The top 6 romantic couples in games

Posted February 14, 2012 by Emily King in News, Opinion.

Opinion: It’s Valentine’s Day, and while Emily King doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body (or won’t admit that she does), here’s her rundown of the most romantic couples in videogames.

There are a lot of couples depicted in videogames. And there’s a lot of unrequited love running around, too. Regardless, I’m here to shed some light on some of the couples that have stood out over the years.

Some are romantic, a few are hopeless, and others are happy to almost destroy the world in order to stay together. But before you get too cosy, please beware there are a few spoilers ahead.

Mario and Princess Peach (Mario series)

Maybe I should mark this as the longest running case of unrequited love in a game? Let’s face it, Mario has had to rescue Peach more times than Link has had to chase after Princess Zelda. While Mario is obviously after a long-term relationship that doesn’t involve just cake, I personally think their first ever actual date needs to be a self-defence class for Peach.

Fiona and Mickey (The Longest Journey)

Fiona is one of the most laid-back landladies you could ever have, and her girlfriend Mickey knows DIY. While admitting that they sometimes have issues, this particular couple is actually the one that has been together the longest – if the conversations in The Longest Journey are anything to go by. Together for more than ten years by the time the story starts, they’re the most stable couple you’ll meet while playing as April Ryan.

Zelda and Link (Legend of Zelda series)

As with Mario and Princess Peach, we’re looking at another couple with a lot of unrequited love going on. However, at least we’re dealing with a relationship here where both characters have an equal chance of sticking up for each other or themselves. I know Link spends a lot of his time trying to rescue Zelda, but at she least she normally puts a good fight up before being kidnapped by Ganondorf.

Rinoa and Squall (Final Fantasy VIII)

Flying in the face of what calamities he may cause, Squall goes to the end of the world (and space) to be with Rinoa. Not the ideal foundation for a relationship, but despite that whole sorceress thing that Rinoa has going on that could very well cause the end of their world, their love endures. Still, I think the only reason they ended up together was Rinoa’s persistence.

Hawke and Anders (Dragon Age II)

I could have gone with plenty of other BioWare titles here, but the relationship between Anders and Hawke (female or male) that can blossom has the most interesting turn of events. You remember that thing Anders does near the end of Dragon Age II? Ur-huh, now remember if your Hawke is in love with him they can run off together after you’ve slaughtered hundreds of people? The most Bonnie and Clyde couple I’m listing here.

Jenny Romano and Jackie Estacado (The Darknes series)

I can’t say they’re a couple with a long-standing, successful relationship, but they’re the most romantic on this list. Apart from Jackie’s willingness to go to the ends of hell for Jenny, they have the most ‘awww’ moment in the first game when they sit down together in Jenny’s new apartment and watch To Kill a Mockingbird together. And you can watch it too… the entire film. And in the sequel The Darkness II, you can listen to Jackie describe how he once ‘curbed’ a guy for pushing Jenny while they were eating ice cream – now that’s what I call true love.

Tagged as Dragon Age II, Final Fantasy VIII, Super Mario, The Darkness, The Darkness II, The Legend of Zelda, The Longest Journey