Donkey Kong Bananza: Lore, Connection to Super Mario, and the 1983 Album

It’s been a month since the release of Donkey Kong Bananza, and many fan questions are finally being answered. Fans have been curious about how this game connects to Super Mario Odyssey and where DK fits in the Donkey Kong universe. The answer is flexible: the game takes creative liberties. Overall, the story is set after Donkey Kong Country, although some lore details remain vague.

Rare Lore That’s Often Overlooked

Even though Donkey Kong isn’t a series focused on storytelling, there’s a unique piece of lore that Bananza doesn’t explore: the 1983 children’s music album Donkey Kong Goes Home from Kid Stuff Records.

This label was famous in the 1980s for producing original songs based on popular game and cartoon characters. Back then, companies often allowed their characters to be used freely without strict restrictions.

The Story Behind “Donkey Kong Goes Home”

In the album, DK is said to have grown up in Gamesville and lived in a zoo across from Mario’s pizza restaurant. When the zoo closed, all the animals—including DK—were sold to a circus. Each year, the circus returned and paraded the animals around town. Mario and his pizza delivery assistant, Pauline, often visited DK at the zoo, bringing him food.

One day, while the parade passed through town, DK escaped to return to his zoo home. However, the area had been turned into a construction site. At the same time, Pauline was delivering pizza to a character named Jake the Watchman. DK happily reunited with Pauline and brought her to the top of the construction site. Mario then had to save Pauline from the misunderstanding.

The album ends with a funny duet involving food orders, as if Mario were an Italian Uber Eats. Though whimsical, this story illustrates how characters like DK and Pauline were once considered free-use licenses and are now valuable Nintendo assets.

Donkey Kong Bananza and Rewritten Lore

With the release of Bananza, some classic elements, such as the 1983 album, are gradually fading from memory. Modern games rewrite the story, focusing on new gameplay and DK’s updated world, leaving some unique lore to the long-time fans.

However, knowing this history adds depth to Donkey Kong’s world and provides an interesting perspective on Nintendo’s evolution of character narratives.

Conclusion

• Donkey Kong Bananza is fun and flexible in terms of lore.

• The 1983 album Donkey Kong Goes Home offers a humorous and rare story that many fans may not know.

• Learning this history provides insight into how Nintendo has built the DK universe and its connections to Mario and Pauline.

For both longtime fans and newcomers, Bananza isn’t just a game—it’s a reminder of Nintendo’s unique and creative storytelling history.