Video games aren’t really known for their sweeping romances and taudry love stories. But that doesn’t mean that these torrid affairs don’t exist. In fact, many of our favorite video games have featured romantic subplots, complete with cringe-worthy dialogue and sometimes, if we’re lucky, a love scene or two. The following list counts down the top fourteen cutest, most romantic, or just plain weird relationships in gaming. Feel free to leave your comments at the end, and be warned, as some of my choices may be considered spoilers.

14. Donkey Kong and Pauline (Donkey Kong)

Some couples watch the sun set from a parked car high above the city… Others admire the view from atop a construction site, while tossing barrels at an annoying Italian home-wrecker. Sadly, things didn’t seem to work out between the two, as Pauline has drifted into obscurity while DK went on to bigger and better things.

13. Leon Belmont and Sara Trantoul (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)

At first, this Castlevania couple’s story seems to be more of the same: Sara is kidnapped by a vampire, and our hero Leon sets out to save his betrothed. However, things go horribly wrong once she is rescued. Leon notices bite marks on Sara’s neck, forcing him to kill his own fiancé. However, her sacrifice was not in vain, as her soul powers the Vampire Killer, the whip that every Belmont wields in subsequent Castlevania games. In this way, Leon and Sara’s relationship gives new meaning to the term “whipped.”