Mario Kart World Players Spot Hidden Clues Pointing to Donkey Kong DLC—Is a Big Update Coming Soon?

Looks like Mario Kart World fans have spotted something interesting that could hint at future DLC! The game, released for Switch 2 on June 5, brought tons of new features and a massive 50-character roster, but some players noticed not all characters are getting equal love—especially when it comes to costumes.

Why do Donkey Kong and Pauline have so few outfits?
What’s the community theory about upcoming DLC?
Are there signs of a Donkey Kong-themed expansion?
Could this connect to Donkey Kong Bananza?

Mario Kart World: Costume Controversy

Mario Kart World’s main roster includes 24 main characters, each with their own unique outfits, and 26 NPC racers. But here’s the thing—Donkey Kong and Pauline only have one unlockable outfit each. That’s way less than even the Mushroom Kingdom babies! Fans quickly took to social media to ask: why so little love for these icons?

One user on X wondered, “Am I wrong, or does Donkey Kong have only 1 costume to Baby Rosalina at least 4?” Another joked, “DK only has two costumes???????? This shit is unplayable I want my money back,” (source). Others pointed out it’s odd that even Pauline and Shy Guy get just one or two outfits, suggesting more content could be on the way.

Community Theories: Is DLC On the Way?

The Mario Kart World community on Reddit has gone full detective mode, gathering clues for a possible Donkey Kong-themed DLC. Here’s what they found:

Diddy Kong is missing from the base roster (despite producer Kosuke Yabuki saying he “can’t say anything at this time”—source).
No focus on Donkey Kong’s franchise outside the classic arcade game, including music.
Other Kongs like Funky and Dixie are also absent.

Fans believe this could all point to a big DLC drop tied to the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza, especially after a curious leak from Nintendo Korea.

The Donkey Kong Bananza Connection

In April, Nintendo Korea accidentally showed off Donkey Kong Bananza’s box art, revealing a younger Pauline holding DK’s necktie and wearing a purple bracelet matching the mysterious new character Odd Rock. This led fans to guess that Pauline might play a significant role in Bananza—maybe even transforming into Odd Rock or summoning it. While this is pure speculation, it’s clear Pauline will be important in the new game.

Will Nintendo Link Mario Kart World and Bananza?

Nintendo hasn’t confirmed why Donkey Kong and Pauline have only one outfit each in Mario Kart World, and details on the DK adventure are still under wraps. But if you think about it, timing a Mario Kart World DLC with Bananza’s release would be a perfect way to get everyone hyped! Imagine showing off new DK and Pauline outfits in a 24-player Knockout Tour race the same week Bananza drops—it just makes sense.

Nintendo has done similar cross-promotions before, for example, using Tetris 99 Maximus Cup events to celebrate new releases—most recently with a special event for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Could Mario Kart World get a similar treatment?

Donkey Kong Bananza launches July 17 for Nintendo Switch 2. Mario Kart World is out now on Switch 2. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to release!