Pauline : de la captive de 1981 à maire d'Odyssey

Pauline: From 1981 Captive to Mayor of Odyssey

1351 words | Reading time : 6 minute(s)

CharacterPaulineNew Donk City

Nintendo's very first damsel in distress didn't even have a name. Simply called “The Lady” in Donkey Kong back in 1981, Pauline predates Peach by four years. This portrait traces the origin of her name, her running thread through the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series and her dazzling rebirth as mayor of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey.

Long before Princess Peach, another heroine was waiting to be rescued atop a New York construction site: Pauline. Introduced as early as 1981 in the arcade cabinet Donkey Kong, she is Nintendo's very first damsel in distress and Mario's first love, back when he was just a carpenter called “Jumpman”.

Long confined to the role of captive, Pauline has enjoyed one of the saga's most successful reinventions. In Super Mario Odyssey (2017), she returns as the glamorous mayor of New Donk City and lends her voice to the hit “ Jump Up, Super Star! ”. From victim to singing figure of authority, a look back at the journey of a video game pioneer.

Contents

The origins: the “Lady” of Donkey Kong (1981)

Pauline makes her debut in Donkey Kong, the arcade cabinet designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and released in 1981. There she is carried off by the giant ape and stranded at the top of a construction site; the player takes on the role of Mario, climbing the scaffolding to save her while dodging barrels and flames.

At the time, the character had no official name yet: she was simply referred to as “the Lady”. She is regarded as one of the very first examples of the damsel in distress in video games, an archetype that would leave a lasting mark on the medium. The character sprang from Miyamoto's imagination, inspired by the King Kong dynamic between a giant, a beauty and a hero.

Pauline and Donkey Kong in artwork from the 1981 arcade cabinet
In 1981 she is only “the Lady”: the name would come later.

Where does the name “Pauline” come from?

The name “Pauline” appears nowhere in the original cabinet. It emerged in the merchandise and promotional material of the early 1980s before being adopted in the games themselves. According to the account handed down by Nintendo sources, the name was chosen as a tribute to the partner of Don James, then warehouse manager at Nintendo of America.

It was above all the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong, released in 1994, that cemented both the name and a new look: brown hair and a red dress, a visual identity that sets her clearly apart from Peach. This ambitious remake put her back in the spotlight while keeping her status as a captive to be rescued.

A running thread: the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Pauline became a recurring character again starting with the series Mario vs. Donkey Kong. As early as Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006), she plays the damsel carried off by Donkey Kong, but the shift is unmistakable: over the course of the games, she grows closer to both Mario and the ape.

In the later games, the relationship mellows to the point that Pauline ends up teaming up with Donkey Kong to run the Mini-Land amusement park. That turn foreshadows the modern Pauline: no longer a mere victim, but an active figure in the universe.

Black-and-white sketch of Pauline heading to a rehearsal
She runs through the entire Mario vs. Donkey Kong series without ever fading away.

The rebirth: mayor of New Donk City in Odyssey

The big turning point came with Super Mario Odyssey in 2017. There Pauline becomes the mayor of New Donk City, a metropolis inspired by New York. Far from waiting to be saved, she hands Mario the mission of taking down the Mechawiggler that threatens the city's power supply, then invites him to a huge festival.

Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi explained that the team picked this familiar character to embody a leader outside royalty, so as to avoid the idea that a kingdom necessarily means monarchs in charge. The high point: Pauline steps on stage as her band's singer to perform “Jump Up, Super Star!”, now one of the most iconic tracks in the saga (she also sings “Break Free (Lead the Way)”). In the English version, she has been voiced by Kate Higgins since 2017.

Pauline today: athlete, racer and singing sonar

Buoyed by that success, Pauline has made her mark in the spin-offs. She became playable for the first time in Mario Tennis Aces (2019), then made her racing debut in Mario Kart Tour the same year. She then turns up behind the wheel in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (through the Booster Course Pass) and among the characters of Mario Kart World.

In 2025, she takes on a brand-new role in Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2: a 13-year-old teenage version of her travels alongside Donkey Kong Her singing becomes a genuine gameplay tool, able to guide Donkey Kong, shatter the seals blocking access to certain items and trigger the ape's mighty “Bananza” transformations. The pioneer of 1981 has become a heroine in her own right.

Pauline in her biker outfit in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Racer, athlete, singer: she has joined the regular cast of the spin-offs.

Quick facts

First appearance Donkey Kong (arcade, 1981)
Type Human character, ally of Mario
Creator Shigeru Miyamoto
Original name “The Lady” (no official name in 1981)
Signature role Mayor of New Donk City (Super Mario Odyssey, 2017)
Iconic song “Jump Up, Super Star!”
First playable appearance Mario Tennis Aces (2019)

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FAQ

  • Who is Pauline in the Mario universe?
    Pauline is Nintendo's very first damsel in distress, introduced in 1981 in the Donkey Kong arcade cabinet. Carried off by the ape and rescued by Mario, she was reinvented in 2017 as the mayor of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey.
  • Did Pauline appear before Princess Peach?
    Yes. Pauline debuts in 1981 in Donkey Kong, while Peach makes her debut in 1985 in Super Mario Bros. Pauline is therefore Nintendo's first heroine and Mario's first love.
  • Which song does Pauline perform in Super Mario Odyssey?
    She sings “Jump Up, Super Star!”, the game's main theme, during the New Donk City festival. She also performs “Break Free (Lead the Way)”. In English, she is voiced by Kate Higgins.
  • Where does the name “Pauline” come from?
    The character had no name in 1981 (“the Lady”). The name Pauline appeared in early-1980s merchandise, as a tribute to the partner of Don James, warehouse manager at Nintendo of America, then took hold with the 1994 Game Boy remake.
  • Can you play as Pauline in the Mario games?
    Yes. Pauline becomes playable for the first time in Mario Tennis Aces (2019), then in Mario Kart Tour, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart World, among other spin-offs.
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