Nintendo has officially revealed the age of Donkey Kong Banana's sidekick Pauline, raising questions about how this young character fits into the established timeline and how Banana's storyline aligns with previous titles—notably the original arcade game where DK famously played the villain and Pauline was his captive.

According to a character profile on the Japanese Donkey Kong Banana website, Pauline is described as "a 13-year-old singing enthusiast who once lived above ground before mysteriously being transported to an underground world and turned into rock."

The reveal of this younger Pauline during the Donkey Kong Banana Nintendo Direct strongly implies she's the same music-loving character seen years later in Super Mario Odyssey, where an adult Pauline serves as mayor of New Donk City and leads a popular band.

Fans are speculating about the implications for Pauline's overall timeline—especially considering the stark contrast between DK and Pauline's friendly partnership in Banana versus their traditional kidnapper-victim dynamic. Could DK undergo a change turning him evil? Or has their relationship been misunderstood all along?

In Banana, the duo works together to return teenage Pauline to the surface so she can pursue her singing dreams. Her appearance as a successful singer in Odyssey suggests she eventually achieves this goal. While Banana appears to serve as an Odyssey prequel, the exact timeline remains unclear since Nintendo hasn't specified Pauline's age in any previous appearances.

This musical connection between games highlights an intriguing detail—Odyssey's Pauline specifically references being kidnapped by DK, describing it as a "traumatic" experience.

Donkey Kong Banana Direct Screenshots

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Pauline's history with DK includes multiple kidnappings. She was famously rescued from DK in the original arcade game, then abducted again in various Mario vs. Donkey Kong sequels—like when DK snatched her after she chose Mario's gift over his, or when he grew angry about missing a theme park opening.

Later series entries, however, showed their relationship improving—collaborating on mini-games or planning surprise parties for Mario together. This raises questions: Will Banana reveal a falling out that turns DK villainous? Could we witness events from the original arcade game unfold within Banana, with Mario intervening? Or has their dynamic been misinterpreted?

Some theorize Banana might flip the script entirely—revealing DK and Pauline were always friends, with Mario being the actual antagonist who separated them under false pretenses.

Answers may arrive when Donkey Kong Banana launches as Nintendo's next major Switch 2 title on July 17, 2025.