
It's New Proper Platforming Mario Game Week, everyone! While the launch of a game with Mario in the title is a fairly regular occurrence, the release of the plumber's first all-new 2D platformer in over a decade is cause for special celebration. Super Mario Bros. Wonder brings back Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom brethren in a mainline series entry that we deem to be "the slickest, sharpest, and smartest that two-dimensional Mario has felt since 1991" in our review.
And it's Super Mario Bros. Wonder, remember — Nintendo's most famous sibling is right there and playable from the start, as he should be. In honour of this evergreen fraternal relationship, today we're looking back at all the other sibling relationships and rivalries in the Nintendo canon. The Mario brothers may be the most famous, but they're far from the only ones!
Below you'll find a non-exhaustive list of various siblings we've got to know over the past 40-ish years of Nintendo games, each with a Nintendo Life-patented 'Sibling Score' assigned following thorough analysis of their relationship and their traits, all researched using an impressive dataset of 'We played the game wot they was in, innit.'
You'll only find Nintendo series here (there's a lot of Zelda, but no Bimmy — sorry) but there are more than enough to be getting on with. And probably loads we've missed — feel free to let us know in the comments! There's also a poll at the bottom, so let us know which you think are the best siblings in all Nintendom, bros or otherwise.
Mario & Luigi (Super Mario series)

The OG pairing, these brothers started out as a mere palette swap before developing into one of gaming's most enduring relationships. Sure, Mario's dominance led to some naming confusion and Luigi was undoubtedly overshadowed in the past, but the brothers have paired up countless times over the years, and even got their own namesake spin-off series. How many other siblings in this list or throughout gaming can say that?
Sibling Score: 9 - Mario's early subjugation of his bro was cause for concern, but one death stare and an entire year of Luigi-themed celebration back in 2013 helped put these brothers on near-even footing (even if Mario invariably gets top billing). Superstars, both.
Malo & Talo (Twilight Princess)

You meet these brothers from Ordon Village at the start of Twilight Princess and you see them again in Kakariko after they're kidnapped by Bulbins and subsequently rescued.
Malo, the younger of the two, sets up Malo Mart in two locations later in the game and proves to be the most materially beneficial to Link, selling him hot items at competitive prices. Talo, on the other hand, bullies poor Colin, gets himself captured twice, and is generally more trouble than he's worth.
Sibling Score: 6 - Gotta admire Malo's entrepreneurial spirit.
Timmy & Tommy (Animal Crossing series)

Despite what you may have assumed, the Nookling twins, Timmy and Tommy, aren't blood relatives of Tom Nook. In Wild World he describes the scamps as mere employees. While it's possible they've become his adoptive nephews, it's unclear if any formal familial connection exists between Nook and his protégés. Regardless, it's clear they've learned from the best when it comes to their business acumen and salesmanly manners.
Sibling Score: 8 - These are the first faces you see when you head to your deserted island for the very first time in New Horizons, with good reason.
The Koopalings (Super Mario series)

The Koopa Kids — originally Bowser's spawn but retconned to be mere 'minions' of the Koopa King — first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. Iggy, Larry Lemmy, Ludwig, Morton Jr., Roy, and Wendy have since turned up in various games, including Mario's last mainline 2D platformer, New Super Mario Bros. U.
We know the genesis of their English names, but nothing of their parents, with the only clue being Morton 'Jr' whose name suggests the existence of a senior Morton. Lemmy and Iggy are twin brothers, but there's not a whole lot to go on when it comes to analysing the interpersonal relationships of this sizeable sibling set.
However, the fact they invariably appear together (and go go-karting as a group) suggests they're pretty close-knit and, presumably, support each other following the umpteenth thrashing under the heeled boot of a Mario brother.
Sibling Score: 7 - There are seven of them and they're pretty good, so let's go with a seven.
Kotake & Koume (Twinrova) (Zelda series)

Koume and Kotake are twin witches who control the elements of Fire and Ice respectively and, awesomely, can combine to become Twinrova, the Gerudo-esque boss of the Spirit Temple in Ocarina of Time. These sisters are also surrogate mothers to Ganon, king of the 'dorfs.
They also appear in the Oracle games and in alternate form as a benign pair of merchants in Termina's Southern Swamp in Majora's Mask, with Kotake running the Magic Hags' Potion Shop and Koume operating the Boat Cruise. It was nice to be able to spend some time in their company without them attempting to freeze and fry our hides.
Sibling Score: 9 - Twin witches who combine fire and ice to become lukewarm water a kickass elemental boss? If that's not worth a 9, we don't know what is.
Lucas & Claus (Mother 3)

