Nintendo accidentally leaks an unrevealed Donkey Kong Bananza character that might unironically have huge lore implications for the Mario universe

Not numerous contributors had been anticipating the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct to unveil Donkey Kong Bananza, the character’s first new game in more than ten years and his premier 3D quest since the N64. However, the mere fact that the game exists is not the only surprise. Nintendo itself likely (and perhaps inadvertently) revealed that an undisclosed character is front and center in the game.

(Of course, there may be a few spoilers related to the game’s marketing, but do not worry about spoilers for the game itself since we are simply going to examine its box art.)

The Nintendo Korea website currently features Donkey Kong Bananza’s full cover art, showcasing what appears to be a much younger version of Pauline joyfully riding while holding on to DK’s signature tie as he wreaks havoc around her. The upcoming Switch 2 game‘s reveal trailer does not mention Pauline (or any other companion) at all, and all promotional materials for the game elsewhere depict DK causing chaos alone.

Pauline is, of course, the damsel in distress in Donkey Kong’s inaugural video game — the 1981 arcade cabinet where Mario jumped over barrels to rescue her from the villainous ape. She later assumed mayoral responsibilities in Super Mario Odyssey’s New Donk City and has appeared in various other recent Mario spin-offs.

This seemingly younger Pauline carries significant implications for the Mario Universe. Were Pauline and DK friends before he decided to kidnap her? Is Donkey Kong Bananza a prequel for one of gaming’s oldest characters? Did Mario get the entirely wrong idea when he went to ‘rescue’ Pauline? Alternatively, this could be Pauline’s relative or even a completely new character who is just enjoying the chaos. There are numerous possibilities, but