and I have had a friendly relationship for many years. A relationship that has gone through all kinds of ups and downs, which was certainly also characterized by different interests in between. But also a relationship in which both parties can rely on each other. Everything else is material for the tabloids, but hopefully not for journalistic offerings like yours.
A clear yes looks different
Wall Jump: Well, if you put it that way, of course you’re right. Dr. Peach, as a leading physician in the Mushroom Kingdom, you have been involved in virus research for some time. What made you want to pursue this career?
Dr. Peach: As a princess, I was born into a responsibility, to the Toads, but also to myself, of course. I have strived for years to live up to this responsibility, and have especially excelled at charity events such as last year’s Origami Festival. But in all these years, it has always been clear to me that each of us must do more, especially at a time when our own kingdom is being shaken by constant crises.
Wall Jump: Are you talking about the regular attacks on your citizens by the fiend Bowser and his henchmen?
Dr. Peach: Oh, that, yes, the Toads, of course. But most importantly, have you ever noticed that the attacks are directed not so much against the people as against my commonly cherished cake invitations? It has simply become impossible for me to simply invite people to a cake party in privacy. For a lady of the court, of course, a world collapses.
With her love for cakes, Peach built a people-pleasing image for herself
Wall Jump: So… yes… as a medical professional….
Dr. Peach: And then it doesn’t get any easier with the current media landscape! In the past, people like yourself were full of praise for our sports charities. At tennis, golf and motor sports tournaments, the coin blocks are just bursting, if you know what I mean. But despite the good cause, we’ve been getting more and more bad press there, too, unfortunately. Admittedly, the criticism for our basketball event was justified. It simply wasn’t fun for anyone. However, recently there were also completely undeserved side blows against the organization and execution of the golf championships. Even if you plan all of this for purely altruistic motives, somewhere along these lines the motivation is simply gone.
Wall Jump: Dr. Peach, I understand your allusion, and I can assure you that the article about Toad’s role as a golf referee has caused heated arguments in the Wall Jump editorial team as well.
Dr. Peach: Mr. Gildemeister won’t be getting any more cake in the Mushroom Kingdom any time soon, at least, you can tell him that. But now, please let us return to my career as a leading virologist.
The charity tournaments were reserved for prominent donors only
Wall Jump: With pleasure! In recent months, virologists have become the stars of the medical world and beyond in the context of the Corona debate….
Dr. Peach: True! True!
Wall Jump:…and provide us with the necessary knowledge about the pandemic. How do you assess the current status of the Corona response?
Dr. Peach: According to the latest research, we have arrived in world 11, level 487. The pandemic level here is generally defined as “difficult”.
Wall Jump: Can you illustrate this a bit for the non-professional?
Dr. Peach: The virus has mutated. It is clever. Sometimes it hides behind cotton balls, sometimes behind locks for which doctors first have to find the right keys. And these are often only available if certain coins have been dissolved beforehand.
Wall Jump: Locks…? Coins…?
Dr. Peach: We only have a certain number of attempts to line up the blue, red and, last but not least, the yellow bacteria. Always three. Same color. Otherwise they won’t dissolve! Unless they have a rainbow pill. That immediately helps against the virus. Alternatively, of course, you can just burn it away, but such archaic methods are more likely to be found in the alternative medicine of Dr. Fire Rosalina. Not with me!
Wall Jump: We don’t want to offend you, but our knowledge of Corona is a little different now. The current vaccines from…
Dr. Peach: I am also skeptical as to why very inexperienced colleagues like Dr. Baby Luigi have been granted a treatment license. Or Dr. Bowser Junior. The young gentleman not only lacks training, his very quick-tempered attitude stands in the way of holistic treatment. Because real healing is not only in the body, but also in the soul! And I am explicitly not talking about Dr. Boo here.
Will Dr. Goomba Tower be stripped of his title again?
Wall Jump: Boo has a doctor’ s degree? Isn’t it also questionable that even Dr. Goomba Tower is allowed to operate officially? I mean… that’s a tower! Made of three gumbas! In a doctor’s coat! Apparently, any bob-omb can get a PhD! What’s a title like that worth, anyway?
Dr. Peach: What a nerve! I’m not going to let some online intern like you talk me down about my title. This interview is hereby concluded.
Wall Jump: Thank you for the interview, Dr. Peach.
Dr. Peach: For you it’ s still Princess Peach.
Dr. Mario World brought the puzzle series already known from the NES to smartphones in 2019. Since then, the author of this text has not only solved countless levels and dreamt of falling pills at night, he has also critically examined the career paths of the doctors in the game.
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