There is nothing better than seeing your favorite video game characters in love. Here are a few curiosities about their relationships:

Mario and Peach

Back in 2006’s Yoshi Island DS, it’s revealed that Mario and Peach had been friends since childhood. Mario would be a fool to think that meant anything more than helping out a friend in need. Peach isn’t a prize to be won. But there’s obviously something there.
Mainly, the problem has always been that Mario and Peach have never taken a moment to think about what they are to each other. Like many couples, they’re stuck in a cycle, one that’s been recycled time and again. Peach needs help and Mario comes running.

According to 1985’s Super Mario Bros,  the reason Bowser kidnapped Peach wasn’t because of anything creepy, but because her white magic is the only thing that can undo the chaos he’s reaped all across the Mushroom Kingdom.

It’s unlikely that Mario, a mortal plumber who requires power-ups to obtain any sort of supernatural power of his own, could handle a relationship with the elemental powerhouse that is Princess Peach.

You thought Harry and Megan had it hard? In 2005’s Super Princess Peach, the royal highness drowns enemies with her own tears.

Luigi and Daisy

These two have also been quietly cultivating a romance in the background. Over the years, Nintendo’s offered only mere glimpses into Luigi and Daisy’s relationship that some players may not have noticed. We are convinced that Daisy’s first appearance ever, 1989’s Super Mario Land, may not be remembered by young players. Also, something many did not know till now: Daisy met Mario first.

Daisy’s second appearance, and her first alongside Luigi, was in 1991, but this first meeting was anything but romantic. Daisy is only briefly in the game as Luigi’s caddy. She would go on to be a playable character in the majority of Mario’s sports spin-offs, but she wouldn’t appear in another game until 9 years later.

The Witcher: Love triangle

If you’ve just started with The Witcher 3, and skipped over 1 and 2, it’s easy to get confused about Geralt’s love life. Here is a little more information about Yennefer, Triss, and the relationship between these leading ladies.

Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship goes back to the books written by Andrzej Sapkowski. During their travels, Geralt and his friend Dandelion came to a lake and while fishing, Dandelion accidentally found and released a genie. It was during this process that Dandelion was badly injured and that’s how Geralt meets Yennefer: she is the sorceress they need to heal his friend.

Lots went down and in the process of curing Dandelion, Yennefer’s life became at risk. Geralt used his last wish to save her life. This wish somehow linked Geralt and Yennefer’s destinies together.

This began the on-again-off-again relationship between the two, with periods of profound passion mixed with times of apprehension and distrust. Although it’s clear Geralt loves Yennefer – Yen to him – she often questions if her feelings are truly her own or if their bond is only so strong due to Geralt’s final wish.

In this equation enters Triss, another sorceress and an important thing to remember is that Triss and Yennefer have known each other far longer than either of the two have known Geralt. They share a bond akin to sisterhood. Despite Geralt impeding upon that friendship, it was there before he was and it will remain in the future.

In The Witcher 3, it is up to you, as the player impersonating Geralt, to decide who to romance further.

Life is Strange: Max and Chloe

Life is Strange insinuates that there is something more than friendship between the main characters Max and Chloe. Some choices allowed you to superficially explore that intimacy, but it was never addressed narratively, something that was quite frustrating for players.

In Life is Strange we enjoyed seeing the relationship between the two teenage protagonists Max and Chloe blossom. Their connection is magnetic, and we often felt a spark between them. In one scene, you have the choice to let Max kiss Chloe. In another, they swim in an indoor pool at night, speaking earnestly about the positive influence they have on one another. While those moments were treasured by many players, others kept waiting and hoping for this intimacy to progress – but it never did.

The episodic prequel to Life is Strange, Before The Storm, is also a choice-driven experience. Your decisions have consequences, and other characters react to your actions. However, this prequel leaves the prior game’s romantic ambiguity behind. By chronicling the events before Chloe meets Max, we get an intimate look at Chloe’s budding relationship with Rachel.

These are only some of the epic love stories you will live thanks to video games. Get to know the characters, their dreams and their strongest desires to become part of their story.