Donkey Kong Bananza's Secret Language Revealed and Translated

It's one thing to successfully decipher a secret in-game language in a video game, but it's an entirely different feat to do so before the game is even released. Yet, that's exactly what YouTuber 2Chrispy has accomplished with Donkey Kong Bananza.

Similar to how players unraveled the mysteries in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's secret language, 2Chrispy utilized trailers, preview footage, and the Nintendo Today app to decode the Ancient Monkey Scrolls featured in Kong's upcoming adventure.

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

By carefully identifying an in-game item named "Chip Exchange," 2Chrispy meticulously analyzed the footage frame by frame, successfully deciphering all but five characters of the banana alphabet—or "Bananabet," as he coined it.

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

With his newly-acquired transcription skills, 2Chrispy has managed to translate virtually every sign, note, and written document shown in any released footage. For a deeper understanding of these translations, check out 2Chrispy's YouTube video.

For example, in one screenshot, 2Chrispy translated an overhead sign reading "welcome," a neon sign labeled "factory," and a snow level sign indicating "ice." He also deciphered various notices saying "hint," "item," and a sign that read: "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?"

In our first hands-on preview of Donkey Kong Bananza, we noted, "I think Bananza is on track to be one of the most visually stunning Nintendo games I’ve seen. It truly leverages the Switch 2's hardware — the environments are breathtaking, and DK’s animations are wonderfully expressive, leaving me convinced that the next generation of first-party Nintendo games has arrived."

With the release date and tech specs now announced for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights on the potential pricing of first-party Nintendo games on the new system, dive into our comprehensive analysis as we consult with industry experts. For more on the Nintendo Switch 2, catch up on everything showcased at last month's Nintendo Direct. *Donkey Kong Bananza* is set to launch on July 17 for $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.