To the uninitiated, it may seem as though Daisy is nothing more than Princess Peach's less pretty best friend, there to give girls a second option for Mario Kart. However, real ones know that Daisy is so much more than Luigi's love interest, or a damsel in distress. In fact, Daisy deserves to be the star of her own game!
First introduced in 1989's Super Mario Land, Daisy began life as a substitute for Princess Peach. Rather than have Peach play damsel in distress yet again, Nintendo decided to switch things up a little bit by putting a new princess in the tower. Introduced as the ruler of Sarasaland, Daisy was essentially just Peach in a different font; because her dress was orange rather than pink, she was automatically seen as a less feminine version of Peach.
Like Peach, Daisy in her first appearance was essentially a totem which Mario had to rescue from the clutches of evil. She may as well have been the flag in capture the flag. We aren't complaining; everyone has to start somewhere!
Daisy became a playable character for the first time in Mario Tennis. This game was the first glimpse at her personality. While Daisy is cheerful and girly, she doesn't follow the rules of royalty as much as Peach does.
Daisy's Starring Role
Ben Alexander from United States This photo was taken with Nikon D3200 on Wikimedia
Overall, Daisy has a much more headstrong and tomboyish personality than Peach. Daisy is notably sporty, serving up a mean backhand in Mario Tennis. Daisy also is something of a sore loser, which may make her more compelling to some players when compared to Peach's saintlike perfection.
All this is to say that Daisy is far from the damsel in distress she started the series as. Daisy's headstrong personality and willingness to take a more active role make her a compelling alternative to Peach. This is especially true for girls who grew up playing the games but never quite felt represented by Peach.
Since her introduction in 1989, Daisy has developed a devoted fanbase of her own. Her exclusion in Mario Strikers: Battle League was especially felt, as she had stood out in previous installments of the series. Fans rejoiced when she was added in a DLC.
Given the size and devotion of Daisy's fanbase, making her the lead of a game seems like a no-brainer. Super Mario has never been an overtly masculine franchise with a grudge against female characters. Even a minigame or DLC with Daisy as the star would almost be a guaranteed money maker.
So, why hasn't Daisy (or Peach, for that matter) gotten to play a bigger role in more games? Fans are clearly showing up for her. Nintendo is practically leaving money on the table!
Girls To The Front
It could be argued that it would be unfair for Daisy to headline a game before Peach, seeing as how she is the original princess. However, Peach's more reserved personality would better suit a more introspective or lore-focused game. Daisy has never been content to be a damsel in distress and would excel as the protagonist for a sports-themed game with a strong storyline.
This development wouldn't come entirely out of pocket. After all, when Luigi started his digital life, he was nothing more than Mario in green. Over time, Luigi came to develop a personality as iconic and lovable as his brother's...so, why can't Daisy do the same?
There's no need to exclude Peach in order to lift up Daisy. A buddy comedy featuring the two princesses sounds like a load of fun. Or, perhaps, you could flip the script completely and have the princesses be the ones to rescue the plumbers. Wouldn't that be something?
