While it was hard to keep track of just how many games were revealed at the Nintendo Switch 2 direct, one that was hard to miss was the Donkey Kong Bananza, which seems like a true-to-form spiritual successor to Mario Odyssey. If you're like me, you may have been shocked at the absence of a new 3D Mario game to celebrate the launch of the Switch 2. Thankfully, Donkey Kong Bananza looks like it will do much more than fill in for Mario's absence, as it may offer an entirely new backstory for some of Nintendo's most iconic characters.

Although Donkey Kong Bananza's unique gameplay and art style were certainly a welcome surprise, there may have been more than a few hints at a solo adventure based on the Switch 2's first reveal trailer. While Donkey Kong's new redesign had plenty of backlash initially that prompted a defensive response by one of Rare's former artists, the new look offered more hope that a new game would likely follow. Allowing Donkey Kong's expressive personality to shine through in a more goofy and friendly way, the redesign fits perfectly with the latest upbeat adventure featuring his very first companion.

Donkey Kong Bananza Seems To Include A Young Pauline

Nintendo May Have Revealed A Surprising Twist Ahead Of Release

Spotted by Genki_JPN on X, one of Nintendo's overseas sights may have accidentally included a piece of key art that would have likely been saved until closer to release, featuring what seems to be a much younger Pauline.

Given that Donkey Kong was first established as Pauline's pet gone wild in the original Donkey Kong (1981), this could be their origin story being brought to life for the first time. While Donkey Kong's official lore has frequently changed drastically over the years, Donkey Kong Bananza has the perfect chance to explore Donkey Kong and Pauline's relationship in a brand-new light.

The key art also shows Pauline holding onto Donkey Kong with a grin, the same way his purple rock companion does in Donkey Kong Bananza's official trailers, with her similarly designed bracelet hinting that it could be a transformed version of Pauline rather than an entirely new character. While Nintendo was likely saving the reveal until launch to add a fun twist for Mario Odyssey fans, her appearance in the key art likely means it would have been revealed relatively early on, if not from the start of the game.

Having Pauline as a younger version of herself would put Donkey Kong Bananza at the very forefront of the Mario timeline.

While Pauline might not have appeared in any of the trailers herself, her appearance on this potential cover art could hint at her being a more vital character than Nintendo is letting on. On top of potentially being a prequel to Mario Odyssey, having Pauline as a younger version of herself would put Donkey Kong Bananza at the very forefront of the Mario timeline, which has countless possibilities for unique references and character origins.

Pauline Has A Major Role In Super Mario Odyssey

Becoming The Star Of Her Very Own Story

Much like Peach, Mario's first damsel in distress has come a long way since getting kidnapped by strangely familiar gorillas, with Mario Odyssey seeing Pauline having worked her way up to becoming the mayor of New Donk City. Not only was Pauline able to become the beloved mayor of New Donky City, but she even stars in a band that performs to celebrate the city's long history. While Pauline has come a long way since her original appearance, Nintendo still acknowledged her origins, with her claiming the kidnapping experience was traumatic but helped her become the person she is today.

Even if Pauline is far from Nintendo's most iconic character, she still plays a vital role in the first game in the series, with her appearance in Mario Odyssey being a fantastic way to develop the character. In addition to seeing Pauline as a major story-related character in a new light, her inclusion was the perfect way to celebrate Mario's origins leading up to the latest and greatest game in the franchise.

How Bananza Could Change The Donkey Kong Narrative

Adding Definitive Context To One Of Nintendo's Strangest Relationships

The relationship between Donkey Kong and Pauline has changed drastically over the years, ranging from being her kidnapper, beloved pet, friend, and even a one-sided crush for Donkey Kong. Given that Nintendo eventually retconned the idea that Donkey Kong was the one who kidnapped Pauline in his similarly-named origin game, but rather his relative Cranky Kong instead, their friendly relationship makes much more sense in the greater world of Mario. With Donkey Kong and Pauline's lore being incredibly convoluted, a new game like Donkey Kong Bananza would be the perfect way to solidify their relationship and origin story in canon.

Nintendo eventually retconned the idea that Donkey Kong was the one who kidnapped Pauline in his similarly-named origin game.

If Donkey Kong Bananza truly is at least a loose prequel to Mario Odyssey, it has the chance to explore Pauline's character and motivations in even greater detail. Fitting loosely with Donkey Kong's origins as her supposed pet, the Switch 2 title could give a better idea of the reasoning behind Pauline's aspirations as a character. Even if the events of Donkey Kong Bananza don't directly lead into the events of Mario Odyssey, it would still be a great chance to finally offer some satisfying answers to the relationship between the two characters, whilst building up towards the story of Mario's globe-trotting adventure.

While not everyone is happy about the Odyssey news from the Switch 2 Direct, I'm incredibly excited to see the new direction Donkey Kong Bananza takes moving forward, as it seems to offer a fresh yet familiar gameplay experience for fans of the original game. Even the UI in the latest Donkey Kong Bananza appears to take heavy inspiration from Mario Odyssey, with its open-world environments and focus on collectibles being a core part of its predecessors' gameplay style.

I'm incredibly excited to see the new direction Donkey Kong Bananza takes moving forward.

Although the Mario franchise is far from anything you would expect a consistent overarching storyline from, the friendships and relationship dynamics between Nintendo characters are some of its most vital aspects, even when kept in their simplest form. While it will be a while until Donkey Kong Bananza finally releases to uncover Pauline and Donkey Kong's new friendship, the current trailers offer plenty of gameplay mechanics and story beats to look forward to.

Source: Genki_JPN/X, Mario Wiki, Mario Fandom Wiki