I’m likely never going to stop singing the praises of Donkey Kong Bananza on the Nintendo Switch 2. Why? Because it’s a title I thought was so incredible, I gave it a perfect score in my review of it! It was a title that brought me a kind of joy that I will treasure for quite some time. Between its gameplay, visuals, and the fun bond of DK and Pauline, there’s a lot to enjoy. What this post is about, though, is the animations that highlight that bond between the two characters.
Some eagle-eyed fans noticed that the idle animations for Donkey Kong and Pauline shift over time, especially in situations where the elements aren’t directly affecting them, like in the lava layer or the ice layer. As you’ll see in the video below, early in the game, Pauline is a bit nervous about being on DK’s shoulder. Yet, later on, as they near the end of their journey, she has total trust in him and is even very playful with him. Check it out:
In Donkey Kong Bananza, Pauline's idle animations evolve over the course of the game as she learns to be more comfortable around DK. In the beginning, she looks around worriedly. After Sublayer 300, she starts ruffling his hair, and after Sublayer 1400, starts tickling him.
— Supper Mario Broth (@mariobrothblog.bsky.social) 2025-08-27T16:33:24.391Z
These are the subtle little details that really make games special in my mind. They didn’t HAVE to do this, but it highlights that not all stories have to be verbal or displayed in cutscenes. Another measure of this particular kind of storytelling comes from the special challenge levels in Donkey Kong Bananza. Early on, Pauline is scared every time they go into a barrel. Yet, over time, she gets used to it and even enjoys it later on. This also runs in parallel with the “getaway conversations,” where Pauline shares her thoughts and feelings with Donkey Kong as they rest.
It honestly makes you wonder what other small details like this are in the game that the team dev threw in to further show the bond between them.
