With just days to go until Super Mario Odyssey hits the shelves, there’s a lot of excitement and buzz in the air. While most of the game will be kept under lock and key until 27 October, Nintendo has made a few things public. One of the bigger revelations made earlier this year, when Odyssey was unveiled, was that Pauline would be making a return. Not only would she be featured in the game, but will fill the role of mayor of New Donk City. Many gamers were surprised at the news. Pauline had stayed in the Donkey Kong series of games, but had never been seen in the Super Mario series, where Princess Peach is the main lady in need of rescue.
Pauline has been featured prominently in marketing for Super Mario Odyssey. Most notably, as the vocalist for the theme song to the game, “Jump Up Super Star” which has even been released on the iTunes Store. It’s funny to think about, but really, Pauline has been around just as long as Mario. They were first both featured in Donkey Kong - all the way back in 1981. Donkey Kong has served as a cornerstone for Nintendo with so much history and lore packed into one game. It was the start for Mario, Nintendo’s first true hit and even resulted in a lawsuit over whether or not the concept of the game was public domain or not.
There is, though, even more history that has been overlooked, at least in my opinion. While the history and development of Donkey Kong, Mario and other characters have been well known and documented in interviews and publications, very little was ever mentioned about Pauline. There is a theory though that she was inspired by a series of films in the early 20th Century.
“The Perils of Pauline” were a set of serial films from the mid-1910s that featured a young woman, named Pauline, falling into all sorts of danger. The dramatic ending of each instalment would always result in her rescue. Though the film looks simplistic today, 100 years ago they proved to be extremely popular. The actress who played Pauline, Pearl White, soon became the most famous silent film star of the day, save for maybe, Lillian Gish. The “Pauline” series was so popular it was remade over and over again, using the same “Perils of Pauline” title. Some of those films made their way over to Japan, where the road to all things Nintendo eventually go. Could these films have influenced the naming of Pauline? It all could be a crazy coincidence, but if that's all it is, its a rather noticeable one.
To see some of the different “Perils of Pauline” films and determine for yourself if that's how Nintendo named the character, check out the video below. It's also filled with some other trivia you may or may not know.
For more things Nintendo, retro or Japan, be sure to check out GTV.
Comments 27
Cool
Feels weird talking about stories related to movies as something that took place "a hundred years ago".
It'll be the same with video games some day.
Interesting story though, I'm a big fan of the whole swing-era motif running through Mario Oddysey, and Pauline seems more confident in her place in the universe than she ever did as a factory foreman.
So... we're just going to talk about Odyssey and leave the elephant in the room for after Odyssey's release?
The biggest spoiler about the twist on Bowser's final boss stage in Odyssey literally popped up in my recommended YouTube list.
I hope we see more of Pauline in the Mario franchise going forward. I was disappointed by her exclusion from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe considering that even Baby friggin' Daisy of all things, a clone of A clone, a no-name roster filler, a poor man's Peach, if you will, got a place on the roster over the original damsel-in-distress who has since evolved into the knockout who has only made sporadic cameos in spin-offs over the last few years.
I'm glad that Nintendo are gradually bringing Pauline back into the limelight, and I would love to eventually see a Super Mario Bros. spin-off (or a Super Princess Peach sequel) with Peach, Pauline, Rosalina, Daisy, and Toadette.
This theory is likely correct. Pauline was originally Mario's girlfriend from Brooklyn, NY (where he is also supposedly from), and The Perils of Pauline debuted at the Loews Broadway Theatre in 1914, which was in Brooklyn, NY (unfortunately, the theater has been demolished by now). New Donk City and it's aesthetics are also clearly based off of 1910's/1920's New York City. Finally, the girders in Donkey Kong were based off of the skeleton structures for the skyscrapers being built at the time, and the basic plot was similar to what happens to Pauline near the end of each episode (has to be dramatically saved from someone who kidnaps her after she visits somewhere or goes on an adventure).
@AlexSora89 Some people are idiots and will lose review privileges, for our part we always do our utmost to respect embargoes. If people spoil stuff online Nintendo has the right to not give them copies in future.
I heard leaks were online but they've not been in any of my feeds. My point being that who you follow will determine how much gets spoiled for you, and you can control that in future.
@AlexSora89 You should really turn off the recommended list entirely. Either go into Appearance options and check "Hide video suggestions", or use an extension like YouTube Center to turn off the recommended list. It's essential to avoiding spoilers on Youtube these days.
@ThomasBW84 Actually that's not the case about who you follow. When I'm watching any video about Odyssey (this video included) on the Up Next on the side there is a picture of the final boss. There are also more that leak extra worlds under it. Also in most comments there are spoilers about the game.
