Donkey Kong Bananza's Secret Language Revealed and Translated

It's a remarkable feat to crack a secret video game language before the game even hits the shelves, but that's exactly what YouTuber 2Chrispy has achieved with Donkey Kong Bananza. Much like how players deciphered the mysteries of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's secret language, 2Chrispy utilized trailers, preview footage, and the Nintendo Today app to unravel the Ancient Monkey Scrolls in Kong's latest adventure.

"In the trailer, there were a lot of hidden details," 2Chrispy explained in a captivating video detailing his process. "But the one that really caught my eye was the banana language. Watch to see how I decoded and deciphered every monkey letter I could find."

Through meticulous frame-by-frame analysis, 2Chrispy identified an in-game item called "Chip Exchange," which provided a breakthrough in understanding the "Bananabet" alphabet. He successfully decoded all but five characters, showcasing his dedication and keen eye for detail.

Donkey Kong Bananza's secret language has been translated. Image credit: 2Chrispy.

With his newfound transcription skills, 2Chrispy has translated nearly every sign, note, and document seen in any published footage. For a closer look at his translations, visit 2Chrispy's YouTube video.

For example, he translated an overhead sign that reads "welcome," a neon sign that says "factory," and a snow level sign labeled "ice." Additionally, he deciphered various notices including "hint," "item," and a sign that reads: "Message. Thank you for reading. Someone."

A sign that reads "Message. Thank you for reading. Someone." Image credit: 2Chrispy.

"I'm excited to see what other text we'll find in the game," he added. "Could we see references to DK lore? Missing Kongs? Any mention of the Kremlings or King K. Rool?"

Our first hands-on preview of Donkey Kong Bananza praised its visual splendor, noting, "It really does take advantage of Switch 2's hardware — the environments are beautiful and DK’s animations are wonderfully expressive, and I left feeling like the next generation of first-party Nintendo games had truly arrived."

With the release date and tech specs now revealed for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights into the potential cost of first-party Nintendo games on the new system, be sure to check out our in-depth analysis as we discuss with industry experts. For more on Nintendo Switch 2, catch up on everything shown at last month's Nintendo Direct. *Donkey Kong Bananza* is set to launch on July 17 for $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.