The 25 Greatest Nintendo Romances

By NGamer Staff for computerandvideogames.com

With Valentine's Day upon us, Nintendo Gamer invite you into their, er, gaming gondola (not as creepy as it sounds) and take a journey through the Nintendo's world's most heartwarming romances.

Agree with the list? Disagree? Have one or two of your own you could add? Stick them in the comments below. But KEEP THEM CLEAN. (This is Nintendo, after all.)

1. DONKEY KONG AND PAULINE

Miyamoto's other other most famous creation is basically King Kong writ small, though Merian C Cooper's most famous creation was never savvy enough to hurl barrels and oil drums at those who would wrench the woman he loved from his grasp. Pauline might not return DK's affections, but the ending of the Game Boy game sees her save his life by giving Mario a Super Mushroom to catch the falling ape.

2. TRAVIS TOUCHDOWN AND HIMSELF

As Oscar Wilde once wrote, "To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance." An adage to which No More Heroes' scrawny protagonist subscribes. Sure, Travis might lust after flirtatious French fancy Sylvia Kristel, but we get the impression he's not so much thinking with his heart as (cough) his beam katana.

3. PHYLLIS, PELLY AND PETE

No one but Nintendo would come up with the idea of a love triangle involving three pelicans, but we're glad they did - even if it's left tantalisingly unresolved. Chat to the adorable Pelly in the town post office and she'll reveal that her heart flutters for postie Pete. Yet should you happen across Pete while he's doing his rounds, he'll confess that he only has eyes for grumpy old Phyllis, the misery-beak who takes the night shift. Will the doltish fish-muncher come to his senses? Hopefully we'll find out in Animal Crossing 3DS.

4. LEON S KENNEDY AND ADA WONG

As the GameCube masterpiece comes to a close, president's daughter Ashley offers an eyelash-fluttering proposal: "After you take me back to my place, how about we do some overtime?" Yet Leon's brush-off proves that his heart lies with another: Ada Wong. Their five minutes of screen time together might culminate in Leon being stabbed in the stomach and getting a stiletto heel where it hurts, but our floppy-fringed hero can't get enough of the series' femme fatale. "She's like a part of me I can't let go. Let's leave it at that," he sighs.