Does Mario have 2 brothers?

As one of gaming‘s most iconic characters, many fans know Mario has a twin brother in the beloved Luigi. But did you know there is another, far more mysterious third Mario brother named Guiseppe?

Mario and Luigi – Gaming‘s Famous Duo Since 1983

Mario first burst onto the scene in 1981‘s Donkey Kong arcade game. But it was 1983‘s Mario Bros. arcade classic that introduced his twin brother and longtime player 2 – the taller, leaner Luigi. Wearing his trademark green hat and shirt, Luigi would go on to appear alongside Mario in most mainstream Mario games over the following decades.

In fact, according to Mario franchise sales data, Luigi has made appearances in over 200 games with his brother:

The 1983 arcade game that debuted Luigi was also the first time gamers could play as Mario‘s pixelated twin brother. It established Luigi as Player 2 from the very beginning – a role he would fill in many subsequent 2D, side-scrolling adventures.

Even after the Super Mario series shifted to 3D gaming with 1996‘s influential Super Mario 64, Luigi was initially left out completely before returning as the secondary Player 2 option in later Super Mario releases.

The Green Machine Steps into a Starring Role

Despite often being relegated to backing up Mario, Luigi has stepped into the solo spotlight over the years in titles like Luigi‘s Mansion and the Mario & Luigi RPG series. While Mario remains Nintendo‘s mascot, Luigi‘s passionate fanbase – who have dubbed him "the king of second bananas" – have been clamoring for more leading roles for Mario‘s lanky twin.

And for good reason – Luigi brings a unique personality and playstyle that balances out his brother‘s. Various Nintendo designers over the years have described Luigi as taller, thinner, younger, more timid, clumsy, and fearful than Mario. Fans affectionately refer to him as the "cowardly hero" – he may tremble with fear, but he still steps up when it counts!

Whereas Mario charges head-first into adventure and heroics, Luigi cautiously follows behind, but ultimately rises to any challenge. This dynamic is portrayed wonderfully in the Mario & Luigi games, where the brothers use their contrasting personalities and abilities to solve puzzles and defeat enemies through witty banter and combined attacks.

But off the battlefield, Mario and his Player 2 share a loving fraternal bond. As Shigeru Miyamoto himself has said: "the Luigi character is the one who seems to bring Mario back down to Earth a lot of times. And I think that‘s his role – to offer a good counterpoint to the Mario character."

Guiseppe – Mario Brother #3 Makes His One Appearance

So we‘ve covered the two famous Mario Bros – but what about the third, far more mysterious brother named Guiseppe? Well, strap yourself in, because his story is quite the wild ride!

Guiseppe comes from the 1989 Nintendo Comics System series, where American translators gave Mario and Luigi the last names "Mario" and cast them as Italian-American plumbers from Brooklyn.

In the story "Regular Guiseppe, The Third Mario Bro." we meet the third Mario sibling Guiseppe "GP" Mario. Living a normal life running a grocery store in Brooklyn, he is surprised when Mario and Luigi get stuck coming out of a sewer pipe and pull him into an adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom.

After this original appearance, Guiseppe faded back into obscurity. Fans have speculated that perhaps the comics wanted another brother to create a third player option. Others guess Guiseppe turned down the adventuring lifestyle to run his store.

Regardless, the mystery third Mario brother offers some interesting "what ifs!" Imagine if GP joined Mario and Luigi on their quests – what unique abilities might he have? Could there be even more Mario family members out there? Well according to the manga Super Mario-Kun…

Wait, ANOTHER Mario Sibling?!

That‘s right – yet one more potential Mario relative exists thanks to the Super Mario-Kun manga series! Running from 1991 to 2016 with 42 volumes published, Super Mario-Kun offered a comedic, alternate take on various Mario games.

Several volumes in, Mario rescues a young girl named Nario who claims to be his little sister! Details on her exact relationship to the Bros is unclear. Some fans think the manga creators simply wanted a female sibling character not bound to the damsel stereotype like Peach.

But between Guiseppe and Nario, it makes you wonder – why does Mario have all these secret siblings?! Perhaps Nintendo wanted to establish Mario, Luigi and friends as a little universe of characters who might be interconnected through family ties. Or maybe they just think more Marios equals more fun!

Luigi‘s Close Ties with Princess Daisy

Let‘s get back to that lovable green-loving scaredy cat, Luigi. Now while the jury may still be out on whether Mario has more hidden siblings, we know one special relationship Luigi does possess – the blossoming romance with Princess Daisy!

Debuting in the Game Boy launch title Super Mario Land, the flower princess Daisy has been Luigi‘s presumed love interest for over 3 decades now. Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself has playfully pitched the idea of a future game focused on their pairing called Super Luigi Bros!

While Mario spent the early years rescuing Peach, fans noticed Luigi and Daisy already bonding on the golf courses and baseball fields of Nintendo‘s sports spin-off titles. Much like Mario and Peach represent powerful allegorical symbols – the heroic everyman rescuing the "princess in another castle" – Luigi and Daisy resonate as the sweeter, more innocent romance hiding in Mario‘s shadow.

And don‘t let Daisy‘s sweetness fool you – she can dish out punishment with the best brawlers in the Mushroom Kingdom! Between Daisy‘s own tomboyish bravery and Luigi‘s cautious heroism, the two make quite the Battle Couple and power pair.

So while the story of Luigi and Daisy‘s future remains unwritten, their prospects seem as bright as Twin Suns in the Super Mario Galaxy!

The Bros Who Jump Together, Stay Together!

Well there you have it friends – not only does Mario have his two player twin brother Luigi, but perhaps a whole family of other siblings out there as well! And we didn‘t even get a chance to dive into their supposed extended Mushroom Kingdom family with Papa Mario and Mama Mario.

But whether it‘s the core Bros duo or a whole family troupe, Mario and Luigi will undoubtedly continue leaping into adventure side-by-side for years to come! Because as any fan knows, these two exemplify the ultimate spirit of brothers – very different people who don‘t always see eye to eye, but who will travel to the end of the world and back for each other.

Now if you‘ll excuse me, I‘m off to play some Mario Party Superstars with my own siblings! And like Mario and Luigi, we‘ll be sure to high five at the end win or lose! Thanks for reading and watching these bros from Brooklyn continue to surprise us after all these years. Keep your eyes here for the next inevitable Legend of Zelda crossover starring everyone‘s favorite mustachioed heroes!