Nintendo plays it safe. Usually. For decades, the Mario franchise has operated on a "will-they-won-t-they" dynamic that makes high school romances look fast-paced. We see Mario and Peach swap glances or maybe a peck on the cheek after a grueling castle raid, but it’s all very PG. Then there’s Luigi. Poor, shaky, often-overlooked Luigi. For years, fans have obsessed over the specific chemistry between the green-clad plumber and Sarasa Land’s own Princess Daisy. People constantly search for a Luigi and Daisy kiss, hoping to find that one definitive cinematic that proves they’re the series' most stable couple.
But here is the reality: finding an actual, full-on, lip-to-lip Luigi and Daisy kiss in an official Nintendo game is like hunting for a shiny Pokémon in the wild without a Lure. It basically doesn’t happen the way you’d expect.
While the internet is flooded with fan art and "shipping" videos that look incredibly real, Nintendo keeps their actual interactions subtle. They’ve been "official" in the eyes of the fans since 1989, yet the Big N keeps the physical affection under lock and key. It’s a weirdly fascinating case of brand management versus fan expectation.
The closest we ever got to a real Luigi and Daisy kiss
If you’re looking for the "smoking gun," you have to go back to the GameCube era. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is the holy grail for this specific fandom. When Luigi hits a "Nice Shot" or performs well, Daisy is often there to cheer him on. In some animations, she’ll even shout, "Sweetie!" or "Hey, Luigi!" It sounds small, but in the sterile world of Mushroom Kingdom politics, that's practically a marriage proposal.
The most cited "kiss" isn't even a kiss at all—it's a celebration. In Mario Power Tennis, if Daisy wins a trophy, she hops around and leans toward Luigi. The camera angle is tricky. It looks intimate. It feels real. But if you frame-by-frame it, she’s mostly just being her high-energy, tomboyish self. Honestly, that’s the charm of their relationship. While Mario and Peach are stuck in a cycle of kidnapping and cake, Luigi and Daisy feel like a real couple that actually hangs out at the sports bar after a match.
There is also the iconic statue in Mario Kart Wii. On the Daisy Circuit track, you can see a massive golden statue of the two of them dancing together. They aren’t kissing there either—they’re holding hands and posing. It’s the ultimate "soft launch" of a relationship. Nintendo is telling us they are together without having to animate the actual logistics of a mustache getting in the way of a royal smooch.
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Why the "Mario Movie" changed the conversation
When the Super Mario Bros. Movie dropped in 2023, everyone waited for Daisy. She didn't show up. Not really. But the movie’s success reignited the fire. Fans started wondering: if a sequel happens, will we finally see a Luigi and Daisy kiss on the big screen?
Illumination (the studio behind the movie) isn't as conservative as Nintendo’s internal dev teams. They like romance. They like jokes. They like emotional payoffs. If Daisy is introduced as the ruler of Sarasa Land in a sequel, the dynamic would likely be Luigi falling head-over-heels for her bravery. It would be a massive "Discover" moment for Google. Imagine the headlines. The internet would melt.
The mustache problem (Seriously)
Have you ever looked at Luigi’s mustache? It’s thick. It’s bushy. It covers his entire upper lip. From a technical animation standpoint, a Luigi and Daisy kiss is a nightmare. This is a real thing animators talk about. To make a kiss look "right" in 3D modeling, you have to deal with collision detection. If Luigi leans in, that 3D mustache mesh is going to clip right through Daisy’s face.
Nintendo prides itself on polish. They don’t want awkward clipping. This is why most "kisses" in Mario games are represented by a "mwah" sound effect and a heart emoji appearing over their heads. It’s a clever way to avoid the technical hurdle of animating facial hair physics during a romantic moment.
Misconceptions about their "Official" status
A lot of people think Luigi and Daisy are just "friends" because they haven't had a big wedding scene. That’s wrong. In the official Mario Party 4 guide, their team name is "Steady Sweeties." You don't call someone your steady sweetie if you're just grabbing coffee.
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- Evidence 1: The "Steady Sweeties" moniker in Mario Party.
- Evidence 2: Daisy is the only person who can make Luigi stop shaking in certain spin-off games.
- Evidence 3: The golden statue in Mario Kart Wii is literally a monument to their bond.
- Evidence 4: In Fortune Street, Daisy’s dialogue toward Luigi is significantly more affectionate than it is toward Mario or Wario.
Despite all this, the actual Luigi and Daisy kiss remains the "Bigfoot" of Nintendo lore. You hear about it. You see blurry screenshots (usually from mods or fan-made Smash Bros. skins). But you never quite catch it in the wild.
The Sarasa Land connection
We have to talk about Super Mario Land. That was Daisy’s debut. Mario saved her. Not Luigi. This is the origin of the confusion. Some people think Daisy belongs with Mario, but the chemistry just isn't there. Mario is a professional. He saves princesses. That's his job. Luigi, however, seems to have a genuine, soul-level connection with Daisy.
Daisy is loud. Luigi is quiet.
Daisy is brave. Luigi is... trying his best.
It’s the classic "opposites attract" trope that keeps the community obsessed with seeing them finally have that big romantic payoff.
How to actually see a Luigi and Daisy kiss (The "Modding" Scene)
If you are tired of waiting for Nintendo to make it canon, the fan community has already done the work. If you look at the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate modding scene, there are custom victory animations where characters interact differently. Creators have spent hundreds of hours custom-animating a Luigi and Daisy kiss to satisfy the itch that the official games leave unscratched.
These aren't just "pixels moving." Some of these animations are high-fidelity, using the official character models. It's weirdly wholesome. You have these talented artists filling in the gaps of a story Nintendo has been telling since the late 80s.
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The impact on the "Discover" feed
Why does this topic keep popping up in your Google Discover or your social feeds? Because it’s safe nostalgia. It’s a "what if" scenario that spans generations. People who played Mario Land on the original Game Boy are now parents watching their kids play Mario Wonder. The curiosity about Luigi's love life is a bridge between generations.
When a "leak" or a new trailer drops, the first thing people look for is Daisy. They want to see her. They want to see him. And they definitely want to see that moment where the shyest hero in gaming finally gets the girl.
What's next for the Green Plumber?
Will we ever see it? Honestly, probably not in a mainline game like Mario Odyssey 2. Nintendo prefers the status quo. The status quo is profitable. It keeps the characters "available" in the minds of the audience.
However, with the expansion of the Nintendo Cinematic Universe, the rules are changing. We’re seeing more character growth than we’ve seen in thirty years of gaming. If you’re a fan of this pairing, keep your eyes on the movies and the high-budget spin-offs. That is where the "real" lore is happening now.
Actionable steps for fans of the pairing
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of these two, don't just search for "kissing" videos. Look for the nuance.
- Play Mario Power Tennis and watch the trophy celebrations carefully; the character interactions there are some of the best Nintendo has ever produced.
- Check out the Mario Kart Wii Daisy Circuit in "Time Trial" mode so you can actually stop and look at the statues without getting hit by a Blue Shell.
- Read the dialogue in Fortune Street (Wii); it’s some of the only times we see the characters actually talk to each other in a semi-canonical way.
- Follow the hashtag #Luaisy on social platforms; the fan-art community is where the "kiss" actually lives and thrives.
The wait for a canon Luigi and Daisy kiss continues, but the journey through their thirty-year flirtation is arguably more fun than the payoff itself. Luigi might be the "Player 2" of the Mario world, but in the world of romance, he’s definitely leading the pack.