Nintendo has put Super Mario in the friend zone as it pertains to his relationship with Princess Peach.
The longtime video game companions and purported love interests have been together since the famous game's inception, but a recent statement from Nintendo might've shut down the pair's chances at love.
"Princess Peach and Mario are good friends and help each other out whenever they can," read a statement about the characters on the Nintendo Today app.
The news shocked Super Mario fans, who thought the characters were a legitimate romantic couple all this time.
While many reacted to the news with confusion and disappointment, one fan claimed that one online Nintendo source says in Japanese that "Mario says he loves Peach."
Going on they added: "I don't know why NOA censors this about Mario and Peach, but in Japanese it is more than clear that Peach and Mario are more than friends."
One fan who saw this, reposted it on X, writing: "It’s true. Mario does love Princess Peach. They are more than friends. I like that lore better."
You can see more reactions below:
In a 2022 interview with Variety, the game's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, hinted that Princess Peach has always been single, saying that the character was created as a "damsel in distress who is rescued by Mario for a while." "But we wanted to make her a playable character and a more powerful princess,” he added.
Miyamoto added that he "pushed" the idea "even further" for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in which she's depicted as confident in protecting the Mushroom Kingdom.
Over 40 years, Princess Peach's rescuer has been Mario, who's saved her from his arch nemesis Bowser multiple times throughout the video game franchise.
ComplexCon returns to Las Vegas on October 25–26, 2025, with over 300 brands and live performances by Young Thug, YEAT & Friends, Peso Pluma, Central Cee, Ken Carson, and more. Get your tickets now.