Finally, a pairing who actually feel like bros. Yes, we are perhaps being foolish to keep our fingers crossed for that Mother 3 NSO announcement (please tell us we aren't the only ones) but we need an excuse to spend more time with these central twins. They rarely see eye to eye, have drastically different personalities but still look near identical. Yep, sounds like brothers to us.
Sibling Score: 8 - Lucas and Claus are very obviously brothers visually (we mean, just look at them) but we love this pair because of how much they feel like a family. They bicker, care for each other, have contrasting energies — that's some good stuff right there!
Gorman Brothers (Majora's Mask)

This identical-looking trio from Majora's Mask, based on ranchhand Ingo from Ocarina, fall into two camps. The eldest and youngest brothers run Milk Road's Gorman Track and are generally unpleasant, with misdemeanours ranging from the unsavoury (running no-doubt-illegal horse races on their track) to the downright despicable (terrorising the sisters that run Romani Ranch).
The middle brother, on the other hand — handily named Gorman — is leader of the equally handily-named Gorman Troupe, a travelling band of performers. It takes some effort to crack through his crusty persona, but this Gorman brother is revealed to have a sensitive side which led him away from his mean brothers and into the world of show business. He also shows up in The Minish Cap,
Sibling Score: 7 - Gorman (the nice one) has great depth and a dash of pathos which makes him a memorable figure in Majora's Mask, and we admire how this band of brothers uphold the Mario tradition of confusing naming conventions based on one first name. If the Milk Road pair stopped hassling young women while they go about their business, these could be real contenders.
Blathers & Celeste (Animal Crossing series)

You can stop reading now — we've found our winning pair.
Blathers' endearing blithering and museum curation services have been a fixture of the Animal Crossing series since the GameCube. Though saddled with tedious, repetitive dialogue, he overcomes it through cute, infectious enthusiasm and unrivalled professionalism. Living in the museum feels a bit obsessive to us, but hey, he seems happy.
And stargazer Celeste, the younger of the two, is equally knowledgeable and lovely. It's a genuine treat to visit her in the observatory, or catch her out and about in your village of an evening. They're our favourite amiibo pair, these two.
Sibling Score: 10 - An exceptional, genre-defining pair of outstanding intelligence and cuteness. List over, man. It can't get better than these stupendous Strigiform siblings...
Tatl & Tael (Majora's Mask)

We love Navi, we really do, but it is always nice to see some Zelda fairies with range. You never quite know whether you are going to get nice fairy or nasty fairy with these two and, you know, we kinda like that. That being said, we have to draw the line at assisting in global destruction.
Sibling Score: 7 - Call us old-fashioned, but having one sibling work towards the literal end of the world is always going to drag the pair's overall ranking down a little.
Chrom, Emmeryn & Lissa (Fire Emblem Awakening)

Actually, there are too many Fire Emblem siblings to list them all. So, let's stick with a trio of winners from one of our very favourite entries, Fire Emblem: Awakening. Chrom really steals the limelight away from his siblings here, but we have often relied on Lissa's healing abilities and Emmeryn's magic in a pinch (which, with rusty Fire Emblem skills like ours, is quite a lot). They are also some of the only royals on this list so we should all... bow? Or kneel? Something like that.
Sibling Score: 8 - Any group of siblings that actually fight together on a battlefield deserve a certain amount of credit, right?
Callie & Marie (The Squid Sisters) (Splatoon series)

Psych! Despite these Inkling idols being named the 'Squid Sisters', they're not actually siblings — rather they're cousins. Therefore, however much we like them and their dulcet tones, they don't belong on this list.
We just like to keep you on your toes. We also enjoy scrolling through the comments to see who actually reads the text. How perfectly devious of us! Okay, here's a bumper crop of siblings to make up for our cruel deception...
Sibling Score: Disqualified
Twin Jugglers (Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask)

Add these two to the list of Nintendo siblings that actually don't seem to like each other very much. The twin in blue is ridiculed by his brother for the entirety of Ocarina of Time and, only to make matters worse, they are a part of the Gorman Troupe in Majora's Mask. Tut tut, boys.
Sibling Score: 4 - Curse this pair's impressive juggling skills and its ability to always distract us from the fact that they don't seem to be very nice people at all.
The Able Sisters (Animal Crossing series)

