Could this leaked character mean Donkey Kong Bananza is a prequel game?

April 09, 2025 | 12:59am

Donkey Kong Bananza Character Leak Spurs Speculation Over DK Lore

Could this leaked character mean Donkey Kong Bananza is a prequel game?

Now, it appears that she may be returning to the Donkey Kong series, according to a piece of cover art that was posted to the Nintendo Korea website. The art shows what looks like a younger Pauline holding onto Donkey Kong's tie as he smashes his way through the ground.

The art has now been replaced on the Korean site with an image that swaps Pauline for the crystalline purple sidekick known as Odd Rock. This has only led to further speculation after eagle-eyed fans noted that Pauline, in the original image, was wearing a purple crystal bracelet that seems to resemble Odd Rock.

The appearance of Pauline as a young girl has led fans to question the game's place in the Donkey Kong timeline, with some suggesting that Bananza could be a prequel game starring the original Donkey Kong--the character we've known as Donkey Kong from Nintendo's recent games is the grandson of the original, though The Super Mario Bros. Movie refers to him as his son.

Other theories speculate that the mystery character is actually Pauline's daughter, that Odd Rock is taking on her appearance, or that she has been aged down by some kind of magic or device.

Donkey Kong Bananza will launch on July 17, when we'll find out for sure if the mystery girl is Pauline, and what role she'll be playing in the world of Donkey Kong.

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