#when does donkey kong 94 take place

[lore-of-the-mushroom-kingdom]

Donkey Kong Was Mario's Pet

So I've heard a few people claim Donkey Kong Senior was Mario's pet never had an actual source for this claim provided. But thanks to someone actual answering my question I was able to find the source and confirm it.

So on a website called Shmuplations there is an developer interview for the game Donkey Kong 94. In this interview Miyamoto reveals Donkey Kong is Mario's pet. He also reveals that Donkey Kong's motives for kidnapping Pauline was merely to get a rise out of Mario. Interestingly enough he refers to Mario as plumber working at a construction site. This could suggest Mario was already a plumber back during Donkey Kong, or it could only apply to 94. I would mention the type of plumber we see Mario and Luigi are in game is actual construction plumbers, so this could line up. But that's just speculation on my part. What Miyamoto said "He did that to get a rise out of Mario. Mario, the plumber, owns a gorilla and worked at a construction site; the gorilla, Donkey Kong, decided to annoy Mario by kidnapping the girl Pauline and running away with her."

From here Miyamoto says that Mario and Donkey Kong aren't actually enemies and the gameplay focuses around Mario outwitting Donkey Kong the prankster, which is why the original arcade game ends the way it does. What Miyamoto said, "Correct. That's why, when creating the ending for the original arcade game, I spent a lot of time thinking around the theme of the player 'outwitting the prankster', rather than trying to kill DK." From here the interviewer askes if Pauline is Mario girlfriend. From here Kameyama and Miyamoto being saying Pauline is Mario's ex, Mario giving Pauline the flick, the game taking place before Super Mario Bros., and Mario meeting Peach in this game. Now as for this part I'm unsure if it should be taken as useful to the canon for several reasons. Aside from the joking tone that has been established with them laughing, I don't think they would actual do this with Mario character in game. But also in future games with Pauline showing up in them and seeming to be on good terms with Mario, the jokes we see the 2 making here I don't think would make sense in canon.

In addition we have games like Super Mario Odyssey that establish Mario has a Classic Outfit he wore for awhile before switching it up. We see most of the classic era games have him using this outfit, and he only switches to his Modern Outfit by Super Mario Bros. 3. I mention this because Mario is wearing his Modern Outfit in Donkey Kong 94, in addition Donkey Kong is now sporting his tie. Given this game isn't just a remake of the original, alongside the joking tone, and later games that wouldn't make sense with this I'm pretty sure this game takes place at a separate time from the original Donkey Kong game.

Also, in a description for Crank in a Nintendo Online Magazine we get this description for DK Snr. This is a simple Google Translation but it is accurate. "He debuted in the arcade version of Donkey Kong as a gorilla bought by Mario as a pet."

That being said while some people would use this to confirm Mario owned Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong Circus, I don't think this would be the case. The game only establishes Mario is watching the performance as if he were part of the crowd, there is nothing saying he owns the circus. I think Mario probably bought Donkey Kong from the Circus. This would explain why they aren't actually enemies, and how they can play games like Hockey together.

I will say it is weird Mario owned Donkey Kong Senior as a pet, but then again pets work weirdly in the Mario world. Characters own Chain Chomps and just like Kongs they can speak in their own language.