Editing The Castle of Thorns

|boss=[[Yami no Kyodai Ibara]]

|after=[[Ninjutsu: The Art of Rapids|{{ruby|>>|Ninja}}]] [[Cowgirl in the Wilderness|{{ruby|>>|Cowgirl}}]] [[Welcome to the Festival of Sweets|{{ruby|>>|Patissiere}}]]

'''The Castle of Thorns''' is the first level in ''[[Princess Peach: Showtime!]]'', located on the far left in the first floor of the [[Sparkle Theater]]. Along with having the overall game's primary controls being introduced to the player during this stage's playthrough, the [[Swordfighter Peach|Swordfighter]] transformation is introduced as well.

Peach will climb up a spiral pathway that leads to the castle with Sour Bunch members attempting to attack Peach along with thorns blocking the path. As she progresses to the top, she will see the king in distress with a Sour Bunch holding him captive. Approaching the castle will result the stage to turn, revealing the [[Yami no Kyodai Ibara]] in its arena, as the first boss fight. During battle, while it summons thorn attacks, Peach must damage its three-dimensional thorns. This will result the plant to hit its head to the ground, sending a wave shaped like a circle where Peach must dodge and stomp the thorn plant, then repeatedly attack consecutively until it is defeated. If it recovers, Peach can repeat the process to leave the Yami no Kyodai Ibara vulnerable to her attacks. Upon its defeat, it will break into pieces and disappear along with the thorns reverting the castle to revert to its normal state. Peach automatically obtains the Sparkle Gem and the stage is completed.

==Sparkle Gems==

[[Sparkle Gem]]s marked with an asterisk ⁽*⁾ will always be obtained during regular gameplay.

 

|At the end of the first section, [[Peach]] will encounter a group of enemies, each guarding an inactive flower-shaped projector. Regardless of whether or not the enemies are defeated beforehand, Peach can use [[Sparkle]] on the projectors to turn them on and make them light up the back wall, with all projectors revealing a curtained passage to the next section. As the passage appears, a Sparkle Gem will appear shortly after in the center of the section for Peach to get.*

|In the second section, near the [[Ribboner]]'s room.

|At the end of the second section, after blooming the small flowers next to a [[Theet]].

|After defeating parts of the [[Sour Bunch]] and some thorns after becoming [[Swordfighter Peach]] in the third section.

|After cutting the thorns at the end of the third section.*

|[[File:PPS! The Castle of Thorns 6th SG.png|150px]]

|After defeating the Sour Bunch ambush in the fourth section.*

|In the fourth section, at the top of the staircase, the player can press {{button|switch|ZL}} or {{button|switch|ZR}} to pose into a [[sub-area]]. Here, Peach fights another ambush to obtain this Sparkle Gem.

|[[File:PPS! The Castle of Thorns 8th SG.png|150px]]

|In the fourth section after winning the cage match. The enemy's weak point is shown after successfully dodging the shockwave by jumping with {{button|switch|A}} and some attacks to defeat it.*

|In the fifth section on a platform guarded by three Sour Bunch members.

|Beating the [[Yami no Kyodai Ibara]] boss.*

'''Swordfighter Dress''': [[Ribboner]] is found inside a gate leading into a sub-area in the second section. The [[Dress ribbon|ribbon]] is awarded after using [[Sparkle]] on six trees to make them bloom.

 

*Help request: ''"The flowers used to bloom here..."''

==Postgame hidden [[Ninja (Princess Peach: Showtime!)|Ninja]] [[Theet]]s==

All three of the hidden Ninja Theets are found before the Swordfighter transformation.

 

|Found in front of a door to a house not far into the stage.

|Found in front of a roof in the section where Peach uses boxes to climb up, where two Sour Bunch members jump to each side of Peach.

|Found in front of a vine close to stairs, soon after a Theet and a Sour Bunch minion chase each other through two broken windows.

PPS Act I Trailer Screenshot 5.png|Swordfighter Peach versus Yami no Kyodai Ibara

|Jpn={{ruby|剣士|けんし}}といばらの{{ruby|城|しろ}}<ref name=ingame>In-game name.</ref>

|JpnR=Kenshi to Ibara no Shiro

|JpnM=Swordsman and Castle of Thorns

|ChiS=剑士与荆棘的城堡<ref name=ingame/>

|ChiT=劍士與荊棘的城堡<ref name=ingame/>

|Dut=Het doornenkasteel<ref name=ingame/>

|Fre=Le château des ronces<ref name=ingame/>

|Ger=Das Dornenschloss<ref name=ingame/>

|Ita=Il castello dei rovi<ref name=ingame/>

|Kor=검사와 가시덩굴의 성<ref name=ingame/>

|KorR=Geomsawa gasideonggul'ui seong

|KorM=Swordsman and Castle of Thorns

|Por=O Castelo e os Espinhos<ref name=ingame/>

|Rus=Замок в колючих плетях<ref name=ingame/>

|RusR=Zamok v kol'yuchikh pl'yetyah

|RusM=The castle of thorns

|Spa=El castillo de espinas<ref name=ingame/>