Does Luigi Prefer the Love of Princess Peach or Princess Daisy?

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a devoted Mario fan analyzing this franchise for over 20 years, I‘ve done deep dives into the hints, lore and subtle dynamics between Luigi, Peach and Daisy. After countless hours down the rabbit hole, here‘s my take on where the evidence points for Luigi‘s romantic leanings between Mario‘s perennial rescue crush and Sarasaland‘s fiery tomboy princess.

The Short Answer: Daisy is canonically portrayed as Luigi‘s romantic partner, while Peach is strictly Mario‘s love interest. But some intriguing moments potentially reveal more complicated feelings from Luigi towards both princesses.

History Points Towards Daisy As Luigi‘s Chosen Sweetheart

Ever since her debut in Mario Golf, Daisy has been depicted in a way signaling Nintendo‘s intention to establish her as Luigi‘s own royal love interest, contrasting Mario and Peach‘s classic couple dynamic. Let‘s analyze how strong the case is of Daisy being Luigi‘s canonical sweetheart:

  • Mario Tennis (2000) – The first time Daisy is playable in a game, she is Luigi‘s assigned Doubles partner, foreshadowing their coupledom.

  • SSBM Trophy Description (2001) – Daisy‘s trophy unveils she is "portrayed as Luigi‘s answer to Mario‘s Peach" in a rare official acknowledgement.

  • Mario Party 4 Manual (2002) – The manual says "both [Luigi and Waluigi] have crushes on Daisy." Waluigi‘s attraction toward Daisy gets referenced in later tennis games too.

  • Yakuman DS Manual (2005) – The Japanese mahjong game pairs each Mario character with a standard mahjong tile suit, assigning Luigi and Daisy to the same suit.

  • Mario Superstar Baseball (2005) – Daisy makes her first playable appearance in a mainline Mario game for the Gamecube installment of the Mario Baseball sub-series, perhaps hinting she is being promoted to love interest status.

  • Mario Strikers Charged (2007) – In Daisy‘s victory celebration, she blows a kiss with hearts towards the screen.

  • Official Website Profiles – Both the 2005 Hands-on Mario Party Site and the 2008 Play Nintendo Site label Daisy explicitly as Luigi‘s "rumored love interest."

The pattern is clear here – nearly every game or piece of media Daisy has had a major role in over the past 20 years has taken the opportunity to link her romantically with Luigi. While never outright confirmed in-game, it sends a strong and remarkably consistent message where Nintendo‘s intentions lie in her serving as Luigi‘s close companion.

But Could Peach Have Caught Luigi‘s Eye Too? Analyzing the Clues

However, a deep dive may reveal signs Luigi harbors some attraction toward Princess Peach as well at certain times:

  • In Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (2004), after Mario‘s identity is stolen by the villainous Shadow Queen, Luigi actually steps in and proposes to Peach pretending to be Mario. While this is likely out of pure desperation to defeat the Shadow Queen, could it suggest some genuine underlying affection driving Luigi too?

  • Mario Power Tennis (2004) shows Luigi with visible hearts above him watching Peach‘s victory celebration, one of the few solid visual indicators of his lovestruck emotions emerging:

Luigi Power Tennis Peach

  • Luigi has risked life and limb alongside his brother in countless adventures over 30+ years to save Princess Peach from Bowser‘s clutches. Does he potentially harbor some unspoken feelings for her too deep down? Or is he merely committed out of principle to support his brother‘s love quest?

There remains a grain of truth that we cannot fully rule out some degree of admiration or passion from Luigi towards the iconic worldwide-cherished Princess Peach as well. Yet when weighing the full balance of evidence, his canonical love interest shaped by Nintendo over decades of games remains Princess Daisy.

Why Does Nintendo Establish Luigi and Daisy As the Secondary Couple?

Analyzing the personalities and roles of Luigi and Daisy shows why pairing these characters as a complementary romance to Mario/Peach just clicks:

  • Bold and Brash, Timid and Tentative – The boisterous, energetic Daisy contrasts wonderfully with the more awkward, unsure Luigi. Her forwardness helps draw Luigi out of his shell.

  • Tomboy and Coward – Daisy loves sports, rough-and-tumble games and isn‘t afraid to get dirty. This adventurous tomboy spirit differs from the classic girly-girl archetype of Peach. While Luigi is no true coward, Daisy‘s daring encourages Luigi to overcome his fears.

  • Two Players Who Rarely Get Top Billing – Luigi often lingers in Mario‘s shadow struggling to escape Player 2 sidekick status, despite a swelling fanbase rooting for him. Daisy too faded into obscurity after debuting in Mario Land before her modern revival. Bringing this duo together into the spotlight feels like poetic justice.

Peach will forever remain Mario‘s one and only. Her repeated kidnappings practically necessitate that Mario has a sly romantic motivation underlying each rescue mission to save his perennial love interest. And the player themselves perhaps harbors some desire to "win the girl" having spent 30 years controlling Mario through his quests to reunite with Peach.

Meanwhile, the Luigi/Daisy dynamic explores relationships from a refreshing alternate angle with Nintendo‘s popular mascot cast. It serves as a nice complementary romance to the central Mario/Peach love story that‘s thrilled gamers for decades.

Given the mountain of evidence about how Nintendo games, media, and promotional material have directly framed Daisy and Luigi as love interests across 20+ years of Mario history, she stands as Luigi‘s clearly intended gameplay partner and romantic storyline crush.

However, Peach cannot be fully ruled out as also commanding some portion of Luigi‘s heart. Even if those feelings are one-directional or merely lingering shallow infatuation, Luigi helping his brother endlessly quest to rescue Peach shows that on some level she matters dearly to him too.

We may never gain full closure or a definitive answer directly from Nintendo on these burning questions about Luigi‘s love triangle. But that allows fans to have fun debating the subtleties of gossip around Mario character relationships for many years to come!

So what do you think – Does our green-capped hero truly prefer the company of Sarasaland‘s sun-kissed Daisy, or might he still carry a torch for the iconic fair pink Princess Peach as well? Which femme do you think Luigi would choose for the ultimate dance partner? Let me know in the comments!

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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