Donkey Kong Bananza, which debuts on the Nintendo Switch 2 next month, looks amazing. You can pummel your way through a destructible world that consists of many different environments with the help of your sidekick, Pauline. However, the inclusion of a young Pauline opens up various questions about how this game fits in with the Donkey Kong canon.
Pauline is Thirteen in Donkey Kong Bananza
The Donkey Kong Bananza Direct showed us a young Pauline who dreams of being a singer. She rides on Donkey Kong’s shoulders and assists him with her vocal powers. According to Nintendo Life, the official Japanese Nintendo Store describes Pauline as “a 13-year-old girl who loves to sing. She used to live above ground, but for some reason, she was brought to the underground world and turned into a rock.”
Wait a Minute . . .
As Nintendo nerds know, Pauline is the original damsel in distress from the Donkey Kong arcade game, where she is an adult. Super nerds also know that the current version of Donkey Kong isn’t the same Donkey Kong from the arcade. Instead, the current Donkey Kong’s grandfather, Cranky Kong, is the original Donkey Kong. You could simply say this game is a prequel, but Cranky Kong is in Donkey Kong Bananza, he’s a separate character from the main Donkey Kong, and he’s already old – even though Pauline is thirteen. How does any of this fit in with the Donkey Kong canon?
Some Theories
Of course, there are theories that could come from this. Perhaps turning into a rock caused adult Pauline to de-age into a thirteen-year-old. Of course, if that’s the case, then why does she dream of being a singer when she is already a singing mayor in Super Mario Odyssey? Another possibility is that the Pauline in Donkey Kong Bananza is the original Pauline’s daughter, also named Pauline. Of course, the most likely possibility is that we’re not supposed to take any other games into consideration.
Conclusion
Will the game give us answers to these questions? Most likely not. We’re probably just supposed to enjoy the game without questioning how it fits into the Donkey Kong timeline. Still, coming up with theories is fun in its own right. Donkey Kong Bananza will release on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 19.
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