Is Peach Luigi‘s Girlfriend? No, But They‘re Close Friends

While Princess Peach is not currently in a romantic relationship with Luigi, some fans have speculated about potential affection between the two Nintendo icons. As Mario‘s longtime love interest and Luigi‘s close friend since childhood, Peach and Luigi share a special bond rooted in adventure and trust.

Let‘s explore what we know about their history, analyze a few flirtatious moments, and ultimately conclude why Peach seems destined for Mario while Luigi enjoys a committed partnership with Princess Daisy.

A History of Heroics and Hints

Luigi has bravely assisted Mario in saving Peach from Bowser‘s villainous kidnapping schemes since his debut in the Mario Bros. arcade game in 1983. Alongside Mario, he has loyally defended Peach‘s Mushroom Kingdom against enemies over decades of quests.

As this timeline shows, while there‘s been no explicit romance, Peach and Luigi have regularly interacted as heroic teammates, sporting competitors, and faithful kingdom protectors.

Next, we‘ll analyze some of their more subtly flirtatious exchanges over the years.

Flirty Friends or Soulmates? Analyzing the Evidence

Several moments throughout Mario franchise history have led fans to wonder – could there be some secret chemistry bubbling beneath the surface between Princess Peach and her courageous companion Luigi?

In Mario Power Tennis (2004), Luigi is shown blatantly checking out Peach during her victory scene. He smiles goofily until Mario interrupts his gawking. While seemingly just humorous filler, this break in Luigi‘s normally reserved persona sparked debate.

Another point of speculation comes from the official 1998 Mario Kart 64 strategy guide. In the player profiles section describing Luigi, the guide reads "Luigi has a major crush on Princess Peach". It‘s uncertain whether this was an official canon reference or merely the guide author‘s personal interpretation. Nonetheless, it added fuel to the speculative fire.

Fast forward back to modern times with 2021‘s Mario Golf: Super Rush. After matches, players can view humorous biographical info cards on each character. Peach‘s states:

"Plays golf with Luigi when Mario‘s away on kart races."

Once again, not necessarily evidence of true love between the Mushroom Kingdom comrades, but it keeps the idea of them spending special one-on-one time together very much alive in fans‘ imagination.

Yet as we‘ll cover next, when looking at the overall weight of evidence in the Mario series, Peach revealing her true feelings exclusively for Mario seems to be the best supported conclusion.

Friends, Not Lovers: Where the Heart Truly Lies

While Peach hasn‘t explicitly shattered Luigi‘s hopes and dreams on screen by flat out rejecting his romantic interest, all observable clues point to where here primary affections truly lie – with Mario.

Looking at the main Super Mario games where Peach plays a central role, she waits faithfully to be rescued by Mario, directing thanks and celebratory gestures his way. Mario Kart and sports games generally show her cheering on Mario over Luigi as well.

In contrast, Luigi appears to have happily moved on to a committed relationship with the spunky tomboy, Princess Daisy of Sarasaland. Official profiles reference Daisy as Luigi‘s "special one". And the vibrant couple have been showcased as a pair since Mario Tennis in 2000.

Analyzing key moments for both couples makes it clear that Mario x Peach and Luigi x Daisy are the proper partnerships:

• Mario Odyssey Wedding Proposal – Mario tries tying the knot with Peach, his one true love, while in contrast Peach doesn‘t even reference Luigi.
• Double Dash!! Special Item – Mario and Peach‘s special item is a giant heart, while Luigi and Daisy get a flower. Symbolizing their romantic bonds.
• Valentine‘s Day Art – Official Valentine‘s artwork across social media frequently spotlights Mario & Peach vs Luigi & Daisy as established pairs.

So while we can‘t fully rule out some deeper dormant feelings between them, the evidence overwhelmingly supports Peach and Luigi remaining mutually devoted best friends rather than romantic partners.

The Heartwarming Friendship Continues

Looking back on nearly 40 years worth of adventures, gameplay, and marketing across the hit Nintendo franchise, it‘s clear Princess Peach‘s primary affection rests with Mario. Likewise, Luigi has embraced the spirited Princess Daisy of Sarasaland as his designated soulmate.

But the special lifelong bond Peach and Luigi share as courageous kingdom defenders remains integral throughout the story. They‘ve supported each other as trusted comrades, golf buddies, and perhaps most importantly best friends ever since fate brought the trio together decades ago to save the Mushroom Kingdom.

So while Peach is certainly not Luigi‘s secret girlfriend, that doesn‘t diminish the treasured friendship they‘ve built while spending their lives fighting evil, playing sports, and celebrating together alongside Mario and their expanded cast of wacky companions.