Nintendo Producer Addresses Pauline’s Timeline in Donkey Kong Bananza: No Official Connection to Super Mario Odyssey Revealed

Nintendo Clarifies Pauline’s Timeline in Donkey Kong Bananza Amid Ongoing Fan Theories Nintendo’s latest Nintendo Switch title, Donkey Kong Bananza, has sparked widespread discussion in the gaming community regarding the timeline and heritage of one of its central characters, Pauline.

Since her reveal in Donkey Kong Bananza, fans have been eager to determine how this depiction aligns with or diverges from her prominent role as mayor of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey.

However, it appears that Nintendo intends to leave the answer ambiguous for now. In a recent interview with Famitsu, Donkey Kong Bananza producer Kenta Motokura addressed fan curiosity surrounding Pauline’s connection between the two games.

Motokura stated through an official response, “Of course, the developers have a plan for it, but I’m afraid we’d like you to use your imagination.” This statement was echoed during the game’s Ask the Developer series and further discussed by industry outlets such as Nintendo Life.

Motokura’s carefully worded reply essentially sidelines direct clarification, instead encouraging players to speculate and engage with the narrative as they see fit. Further questions in the interview probed the lineage of Pauline, including references to her grandmother—an in-game character mentioned by 13-year-old Pauline during Getaway naps in Bananza.

On this topic, Motokura similarly demurred, confirming, “Sorry, this too,” without providing additional details on the subject. Donkey Kong Bananza launched on Nintendo Switch in 2024, continuing Nintendo’s long-standing legacy with the Donkey Kong franchise.

Since its release, the title has earned positive attention in the community, both for its engaging gameplay and its expansion of the Donkey Kong series’ lore.

Pauline, originally introduced in the arcade classic Donkey Kong and revitalized in Super Mario Odyssey, remains an iconic character whose background continues to intrigue long-time fans. Despite Nintendo’s reluctance to provide a concrete timeline or origin story for Bananza’s interpretation of Pauline, the developer’s acknowledgment that they "have a plan" suggests that further narrative developments may arise in future titles or official materials.

Until then, fans are left to interpret the facts and continue theorizing about Pauline’s possible connections across Nintendo’s revered franchises. For those eager to dive deeper, Nintendo Life and other gaming outlets offer extended coverage of Donkey Kong Bananza’s ending and its potential narrative ties to Super Mario Odyssey, though Nintendo itself remains tight-lipped.

With speculation abound and no spoiler details here, the conversation about Pauline’s timeline is sure to persist as the Donkey Kong series evolves on Nintendo Switch and beyond.

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