Donkey Kong Bananza's Secret Language Revealed and Translated

It's one thing to successfully translate a secret in-game video game language, but it's quite another to translate it before the game is even out – yet that's exactly what YouTuber 2Chrispy has managed to accomplish with Donkey Kong Bananza.

Just as players unraveled 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 decipher the Ancient Monkey Scrolls 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."

After spotting an in-game item officially named Chip Exchange, Chrispy meticulously worked frame-by-frame to decode all but five characters in the banana alphabet—or "Bananabet," as he dubs it.

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

With his newly-acquired transcription skills, 2Chrispy has translated nearly every sign, note, and written document seen in any footage released to date. To discover what they say, head over to Chrispy2's YouTube video.

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

"We believe Bananza is on track to be one of the most visually stunning Nintendo games we’ve seen," we stated in our Donkey Kong Bananza first hands-on preview. "It truly leverages the capabilities of the Switch 2's hardware — the environments are breathtaking, and DK’s animations are wonderfully expressive, leaving us 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 Switch successor, Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights into the potential pricing of first-party Nintendo games on the new system, delve into our comprehensive analysis as we consult with industry experts. For more on 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.