Nintendo gave fans a very in-depth view of Super Mario Odyssey during its E3 2017 showcase, revealing everything from new Amiibo to the fact that Mario will be spending the bulk of the coins he collects. As everyone's favorite plumber works toward saving Peach from a forced marriage with Bowser, one gets the feeling that the New Donk City wedding may attract a few familiar looking guests, invited or not. As it turns out, Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi has admitted that the game may feature a cameo from a certain affable ape named Donkey Kong.

During an interview with Game Informer, Koizumi was discussing the fact that Pauline - the woman which Donkey Kong kidnaps in the original Donkey Kong arcade game - is the mayor of New Donk City. Putting aside the fact that she was Mario's original love interest before Princess Peach arrived on the scene, the implications here are pretty massive: if Pauline is a central figure for the city, this means Donkey Kong is likely to show up. Given their history, this could lead to some interesting interactions between the two.

Here's what Yoshiaki Koizumi replied with when he was asked if Donkey Kong would appear in Super Mario Odyssey:

Well I can’t say exactly right now, but Pauline is there and you know, some interesting things might happen.

Super Mario Odyssey is already chock full of references to some of Donkey Kong's other pals, with some street signs and billboards featuring text like Diddy's Mart, Dixie Street, and Cranky Avenue. Given that the whole family seems to have set up shop in New Donk City, it's hard to imagine that Donkey Kong wouldn't be there in a significant capacity. It will be interesting to see whether Nintendo acknowledges the previous encounters between the characters, or if it opts to ignore those awkward implications entirely.

Nintendo's upcoming title has certainly captured the imagination of fans, with some even going so far as to create in-depth theories on how Mario may be an evil character, or potentially just a hapless vessel for his magic hat all along. The game is poised to feature a ton of references to other Mario titles, so on this scale, an appearance by Donkey Kong wouldn't be the most surprising thing.

Super Mario Odyssey will release on October 27, 2017, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

Source: Game Informer