>>715662063
Some sort of misunderstanding that maybe they'll explain later, maybe not. Still makes more sense than Cranky aging from adult to not just old but old enough that not even his child but his child's child had time to become an adult too... while Mario stayed the same.

>>715662126
They just felt it made more sense, dunno. Maybe to justify why DK Jr doesn't appear in them, DK hasn't had him yet, though I don't think they care that much about DK Jr. Maybe just to justify why there's so little Mario elements in it- it's now all set before DK met Mario.