- Image of Donkey Kong Bananza, courtesy of Nintendo.

Have Creative Donkey Kong Bananza Fans Solved the Confusing Timeline Problems?

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By Liesel Booker | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 1:10 PM ET

Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the most acclaimed games of the year, but it opens up some confusing questions regarding the Donkey Kong timeline. Most notably, Pauline is thirteen years old, despite how she is an adult in the original Donkey Kong arcade game. Well, fans have been busy theorizing, and they might have come up with a solution.

The Donkey Kong Bananza Timeline Problems

Pauline is an adult in the Donkey Kong arcade game. While you could simply say that Bananza is a prequel, the problem lies in the inclusion of Cranky Kong. As Donkey Kong experts will tell you, Cranky Kong is the original Donkey Kong from the arcade game, now grown old. However, in Bananza, he is the same age as he is in Donkey Kong Country and other games that star his grandson, the current Donkey Kong. How is Cranky Kong old while Pauline is a child?

The Theory

Have Creative Donkey Kong Bananza Fans Solved the Confusing Timeline Problems? 2 Screenshot of Donkey Kong Bananza courtesy of Nintendo

According to The Gamer, a popular theory floating around is that Bananza‘s Pauline is not the same Pauline who stars in the arcade game. Rather, she is the original Pauline’s daughter or granddaughter. I myself have speculated that this Pauline might be the original Pauline’s daughter. Moreover, Pauline talks frequently about her grandmother in Donkey Kong Bananza, which could suggest that her grandmother is someone significant. Perhaps long ago, the current Pauline’s grandmother was kidnapped by a younger Cranky Kong.

You could even stretch this theory further and say Mayor Pauline from Super Mario Odyssey is the daughter of Pauline from the original Donkey Kong. This would mean that the Pauline in Bananza is the daughter of Mayor Pauline. It actually works out nicely.

Okay, But Is This Canon?

Nintendo has kept their mouths shut about how Donkey Kong Bananza fits into the Donkey Kong timeline, and indeed, Nintendo doesn’t seem to worry too much about continuity. Each game is meant to be enjoyed as its own complete adventure. We’re supposed to just sit back and enjoy ourselves without worrying about continuity. Still, I think I’ll adopt three generations of Paulines as my personal head canon.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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