Nintendo finally reveals Mario and and Princess Peach’s relationship after 40 years

Nintendo have seemingly answered the question that gaming fans have been asking for decades after clarifying Mario and Princess Peach's relationship.

Super Mario has been a hero on our screens since 1985, first saving the beautiful princess from Bowser's clutches all the way back in 1985 in the original Super Mario Bros.

While the real-life Super Mario is busy living his life on board a cruise ship and struggling with sea legs, the gaming version has been racing round Rainbow Road, jumping on flagpoles, and navigating his hatred of mushrooms, often all in pursuit of the princess.

Naturally, many of us would assume that Mario is doing this to impress and win over Peach romantically, because when was the last time a man did anything chivalrous without an ulterior motive, am I right ladies?

However, it seems as if the Italian plumber really is just 'that guy' as, despite him earning several kisses from Peach over his many years of rescuing her, they're actually just close friends.

It's unclear how Mario will take this news (Nintendo)

Posting on the Nintendo Today app, the video game company wrote: "Princess Peach and Mario are good friends and help each other out whenever they can."

Anyone who has seen The Super Mario Bros Movie will know that really the Princess doesn't need saving, but the idea of marrying Bowser also isn't great, even when he's got the beautiful singing voice of Jack Black.

Unfortunately, the concept of men and women simply being good friends is one that is lost on much of the online community, as they were quick to rib the plumber for being put in the friend zone.

One wrote: "If Mario is getting friend-zoned, what chance does any other man have?"

Mario and Peach's relationship has never been clarified until now (Universal)

Another commented: "‘This is like one of the biggest friend zones ever made in the history of friend zones."

A third said: "Why are they erasing the narrative that Mario and Peach have mutual romantic feelings for each other? What's wrong with that?"

People continued to make fun of the poor plumber, writing: "Poor Mario been getting friend zoned for DECADES."

While Luigi has seemingly always had his eyes on Princess Daisy, perhaps this update opens the door for Mario's twin to win over the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Either way, it's good to see that Mario and Peach's platonic love for each other is enough to keep the Italian interested in rescuing her, although perhaps a true test of friendship would be to see how Peach reacted if Bowser tried to marry Mario instead.