Theory: Donkey Kong’s “Moon” Punch

Abstract
The moon Donkey Kong punches in Donkey Kong Country Returns isn’t actually the Moon seen in Super Mario Odyssey.

The DKC Returns moon is still a moon, it’s just a different one from the Moon. Planets can have multiple moons. To prevent confusion, “Moon” capitalized refers to the moon from Odyssey, and “moon” refers to the much smaller moon seen in DKC Returns.

Arguments

 * Argument 1: This moon is way too small to be the Moon. In DKC Returns it is shown that it’s only slightly bigger than DK Island. It was also able to be punched out of orbit by DK and launched back into orbit by a volcano, further showing how small and light it actually is.


 * Argument 2: DK and Diddy were launched up to it by a volcano. That isn’t nearly fast or powerful enough to escape the planet’s gravitational pull (rockets are used in the Mario universe). They even start falling back down immediately too, meaning they never reached space, where the Moon is located.


 * Argument 3: From when the moon is launched back into orbit and when it is back in its normal placement, there is no apparent size change whatsoever. The further away something is, the smaller it looks, but that isn’t the case for this moon.


 * Argument 4: When the moon falls, it isn’t burning at all. When an object from space enters the earth’s atmosphere, they start to burn. This is seen in the Mario universe too, and in another DK game, during Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. The moon in DKC Returns does not, however, which means it may have been in the atmosphere the whole time.


 * Argument 5: As for how the Moon isn’t seen despite the cutscene taking place at nighttime, it could have been a New Moon that night.