Nintendo has officially confirmed that Pauline, the beloved character in Donkey Kong Bananza, is 13 years old. This revelation has sparked widespread discussion among fans regarding the timeline of the character and how the story connects with previous games. According to the Japanese official website, Pauline is described as a “13-year-old girl who loves singing, originally living in the surface world before being taken to the underground world and turned into stone.”
The young depiction of Pauline revealed in the recent Nintendo Direct strongly suggests she is the same character as the adult Pauline featured in Super Mario Odyssey, where she serves as the mayor of New Donk City and the lead singer of a popular band. Fans have quickly debated the implications of this timeline, noting the friendly cooperation between Pauline and Donkey Kong in Bananza contrasts sharply with their traditional kidnapper-victim relationship.
Donkey Kong Bananza tells the story of the two characters working together to help Pauline return to the surface and pursue her dream of becoming a singer. This aligns with her role in Odyssey, where she is indeed a singer, hinting at a successful mission. While Bananza appears to be a prequel to Odyssey, the exact timeline remains unclear. Nintendo has never disclosed Pauline’s age in Odyssey or other titles, leaving the timing of Bananza open to interpretation.
The game also highlights Pauline’s musical aspirations, linking her character arc to the trauma she mentions in Odyssey about being kidnapped by Donkey Kong. Over the years, Pauline has been kidnapped multiple times by Donkey Kong, including in the original Donkey Kong arcade game and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. However, their relationship has evolved into a more amicable one in later games, such as Mario & Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars, where they collaborate on mini-games and surprise parties.
Questions remain whether Bananza’s ending will alter this dynamic, potentially reverting Donkey Kong to an antagonist role or incorporating events from the original arcade game where Mario rescues Pauline. Some fans speculate the game might reveal Donkey Kong and Pauline as friends, with Mario possibly cast as the villain. These mysteries are set to be unveiled when Donkey Kong Bananza launches on Switch 2 on July 17, 2025.
