The Nintendo Company is one that can proudly own the fact that they introduced video games to many generations. Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon games are just super kid-friendly while also being fun and❀ matu♔re enough for older gamers.

When it comes to romance, Nintendo excels at what we can probably dub “puppy love.” In other words, it’s kid-friendly. It’s not like Bioware, which is not necessary good or bad. In Nintendo, it’s 𒁏all about saving a pretty princess and defeating the ugly bad guy. It’s all pretty simple in terms of storytelling.

While Nintendo typically sticks to its classical an🌃d child-friendly relationships and storytelling, fans grow and change. Our imaginations escape and▨ we think of what possibilities there could be outside of Nintendo’s canon. Like what if Zelda was lesbian or what if a princess did fall in love with Bowser?

In this list, we collected fanart of these unexpected Nintendo couples. Some of them tell stories, others are just for fun. Either way, we hop𝓡e you enjoy.

25 Link And Sidon 🌃

While it’s not canon, this is one of the most popular ships right now in the Legend of Zelda fandom.

Sidon was introduced in Breath of the Wild and fans fell in love with him for his charming personality and positive attitude.

The Zora are distrusting🦹 of Link, except 🎃for Sidon, who seems to have total faith in Link’s ability to help them. His level of supportiveness is much appreciated in the cold and cruel world of a broken Hyrule.

24 🙈 Peach And Bowsette

Bowsette is one of the latest Nintendo𝓰 internet sensations. She was made by fans after it was released that there is a crown that c༺an turn Toadette into a Peach variation. Fans took that fact and ran with it and Bowsette became a popular fan creation. Basically it’s if Bowser put on the crown.

What’s not to love about Bowsett๊e? Monster princesses are as punk as you can get. Shipping the real Peach with Bowsette is a whole new level of enlightenment.

23 Hugh And Protagﷺonist 🙈

Hugh is a much underappreciated Pokémon🥀 game rival. His underappreciation may be due to the fact his only appearance is in the Black and White game sequels.

Like most rival’s, he is the player’s childhood friend.

Despite b🎶eing an overall good person, he is quick to angꦬer which already makes him a much more interesting character than a lot of other rivals from the games. He even has his own little plot to save his sister’s stolen Pokémon which is sweet.

22 ✤ Daisy And Wario

Who said Wario isn’t a gentleman? Sad Luigi in the background of this picture is funny because he’s the one Daisy is canonically romantically paired with. The winter scene is cute. Daisy and Wario are cozy inside in their warm clotꦐhes with hot cocoa. Those marshmallows are enormous, maybe that’s what is making Daisy look so surprised.

This scene is like that sad cliché where a sad, alone, and cold person i🐼s looking in on a family having a happy Christmas.

Octoling And Inkling

This couple is unconventional because their races have been in a brutal race war, at least prior to the Octoling expansion in Splatoon 2. In Inkling society, a lot of Octolings even hide their identity because of the war. In a way, this romance is like Romeo and Juliet where both of their races will probably not support their relationship. Maybe they both disguise each other at family gatherings. In Splatoon turf wars, they hide and talk to each other and joke aroundꩵ.

Artist is unknown.

21 Eusine And Mortyꦆ

Eusine is a fun character due to his obsession with the legendary Pokémon, Suicine. Morty is a ghos💙t specialized Gym Leader from Ecruteak City and gives out the Fog Badge.

The reason these two have been seen together in fan art is due to Suicine’s origins being linked to the Burned Tower in Ecruteak City.

Due to that, it’s easy to say that Eusine probably hangs out in that city a lot for his obsession. That might explain why Ho-Oh is in this picture as well since it🧔 comes from t💛he same city.

Art was made by mcjamie.

20 Midna And Zelda ༺ ﷽

Midna a🔴nd Zelda are both princesses, and from the beginning it seems they have some sort of mysterious close relationship. They appear devoted to each other. Zelda even sacrifices a lot to save Midna’s life while Midna obviously values Zelda’s life over her own, as she begs Zelda not to sac🔥rifice herself for her. With Link’s more modest background, there might be some things these princesses could only understand in each other due to their similar backgrounds.

19 ꦇ Underwater Kisses

Of course we are going to have more than one Sidon and Link picture in this list. Canonically, Link’s personality is timid and shy while Sidon is the opposite. Sidon is confident and loud. Thi🎶s is another aspect of the relationship fans really like in fanart and fanfiction. That’s definitely evident in this picture with Link’s blushing. A lot of Zora have crushes on Sidon though, so this relationship would have to be a secret. That’s not to mention a lot of Zora just are suspicious of Link.

18 ♚ Gladion And Protagonist 🃏

Gladion is one of Pokémon’s latest angst machines and we l꧙oveಞ every minute of it. He’s a tough person and the protagonist canonically cannot reach his level of edge.

It’s easy to imagine him as a protective boyfriend.

This would also add more layers of drama to the whole situation with his mother since she’s sorཧt of the big bad in the story. Also doesn’t he just deserve to be happy? Maybe a relationship🌄 could make him feel more supported.

17 🅺 ܫ Pit And Link

Super Smash Bros. is a pairing breeding ground. Both Pit and Link are often seen shi﷽pped together in fanart and fanfiction.

Once, when Super Smash Bros. came out with a new game, some of the first commercials were anime style fights between certain characters.

One of the first of these videos featured an impressive ཧduel between Link and Pit. If you have not seen the trailer, it’s on Youtube and worth looking up and watching for the cool fight.

16 𓃲 ဣ Marina And Pearl

These two are the faces of Splatoon 2. With Marina being an Octoling and Pearl a Squidlingꦑ, they both make for an unusual couple. They also have opposing opinion all the time. If each of them taking the opposite stance for every turf war is not enough, they also have opposite personalities. Marina is more soft spoken and polite while Pearl is more loud and isn’t afraid to be rude. As far as romances go, it would make for some good entertainment.

Art was made by ava-riel.