According to director Shigeru Miyamoto in 1994, Donkey Kong never had a romantic interest in Pauline, and Mario and Donkey Kong are not enemies in the game. Donkey Kong was kept as a pet by Mario, and he decided to annoy Mario for the sake of it by kidnapping Pauline. Miyamoto intended for the game's ending (where Donkey Kong falls and bonks his head) to appear non-violent, more akin to "outwitting a prankster" rather than killing him. Meanwhile, Pauline is described by programmer Masayuki Kameyama as Mario's "ex", saying "after Mario became famous, he probably gave Pauline the flick" in favor of Princess Peach.