Mallow, Prince of Nimbus Land
When you first meet Mallow in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, he couldn't be further away from royalty. Despite his white and fluffy appearance, Mallow thinks he's a tadpole, and that's because he was raised by the frog sage Frogfucius. After finding out he's not of an amphibian nature, Mallow decides to join Mario in saving the world while also looking for his new family. And he finds his fellow cirrus clouds in Nimbus Land, where he discovers he is the missing prince.
Mallow has never left the confines of Nintendo and Square Enix's collaboration (except as a spirit in Smash Ultimate), but we like to think the prince has been happily ruling over Nimbus land, waiting for the day when he can fluff up and rejoin Mario on his adventures. One day...
Princess Ruto
How many princesses on this list can you say you have had the opportunity to pick up and use as a projectile to escape the belly of a giant sea creature? Not all that many, huh? Princess Ruto might just be the most stubborn character that you come across in Ocarina of Time, but at least this chucking mechanic helps make it a little easier to manage.
Whomp King
Here he is, Whomp King! King of the Whomps!
Proof positive that you can slap a crown on any old thing in the Mushroom Kingdom and make it a monarch, perhaps we'd have more respect for Whomp if it were he and not Big Bob-omb that we met first in Super Mario 64. By the time we made it to Whomp's Fortress, we were a bit blasé about towering inanimate objects with crowns. His toothy grimace and downtrodden demeanour won us over in the end, though.
King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule
If we were handing out an award for the most ridiculously-named monarch in Nintendo games, you know that ol' Bosphoramus would be in with a good shot. However, since we're not, let's just accept that this guy's parenting tactics weren't all that and that maybe opening up about your feelings every now and again wouldn't hurt too much hey Rhoamy?
Prince Fluff
It's got to be frustrating when you're all set to star in your own game and a sentient pink blob turns up and knocks you into a supporting role.
Still, Prince Fluff didn't hold that against Kirby when HAL Laboratory's favourite son arrived to take Fluff's spot and eat his lunch in Fluff's Kirby's Epic Yarn. In fact, he graciously accepted the helping hand and became an invaluable co-op player. Good show, old sport.
Deku King
We can safely add the Deku King to the list of video game monarchs that really need to just take a deep breath and think for a second. Yes, his missing daughter in Majora's Mask is hardly going to produce the most rational thought process, but did you really need to lock up a monkey for public punishment?
Poo, Prince of Dalaam
Poo is the last member to join your party in EarthBound. A stoic warrior and a loyal friend, Poo hails from Dalaam. Ness meets Poo after eating Magic Cake (all normal stuff in EarthBound), where you get a chance to control the prince as he undertakes his Mu Training. Poo eventually learns the powerful PSI Starstorm spell, and while he can only equip certain weapons and armours, he can wield the Sword of Kings — if you want to grind for countless hours, that is.
Most probably met him for the first as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but Poo — along with Ness, Paula, and Jeff — deserves to be recognised for his strength, compassion, and his distaste for all Western food. A true prince, we think. Perhaps.
King Zora
For a game full of some pretty funny physical comedy, King Zora shuffling out of the way might just be one of Ocarina of Time's finest. The ridiculously slow speed! The creaking sound! The size of those weedy little legs! What a king.
The Honey Queen
The Honey Queen is easily the fuzziest queen on this list. Ruler of Super Mario Galaxy's Honeyhive Galaxy. Sporting some fabulous high-heels, when you first meet the Queen, she's got a rather persistent itch which Mario must help out with. She helps Mario throughout his time in the galaxy and returns in the sequel at Honeyhop Galaxy. She can also apparently shrink down to a kart-appropriate size, too, as seen in Mario Kart 7. Perhaps the fluffiest queen in the galaxy will make a return in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass?
King Bulblin
Twilight Princess' King Bulblin has everything that a good king should: gravitas, strength, respect, a giant hog to be ridden into battle. If it wasn't for this bulbous bad guy, we probably wouldn't have seen one of the game's best moments (yep, the Eldin Bridge one). Even if he does receive more 'endings' than Return of the King (seriously, why won't he just die?), he's always going to have a place in our hearts.
You
We could hardly list our favourite Nintendo monarchs and miss out the most royal of them all! Yes, you, my friend. Assuming you have a 3DS and indulge in some StreetPass, which is a sign of refined taste if ever there was one.
