Who was Mario's first girlfriend?

The answer is: Pauline

Mario, the mustachioed plumber who's been jumping, stomping, and "wahoo-ing" his way through the gaming world for decades, is known for his heroic rescues of Princess Peach. But before he was saving royalty and battling Bowser, Mario had a different damsel to impress: Pauline, his first girlfriend and proof that even pixelated plumbers can have a love life.

Pauline made her debut alongside Mario in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. In the game's early development and marketing materials, she was referred to as "Lady" or "Louise," but the name Pauline was eventually settled on for the final release. She was actually named after Nintendo of America employee Don James' then-girlfriend, Polly!

In this classic title, players controlled Mario (then known as "Jumpman" - clearly, creativity in naming wasn't Nintendo's strong suit at the time) as he attempted to rescue Pauline from a giant ape with a barrel-throwing habit. With her red dress and long brown hair, Pauline set the stage for the rescue-based plotlines that would define the Mario franchise.

Unlike Princess Peach, who would later become Mario's most famous love interest (and frequent flyer in Bowser's castle), Pauline was depicted as a more modern, urban character. After her initial appearance, Pauline vanished faster than Mario down a warp pipe. However, she took that time to get an MBA and a poli-sci (don't fact check that part), because she not only came back in 2006's "Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis" as a theme park owner but also as Mayor of New Donk City in 2017's "Super Mario Odyssey"!

While Mario and Pauline's romance is history, her enduring presence in the Mario universe shows Nintendo's knack for character evolution. Who knows? Maybe in the future, we'll see Mayor Pauline running for president of the Mushroom Kingdom.