Donkey Kong Bananza is less than a month away, and boy does it look incredible. Yesterday saw an entire Nintendo Direct dedicated to the game, sending fans even more bananas for Donkey Kong’s Switch 2 debut. It clutches the open-ended nature of Super Mario Odyssey and uses it to reinvent what it means to be a Donkey Kong game. But that means leaving a lot of the past behind, including pieces of lore that fans have held dear for a very long time.
Ever since the release of Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System, titles in the series have added to what we know about characters, where they came from, and what they’ve been through. But much like the Zelda timeline first formally introduced in the Hyrule Historia, this feels like a loose interpretation of where each game and character sits instead of something we should take as gospel. The same goes for Donkey Kong Bananza, which fundamentally reinvents both its titular character and legendary heroine Pauline.
Donkey Kong Bananza Is Already Subverting Our Narrative Expectations
Pauline originally debuted as ‘The Lady’ in 1981’s Donkey Kong, acting as the sole damsel in distress Mario needed to rescue by reaching the top of the stage. That was her role, and years later she would be expanded into a more meaningful character with a real personality. That reached a new apex in Super Mario Odyssey, with Pauline returning as mayor of New Donk City and talented singer of the game’s main theme.
This iteration of Pauline would go on to appear in Mario Golf Super Rush, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Mario Kart World in a range of new outfits, making it clear this is who she is going to be from now on. The same goes for Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Bowser, and other characters across the legendary universe. Things are changing.
But for a long time, Donkey Kong has existed in the framework of games like Donkey Kong 64, Country, and Tropical Freeze. When his character design and origins were seemingly reinvented, of course we were going to react with bewilderment, or at least try to justify why Nintendo decided to change a character that sustained for decades.
I would not be surprised if Donkey Kong Bananza brings with it a new origin story for the ape character, especially given familiar faces like Kranky, Diddy, and Dixie also appear with fresh designs of their own. His relationship with Pauline, whom he previously tried to kidnap much like Bowser is obsessed with Princess Peach, is now transforming into something more akin to a surrogate father figure.
Think Sully and Boo or Wreck It Ralph and Vanellope. It’s giving off the very same energy, and in order for that dynamic to be possible, the past has to be cast aside. I’m all for it, and you should be too, if you can let go of lore that never really mattered.
And I Can’t Wait To Go Along For The Ride With Kong And Pauline
While her design was leaked months ago, yesterday’s Direct revealed that the singing rock who chills out on Donkey Kong’s shoulder in the early hours isn’t just a rock, but a younger version of Pauline. The freckled teenager finds herself far away from home and needs help from Donkey Kong in order to leave this underground world behind. She begins the journey as shy and tentative, unsure who to trust or who she wants to be, but even before the final moments of the Direct we see her belting out songs and forming a genuine bond with DK.
Introducing a younger version of Pauline at all – Nintendo has confirmed she is 13 years old in Bananza – opens up a lot of questions. Is this the same Pauline that Donkey Kong would go on to hold hostage, or has an adult version of Pauline been aged down by some spell you will spend the game trying to reverse? It’s unclear, but I really hope it’s a retcon of the Mario universe.
Pauline has never had a starring role like this before, so why wouldn’t Nintendo use it as an opportunity to explore her origins like never before? Even if it means reinventing them much like they are Donkey Kong. I want to see the two characters form a meaningful bond across the campaign that culminates in a finale where they work together to overcome impossible obstacles, even if it means butting heads or being split up along the way. Yes, I can already tell this game is going to make me cry.
If you’re worried about how Donkey Kong Bananza is going to rewrite lore and how it will fit into the established canon, my advice is just to let that stress ride off your back like Donkey Kong and Pauline flow down a luscious waterfall into a pile of awaiting gold. It isn’t worth it, and besides, this might be the best iteration of these two characters we’ve ever seen.
Donkey Kong Bananza
- Released
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July 17, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Number of Players
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Single-player