Super Mario Odyssey: Where Donkey Kong Is

Where Donkey Kong Is in Super Mario Odyssey

There are tons of Kingdoms to explore in Super Mario Odyssey. From the beautiful coastal Seaside Kingdom to the prehistoric lands of the Cascade Kingdom, the variety of worlds to explore is pretty impressive. Each Kingdom clearly tells its own story and holds its own identity but there is one in particular that has sparked a lot of curiosity about the familiar faces that reside there. The Metro Kingdom is home to New Donk City (a reference to Donkey Kong in itself) where Mario’s first love Pauline is currently the mayor in Super Mario Odyssey.

It’s a particularly interesting decision considering Pauline hasn’t been a prominent figure in a Mario game since Mario vs. Donkey Kong 3: Minis March Again in 2009. When we first met Pauline she was the apple of Mario’s eye and the damsel in distress that had been captured by Donkey Kong. Now she has reemerged as the mayor of a city that is filled with simple nods to other Donkey Kong crew members like Dixie Kong and Diddy Kong. It all makes you wonder just where Donkey Kong is in the midst of all this. He is one of the few familiar faces from the franchise that hasn’t been depicted in any gameplay trailers, is yet to appear in any advertisements, or has not been mentioned in a way that would confirm his presence in the game.

In terms of sheer likelihood, however, it seems fairly likely that we will see an appearance from Donkey Kong—the real surprise will likely come in exactly how we run into Donkey Kong in the game. Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi seemed to hint at a Donkey Kong cameo but even his evasive answer about the famous character’s presence suggests we could be in for quite the surprise.

When Koizumi was asked if Donkey Kong would make an appearance in Super Mario Odyssey, he replied by explaining that he couldn’t give away any details but mentioned that “Pauline is there and you know… some interesting things might happen.”

So for now there is no confirmation that big ol’ DK will appear at all in Super Mario Odyssey but if you’re crossing your fingers in hopes that he’ll show up, just know that the odds seem to be stacked in your favor.

For more on Super Mario Odyssey, be sure to check out our ever-expanding wiki.