A promotional picture for Donkey Kong Bananza, shared on Nintendo Korea’s account, might inadvertently have unveiled a significant character from the game – a young girl who bears a striking resemblance to Pauline.
According to GamesRadar, the depiction of the character in the Nintendo Korea box art has sparked much discussion among fans, who are eagerly trying to figure out Pauline’s potential role in the game and if her youthful portrayal hints that Bananza might be a prequel story.
For people who might not be well-versed in the broader Mario/Donkey Kong lore, Pauline is a supporting figure who debuted as the classic damsel in distress in the 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game. Following her initial appearance, she was absent from games for a while, but made a comeback as the mayor of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey, and has since become a recurring character in Mario spin-off series.
Young Pauline spotted in Donkey Kong Bananza key art on the Korean official Nintendo site
— Genki✨ (@Genki_JPN) April 5, 2025
It seems that there’s a hint she might rejoin the Donkey Kong series, based on an image shared on the Nintendo Korea site. This picture depicts a youthful version of Pauline grasping Donkey Kong’s tie while he breaks through the earth with a powerful smash.
On the Korean site, a new artwork has been posted instead of the previous one, featuring Pauline swapped out for Odd Rock, her crystalline purple companion. This change has sparked even more curiosity among fans, as they’ve observed that Pauline in the original image was wearing a bracelet similar to Odd Rock, shaped like a purple crystal.
As a devoted gamer, I’ve found myself pondering the intriguing design of Pauline in her youthful form within the gaming world, which has sparked debates about where this fits into the Donkey Kong chronology. Some gamers even speculate that Bananza might be a prequel game featuring the original Donkey Kong character we’ve grown fond of from Nintendo’s games. Interestingly enough, the character we’ve been playing as in recent Nintendo games is actually the grandson of the original Donkey Kong, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie refers to him as his son instead. It’s fascinating how these stories intertwine!
Some theories propose that the enigmatic figure could be none other than Pauline’s child disguised as someone else, or it might be Odd Rock assuming Pauline’s likeness, or perhaps a magical transformation or technology has made her appear younger.
In just a few days, on July 17th, Donkey Kong Bananza will officially release. This will finally reveal whether the mysterious girl is indeed Pauline, and unveil her part in the Donkey Kong universe.
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2025-04-09 15:39