In StreetPass Quest, StreetPass Quest II, and StreetPass Battle, (known respectively as Find Mii, Find Mii II, and Warrior's Way outside PAL regions) you — or more accurately your Mii — are cast in the role of ruler. The first two see you promptly kidnapped at the beginning and the latter has you collecting troops to wage a deadly war of Rock-Paper-Scissors and conquer the kingdom.
Wholesome, regal stuff.
And finally, Queen Gohma
Should a queen really be able to keep you up at night after you first lay eyes on her gigantic form, dropping from the ceiling in front of you? Well, it sure would make The Crown a whole lot more interesting, we guess...
For many of us, this Ocarina of Time boss was the first Zelda big bad that we had ever come across, and we can't help but still find that aerial scratching creepy. Look, she efficiently commands an army, always has her eye on protecting her land (even if that is The Deku Tree) and has definitely mastered striking fear into her enemies — does that really sound like such a bad monarch?
Hopefully one is lightly amused, or at least sufficiently engaged to partake of the poll below, what-what. Be a sport and let us know your favourite from the royal roster above.
And if your favourite is missing, pop on down to the comments to let us know — we'll have the head of the one responsible for the oversight. Tinkity tonk, old fruit, and down with the Nazis.
Who's you favourite member of the Nintendo royal family? (1,039 votes)
- King Boo
- Queen Ambi 0%
- Bowser, King of the Koopas
- Parasite Queen 0%
- King Dedede
- Princess Peach
- King Bob-omb
- Princess Zelda
- King K. Rool
- Princess Daisy
- Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo
- Chrom
- Lissa
- Emmeryn 0%
- Prince Mallow
- Princess Ruto
- Whomp King
- King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule
- Prince Fluff
- Deku King 0%
- Prince Poo of Dalaam
- King Zora 0%
- The Honey Queen
- King Bulblin 0%
- You (Mii)
- Queen Gohma
- Someone else (comment below)
Comments 75
Prince Poo tee hee
Hold on what about the Great and Mighty Poo...he sings songs!
You wrote a coronation day article w/o using the word coronation, nice.👍
King Dedede is the wun true king for me.
Edelgard for me
Melia by a long shot. If I were cheating I'd probably pick a certain Welsh lady instead.
For me, it’s Rosalina, she holds a special place in my heart, Mario galaxy being one of my first 3d platformers, and is still my favorite to this day!
My choice.
MAX BRASS
Princess Peach for me. Not Princess Zelda. I only love so much Majora's mask that style of Zelda but it was very hard for me. I can not play every Zelda game. I am not good in. That is why Princess Peach. Skyward sword and Breath of the wild was easy. I think Tears of the kingdom is very hard the puzzles. I have not play it but I have little seen it. I do not know if I can beat it.
The guillotine. Next.
Zelda has always been my favourite Nintendo Royal.
Well it's obviously N. How could you guys forget him?! For shame!
Empress Bulblax : PIKMIN 2
Elvis from Animal Crossing New Horizons is my favourite king:
As much as I love Princess Zelda in a couple of the games, in most of them she has little to no personality (or presence). I went with Bowser
Is King K. Rool actually a real royal? Since he has definitely some sort of split personality disorder, it might be possibly that he just made his royalty up like everything else.
I voted K Rool, for being not just a king, but a pirate and mad scientist respectively.
Curse this royalist propaganda! (Half joking.)
That said how can you forget about everyone's favourite catgirl?
@RareFan He lords over a seemingly endless horde of minions, I'd say that counts for something in terms of his royal credentials.
Melia Antiqua
@RareFan
despots, including absolute monarchs, often give themselves military and aristocratic titles that they haven't really earned or inherited, in this case the ranks of Kaptain and Baron.
Melia was the first that came to mind.
My favorites are:
Princess Rosalina
Princess Mipha
Princess Lucina
King of Red Lions for me. And his actual kingly form
Removed - unconstructive feedback
...Melia? Nia? Or even Morag while we're at it?
Seriously, that's two NL tops ignoring Xenoblade in a short while.😒 At least there's Fire Emblem although my top fave royal among its royalty so far is Celica.
Parasite Queen is such an apt name.
King Bomb for the sake of my brother who loves him. However, I'd have put Melia on there.
+Melia, she's the highest of all Entia.
But I voted for Daisy since I like the characters that no one likes.
I would like Zelda a lot more if you could actually play as her in her main games! Since you can't, I went for Peach.
I would have picked Rosalina if she was an option but I guess it's a little unclear if she is a princess or, like, an intergalactic goddess. The fact that these options are similar makes me realize Nintendo has more in common with Marvel than one would think; bring on the Nintendo cinematic universe I guess.