@AlexSora89 Actually, no, I take it back, don't use YouTube Options, I just found out it's not free anymore. Use extensions like YouTube Center. NoScript can be useful as well if you really want to get nitty gritty and are willing to deal with having to enable/disable scripts from running on websites.
@BezBot Yeah, YouTube links like this are harder to control outside it's site, other than with script blockers... It's also a good idea to stop videos before they reach the end.
@ThomasBW84 @AlexSora89 It's the few spoiling it for the many. When these videos start trending due to people who can't resist spoilers they tend to pop up on recommended lists.
Hopefully the muppets will be rooted out and the more respectful outlets (such as this one) won't be tarred with the same brush and penalised unfairly.
@ThomasBW84 @PlywoodStick
As for me getting spoiled, there's no need to worry about it as I'm immune to spoilers' supposed ability to ruin anything for me, I'm a spoiler hound and those in the NL Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions forum thread know it very well.
No, I was just saying this should be rather article-worthy as far as NL coverage goes. No need to get mad (as Thomas using the word "idiots" suggested)!
@BustedUpBiker
I'd embed a pic of either Spock doing a trollface, but surprisingly there seem to be none on the whole net.
@PlywoodStick That's true, YouTube can push videos you don't technically subscribe to if it matches subject matter you follow. Fair enough.
@AlexSora89 Yeah, my frustration came out in my comment, because I think people that break embargoes in that way are idiots! While publishers typically appreciate and don't penalise outlets with good records, you get the perception spread by some that every individual / site / channel with early copies will be eejits and leak everything. That's just the internet, I'm afraid.
The fact that Pauline was named after the perils of Pauline is new? I mean I came here expecting to see something new so I could be a pedantic smarty pants and say that it was due to the perils of Pauline and we’ve always known this.
Also, early 20th century melodrama did not age well.
@ThomasBW84 Can I ask if you guys have a copy of Odyssey already/do you know when the review will be up?
@ThomasBW84
Yep. Same here. People shouldn't even get mad at Nintendo reacting this way, especially because, well, it's Nintendo - "once bitten, twice shy" is basically the motto behind their whole M.O., for better or for worse. It's people who break embargos that way knowing they're doing it with Nintendo who should get the blame, and never do! They always get away with stuff like that, which is crazy.
At times - at times - leaks can be something to look forward to (the Bowser Jr. one for Sm4sh comes to mind) because they can, paradoxically, generate even more hype for a title. But for the most part they're something people should prevent.
@Indielink The review will meet the embargo.
Ha! Stupid Monkey...
I can't help but wonder if there's a second character inspired by these films:
"The actress who played Pauline, Pearl White, "
Could be a coincidence, but it's an interesting coincidence with the color tie in and everything.
@NEStalgia This rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper!
Fan theory: Her parents named her Pauline
Love the 3d Pauline sprite in the video(is that from Nes Remix?), & I always have loved Nintendo's pixel/sprite artwork, like @ 3:40; the Nes boxart was glorious for this.
As for Pauline, this has always been a known theory. Still cool, though. Notice I said known, & not well-known.
Yeah, Pauline, Daisy, & Waluigi need to be shifted more into the Super Mario Bros. Universe.(Same for Luigi more in the main games) Yeah, technically you could say it should be called the Mario universe, as Mario started out as the sole hero of the DK arcade game, but I always like to call it the SMB Universe, as while both DK/MB were popular arcade games, SMB on the Nes is where the universe in question truly became popular. Plus, I always hated the omission of Luigi, such as from 64, & Sunshine.
Related note: Nintendo needs to be willing to secure the rights to the arcade's code, so the original version can be legally made available. Complete with dip switch controls.
@ThomasBW84
"Some people are idiots and will lose review privileges, for our part we always do our utmost to respect embargoes. If people spoil stuff online Nintendo has the right to not give them copies in future."
Insulting certain persons is never good.
@Mario500 I didn't have anyone specific in mind with my remarks as I've not actually seen who's leaking; hence my comments about the possibility of avoiding leaks because I've been lucky that way, but some have also been unlucky in seeing them unintentionally (like at end of video 'suggestions' by YouTube).
Do I think people that intentionally breach agreements like embargoes are idiots, though? Absolutely. That's my personal opinion on it - when people make unintentional mistakes I can try and understand, but I can't when it's done deliberately. As seen above, too, it causes issues for those wanting to avoid spoilers and prompts some publishers to lash out and punish other outlets.
The real life woman from the jump up superstar video has way more sex appeal.
That is all.
Pauline is hot. That is all.
Interesting stuff.
Tap here to load 27 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...