Oof, Animal Crossing hits hard with the adorable siblings. Hedgehog sisters Mabel, Sable, and Label are the fashionistas and clothiers of the Animal Crossing world, and they've got a tragic backstory. Having lost their parents at a young age, Sable essentially raised young Mabel while middle child Label left to reinvent herself as 'Labelle'. These three cover the entire emotional spectrum, with lives full of heartbreak, resentment, and resilience, but also love, trust, and adventure. There's a lot to read between the lines here, with a complex relationship dynamic contained in one of Nintendo's most cutesy series.
Sibling Score: 10 - They're loving, hard-working, dependable, and — most of all — human. Well, hedgehog. An irresistible trio in our book.
You want more? We've got more! Follow us over to page two for another batch of Nintendo's best (and worst) siblings...
Comments 52
Shouldn't Bowser be on this list? He supposedly has a mysterious brother who's blue.
There seems to be a strong animal crossing bias here. 🤔 Two 10/10s?? Though speaking of animal crossing, Francine and Chrissy deserve some love too as villager sisters.
This was an entertaining read, thanks. I think that Mipha and Sidon deserved a better score though. They had more interactions that some brothers on the list and they were really good.
can't believe you guys didn't include the best sibling duo of the lot smh

I've always had a very big soft spot for sibling dynamics in media myself. Maybe it's because I grew up in a household full of them but there's something so wholesome about seeing relatives interacting together, you know?
As for my pick here, I'm going to go the basic route of Mario & Luigi; they got an entire sub-series based off of how good they are as siblings for crying out loud!
What about Wario and Waluigi? I can only assume they're brothers being the dark reflections of the Mario Bros that they are.
What about the siblings Gladion and Lillie from Pokemon Sun and Moon 1 and 2. He protected her and Type: Null from their own mother and Lillie protected Cosmog from her mother also. In the amine Lusamine was more normal and nice and found their father near the ending of Ash's saga.
P.S. Blue and Daisy too!
I'd say Cremia & Romani are the best of those whose relationship as siblings is shown more than just telling us that they're siblings but who are distinct characters whose personalities can't simply be summed up as "Romani's sister" and "Cremia's sister."
I'd also have included Ryota & Akari Hayami from Wave Race and 1080 respectively, though I concede their only interaction is competing in Blue Storm (but if we're going to include the Twin Jugglers...).
Hop & Leon from Pokémon Sword and Shield might also be worth a mention.
Mario and Luigi are NOT a 10? What are you guys on about?
@mlt Right? Right? They are THE sibling of video games, surely!
Speaking of Xenoblade siblings, I was always kinda fond of Praxis and Theory, too.
So, Bowser Jnr IS Bowser's son though? Or not? Did they change that? Or....am I getting confused?
Nintendo family relationships are surprisingly complex. Don't even get me started on Donkey Kong.
Regarding the genesis of the Koopalings’ English names, that’s actually the origin of their Japanese names, too. In Japanese SMB3, they didn’t have unique names, but by the time SMW released in Japan, they had decided to give each of them the same names that NoA had created.
@Mana_Knight Yes, Bowser Jr. is Bowser’s son (and Miyamoto’s, apparently).
Willi and Obli? I played Wind Waker many times and don't recognize these guys at all
Personally I just had to vote for the “T” family, as Jimmy T is one of my all-time faves!
Ashamedly, I had no idea he had siblings! When I first saw his entry, I assumed he would be paired with Jimmy P. (Whom I now assume is no relation.)
Love your game idea for the “T” family tho. I’d buy that in a heartbeat! 😂
Pyra, Mythra, Malos, and Alvis (and kinda A) feel like big exclusions.
@EaglyBird You mean Dirk
@Lizuka Was totally gonna comment this, you beat me to it! I know they all aren't siblings in the traditional sense but when this list includes the juggler bros from Majora's Mask, I'm pretty sure you can at least make the argument for Pyra & Mytha.
@luckyseven True or not, the idea had caused a mini civil war in the Xeno fandom. Personally I don't think we'll see the 3rd sibling until a future Xeno game or a Warriors spinoff.
@Axecon I like it for the sillies but I wouldn’t mind it if it was true or not lol
Also I voted for Fiora and Dunban, the scene where they reunite on the Fallen Arm and Dunban hugs her with his single arm made me cry a little
Some tough contenders to be sure, though the Animal Crossing bias seems strong lol. I almost voted for Mario & Luigi, but that would've been WAAAAY too obvious. I went with Link & Aryll instead. She more or less helps kickstart Link's quest in The Wind Waker, though I do acknowledge crazy stuff was happening before either sibling became involved with the Helmaroc King.
PS - Am I the only one who missed the Goron Blood Brothers in TotK?!
Are the Twin Jugglers the two guys who are locked in fits of hysterical laughter at one point? I loved their animation in that scene... I just sat and watched it for ages. My memory of it is a little hazy now, though.
