Bananza comes from the same internal team at Nintendo that developed Super Mario Odyssey, which is exemplified by its storytelling that prioritizes charm and good vibes over lore and dialogue.

In an interview with IGN, Donkey Kong Bananza director Kazuya Takahashi and producer Kenta Motokura ( Super Mario Odyssey ’s director) were asked why Pauline is riding on DK’s back in the game. Their answer was a perfect window into how game development often seems to work at Nintendo,

The first thing players will notice upon booting up Donkey Kong Bananza is that its titular ape looks pretty different. Although DK has sported multiple styles before (and the name’s been used for different characters entirely), his core aesthetic has remained mostly the same since the series’ first reboot in 1994’s Donkey Kong Country .