Nintendo has officially confirmed the age of Donkey Kong Bananza's sidekick Pauline, raising questions about the character's timeline and how Bananza's narrative will connect with earlier titles. In the original arcade game, Donkey Kong was famously depicted as the villain who kidnapped Pauline.
A character profile on the Japanese Donkey Kong Bananza website reveals that Pauline is a "13-year-old girl who loves singing. She previously lived above ground but was brought underground for unknown reasons and turned into a rock."
The introduction of this younger Pauline during the Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct strongly implies she is the same music-loving character from Super Mario Odyssey, where an adult Pauline serves as mayor of New Donk City and lead singer of a popular band.
Fans have been quick to analyze the implications for Pauline’s timeline, noting that her friendly partnership with Donkey Kong in Bananza contrasts sharply with their traditional kidnapper-victim dynamic. Does an event turn DK evil, or have we misunderstood their relationship all along?
In Donkey Kong Bananza, the duo works together to help teenage Pauline return to the surface and pursue her dream of becoming a world-renowned singer—a goal she clearly achieves, as shown in Odyssey.
Although Bananza appears to be a prequel to Odyssey, the exact timeline remains ambiguous. Nintendo has never specified Pauline’s age in Odyssey or other appearances, leaving it unclear how far before those events Bananza takes place.
By linking the games through Pauline's musical ambitions, Bananza also calls attention to her description in Odyssey of being kidnapped by DK as a "traumatic" experience.
Donkey Kong Bananza Direct Screenshots
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Over the years, Pauline has been kidnapped by Donkey Kong on multiple occasions. Most famously, Mario rescues her in the original Donkey Kong arcade game, and she is abducted again in several Mario vs. Donkey Kong sequels.
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, DK kidnaps Pauline after she chooses a gift from Mario over him. In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, an angry DK snatches her once more, upset about missing a theme park opening.
Later entries in the series, however, portray their relationship more positively. In Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move, they collaborate to host a mini-game, and in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars, they plan a surprise party for Mario.
Will something at the end of Donkey Kong Bananza sour DK and Pauline’s friendship, turning the ape from ally to kidnapper? Could the original arcade game's events play out in Bananza, with Mario stepping in as the hero? Or have players misinterpreted their dynamic for decades?
Some fans speculate that Bananza will颠覆 the Mario universe by revealing DK and Pauline have always been friends—and that Mario may have been the real villain, separating Pauline from her companion.
All questions may be answered when Donkey Kong Bananza launches as Nintendo’s next major Switch 2 title on July 17, 2025.
