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This is a really compelling theory: that Pauline (originally known as "Lady") is the playable character in VS. Ladies Golf. This would make Pauline Nintendo's first playable female protagonist. https://twitter.com/IMGibbon/status/1031367413588062208
VS. Ladies Golf was a variation on VS. Golf (possibly initially sold together) for Nintendo's VS. system, an arcade cabinet that let operators quickly swap out games.
VS. Golf appeared to star a version Mario with taller proportions. No one thought to ask who the lady might be.
VS. Golf appeared to star a version Mario with taller proportions. No one thought to ask who the lady might be.
Mario makes a lot of "uncredited" cameos in games, which was kind of poked fun at in an ad for the VS. System.
When this flyer does the rounds online, people like to joke that the VS. Ladies Golf square is Mario with a sex change. But note the reddish brown hair.
When this flyer does the rounds online, people like to joke that the VS. Ladies Golf square is Mario with a sex change. But note the reddish brown hair.
Six months later, Nintendo released an update to their game-making software Family BASIC. It came with pre-made sprites, including two character sets complete with action moves and death sprite.
But the other character wasn't Luigi; it was brown-haired Pauline.
But the other character wasn't Luigi; it was brown-haired Pauline.
The manual for the Family BASIC update showed Pauline drawn with a round nose similar to Mario's, demonstrating that Pauline had a wide range of potential official-but-off-model looks. The woman in the flyer is almost certainly her.
But let me add my own wild theory:
Family BASIC's heart mini-game paid homage to Miyamoto's Sheriff, which starred a mustached protagonist before DK! (Except the mustache is missing on the cabinet art.)
Is this proof that the sheriff and damsel were Mario and Pauline?
Family BASIC's heart mini-game paid homage to Miyamoto's Sheriff, which starred a mustached protagonist before DK! (Except the mustache is missing on the cabinet art.)
Is this proof that the sheriff and damsel were Mario and Pauline?
Or was Popeye fan Miyamoto already trying to create that character's likeness, and everyone mistook the attempted mouth for a mustache, which later morphed in Mario's mustache? Is the sheriff a prototype Mario?
While I'm on the topic of Pauline, here's something weird you might not have noticed:
Pauline had blonde hair in her earliest art, and went brown.
Peach had brown hair in her earliest art, and went blonde.
Pauline had blonde hair in her earliest art, and went brown.
Peach had brown hair in her earliest art, and went blonde.