@Snatcher @TsukiDeity @Dev9417 Rosalina definitely would have polled high if she were an option.
Rosalina from super mario galaxy
Princess Ruto and I had a thing once.
No love for Olivia or King Olly, aka The Origami King?
@OldManHermit Don't forget a boxer as well. Oh, and some sort of pharaoh baseball player, too.
King Boo. The best royal is a dead royal.
Bowser. He is the king of all platforming games. Oh wait, he is in another castle.
@nhSnork What was the other list that ignored Xenoblade?
@TeaCatherine now that I think back to it, seems like my memory pranked me - it was a quiz (the one making you guess the games by goofy out-of-context descriptions), not a list.
@nhSnork Shame, because there would have been so many possible stupid summaries.
King Bob-omb or K. Rool. Went with Bob-omb, largely because his death/explosion is one of my favorite sound effects.
Rosalina is the best royalty despite not been a princess/queen
Just like the best champion poll, I am going for Mipha here.
Obviously Zelda will win because of totk hype but I hope bowser gets top 3
Princess shroob deserved a spot on the list
I forgot how scary Queen Gohma was
Voted Zelda(but it depends on which version of her we're talking about)
Uhmm the best princess, Rosalina not even on the list?
Lose more faith in this site daily.
Aaah Poo. Wish he’d made it into Smash just to hear the announcer shout “Poo!” Every time he was selected.
Yes. I am of simple needs.
Nobody's voted for the Deku King as of yet. Really shouldn't have wasted my vote on Daisy in hindsight ._.
@TeaCatherine pretty much my own comment back then.😆 The franchise is a fertile ground for this stuff.
@nhSnork I'd count Pyra and Mythra too who would be my pick. Not to spoil too much but based on who their "father" is, I think they qualify as royals too.
I voted King Boo. I like his designs and find him quite funny in the Luigi Mansion series.
You know I have to say Daisy.
Real OGs remember when I was daisygurl, then I deleted that account and became octokid…
@PessitheMystic Then don't click or comment on it.
(or even better, learn to have a sense of humour, since this feature is clearly meant to be a fun read)
Edelgard gets my vote too, she's way more interesting and complex as a character born into royalty than anyone on this list.
The King of Red Lions is the only good Royal because he's the only one actually providing a benefit to society — transportation.
I pick Bowser.
Claude von Riegan. What an interesting and fun character.
@Axecon Nah, I wouldn't say so, he's a god figure not a king figure.
It's Zelda, but the BOTW & Skyward Sword have made her very off putting to be fair
My vote goes to the missing King Hippo.
+1 for Melia. Wonderfully voiced by the talented Jenna Coleman
The royals in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance/Dawn supercede the royals in Awakening. (Naesala, Tibark, Cangeihis, Elincia, Naihla, etc)
Shout out for Queen Bean in Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga with a little extra cushion for the pushin'.
Back to the original list: Zelda
Also if you include Pokemon there are a few more royals.
> the original 150 royals: Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Seaking
> Slowking
> Empoleon and Serperior
> Tyrunt
*haven't played sword or shield so might be missing a few more
When I first played ocarina I was 7 or 8 about the same age as ruto, who was naked. So out of the options, I went with that. I also like Richard from Link's Awakening, he's probably my favorite.
@PessitheMystic byeeeee
Salazar RE4...DUH.
I dunno, Dimitri's pretty badass. Unhinged Dimitri, specifically.
I'm surprised that no one mentioned Midna, the eponymous Twilight Princess.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I apart from the obvious ones I thought about Gohma immediately and voted for her — just because I was quite delighted to see her mentioned.
Dedede or K. Rool because of their theme music.
In gaming, one of my favorites by far is for King Mickey and Minnie in Kingdom Hearts 1.
I picked Lissa because honestly Lissa is so damn cute and awesome and just one of my favorite fire emblem characters ever. Honestly I think she’s one of the reasons I fell in love with fire emblem like I did. I’ll admit the end of that article threw me for a loop because I read it a little too fast and originally read the last part as like hail to the nazis and not down with the nazis and was like WAIT WHAT WHERE DID THAT COME FROM. Excellent article tho.
im surprised ganon doesnt have as many votes tbh
Removed - inappropriate
@WeirdAlUHF334 Same.
No Prince Sidon?? Yowza.
Also- The Sablé Prince from For the Frog the Bell Tolls!!
Tap here to load 75 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...