Pauline is the talk of the gaming world this week afterNintendofinally confirmeda younger version of the character we’re familiar with will play a key role in Donkey Kong Bananza. Lost in the shuffle of Pauline’s Bananza news was an equally exciting reveal about the mayor’s upcoming Hot Wheels debut.
Nintendo and Mattel have been working together on Mario Kart Hot Wheels crossover toys since 2019. Despite a lot of characters making the cut, including the likes of Monty Mole and Cheep Cheep, Pauline has never been selected for Hot Wheels duty until now.
Revealed by Mattel on the same day that Pauline was officially shown off during the Bananza Direct, Pauline’s first Hot Wheels collectible is part of a drop that has been dubbed Girl Power. Joining Pauline in Mattel’s Girl Power reveal are Elvira and Sweet Screams Twyla Monster High dolls, and they’ll all be released during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Naturally, when it comes to Mario-themed Hot Wheels, the kart Nintendo and Mattel select for each character is almost as important as the characters themselves. For Pauline, the powers that be have opted for the Badwagon. AMario Karttake on a muscle car, the Hot Wheels version is more or less the same, with the number on the bonnet swapped out for a heart on the toy version.
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Pauline’s debut Hot Wheels car will come in a display box with a Mario Kart backdrop. Perfect for anyone who plans on picking one up for display purposes only, but equally suitable for those who want to properly introduce Pauline to the rest of their Mario Hot Wheels cars.
The Hot Wheels Mario Kart Pauline collectible will beavailable to buy for $22 during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con starting from June 04, 2025,but don’t worry, you won’t need to be there to buy one. Similar toFunko’s con-exclusive Pops, Pauline’s car will also be available online.Mattel Creationswill have the car in stock from July 24, but it’s unclear how limited it will be. Also similar to limited editionFunko Pops, it might sell out pretty quickly.
Particularly when SDCC gets here in a little over a month, as by then,Donkey Kong Bananzawill have been here for a week, and Pauline will be everyone’s new favorite Nintendo character. That said, now a 13-year-old version of Pauline is confirmed to be DK’s companion in Bananza, Nintendo fans are scratching their heads as to what this means for Mario lore. Pauline is the woman Donkey Kong holds captive in the original DK game, but if on the same timeline, their friendship in Bananza implies they were friends before that happened.