Tatl and Tael - one works to end the world, the other to save it. Completely opposed, yet they get a seven!? Three, maximum!
Obviously Mario and Luigi are the best siblings, there's a reason, they've been doing this for so long.
I'm disappointed the entry on Cotera, Kaysa, Mija & Tera didn't mention you can actually play as them in Age of Calamity. Since you control all four of them and their floating flower fountain at the same time, the Great Fairies are among the most ridiculous player characters in Nintendo history, but they're still awesome!
Gotta go with the Mario Bros. For me I can't think of a more iconic sibling duo in video games. As for Nintendo siblings there's a few that didn't make the list like Jenna & Felix from the forgotten Golden Sun.
For Fire Emblem I would have picked Erika & Ephraim as my favourite sibling duo. It's hard to pick though since FE has such a huge cast of characters. Other great siblings in FE would be the White Wing Sisters, Sigurd & Ethlyn, Marth & Elice, Ninian & Nils.
If the article includes characters like the jugglers from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, there's really no excuse not to include Rauru and Mineru from Tears of the Kingdom too. They're both awesome and have a lot more importance in the game than some of the other Zelda characters listed here.
@Markiemania95 Haha! Thanks
I'd say Tethu/Tethi and Nour from Ever Oasis could work on this list but... one of them isn't alive anymore. Oh well
@EaglyBird
STOP POSTING ABOUT DIRK! I'M TIRED OF SEEING IT! My friends on Tiktok send me D, on Discord it's snuffing D. I was in a colony, right? And AAAAALLLL of the soldiers were just talking Mythra's child theories. I-I showed my Grim Rush to my girlfriend and went "Hey babe! It's a wild ride, this passage of fate" HAHAHAH DING DING. DING DING. DINGDING DING DING.
DING DING. DING! I sparking looked at a trash can and I said "DON'T GO STOPPING ON MY ACCOUNT?!" | looked at the family photo and I said LET'S SHOW 'EM A THING OR THREE???? MORE LIKE A THING OR D!! AAAAAA!!!!!
Mario & Luigi, no others come even close.
@EaglyBird I don’t have anymore Dirk copypastas but I literally cried when Mr. Wild Ride said “it’s WILD RIDIN’ AND DIRKIN’ time” then wild rided and Dirked all over the Xeno series timeline 😭
And to any non Xenoblade fans reading these, I’m sorry lol
Koopalings are my favorite siblings. True siblings are chaotic, often with the same ambitions but all take different means to get there, which describes the Koopalings very well. I see a bit of the Koopalings in myself and each of my siblings.
Do Fiora and Duncan like each other?! Avenging Fiora’s “death” is literally Dunban’s main character motivation.
Also, Edelgard and Dimitri have a great dynamic on Three House’s Azure Moon route.
The best siblings in gaming will always be Mario and Luigi for me. There have been a few other stand out siblings in my time gaming, but none were more, and still are more impactful.
@EaglyBird is that Blackblaze Dirk?! Son of Mythra?!?!
WHERE ARE JESSIE AND JAMES???
The most iconic siblings in Nintendo history are the septuplets in Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 who dance for no reason and subsequently disappear for no reason. Change my mind.
Y'all missing the real brothers
Oh.
Bub and Bob from Bobble Bubble! Arguably the pair with the most games after Mario and Luigi?
One of my favorite Features in a long time, great read! I suggest adding a voting space next to each, so we could have a community-approved version, but it’s quite fun nonetheless! The Squid Sisters one had me gasping when I first saw the headline, so it’s a good thing I read the paragraph before storming down here to comment on your lack of lore-savviness! And I agree, AC’s hedgehog sisters backstory is the best part of the series!
come on, its MARIO and LUIGI! Cant not give my vote to them.
@Chibi
Same here. I imagine Jimmy P would have to be somewhere in there though. Even if he is not relative. Generally speaking I would love for intelligent system to develop the Wario ware characters in eshop arcade games for example. We got a glimpse of that in game and Wario but it would be great if they could develop that idea and go crazy with side stories.
@Munchlax yeah I don't know where the whole Fiora and Duncan comment came from either.
I had to vote for the flower faeries from BotW. Nice to see some proper big girls in a game. And they're so naughty. 😍
@Mana_Knight The list is for the best siblings in games by Nintendo. Bubble Bobble is not a Nintendo game, so Bub and Bob are not eligible.
@Polvasti Oh, fair enough.
@EaglyBird No way, real 😱
Also I’m not obsessed with the Mythra’s child stuff asides from joking about it since people get wayy too upset about it, but if he somehow is her child the Xenoblade fandom’s reaction will be priceless. It’s unlikely but it’s already funny as it is, we’re in the endless now
I’m voting for Mipha & Sidon, but props to the Wright Bros reference I totally missed in WW!
@Kyloctopus I just wish they’d distinguish them a bit more. I can’t keep track of which is which except for Ludwig and Wendy
@EaglyBird oh, you’re right😅😂
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