Donkey Kong Bananza's Hidden Language Decoded

Deciphering a secret in-game language is impressive, but cracking it before a game's release is downright extraordinary – which is precisely what YouTuber 2Chrispy has miraculously achieved for Donkey Kong Bananza.

Similar to how players decoded The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's hidden scripts, 2Chrispy utilized trailers, preview footage, and even the Nintendo Today app to translate Donkey Kong's Ancient Monkey Scrolls before launch.

"The trailer contained numerous hidden details," 2Chrispy explained in his fascinating video documenting the process. "But the banana language stood out most. Watch how I decoded every monkey script character I could uncover."

After brilliantly recognizing an in-game item called Chip Exchange, Chrispy meticulously analyzed frame-by-frame footage to reconstruct nearly the entire banana alphabet – or "Bananabet," as he coins it – leaving only five characters unsolved.

Armed with these linguistic breakthroughs, 2Chrispy has translated nearly every sign, note, and document visible in released footage. Discover his findings in Chrispy2's full YouTube analysis.

Among his translations: a welcoming banner reading "welcome," a neon "factory" sign, and a snow level marker saying "ice." He also decoded various notices stating "hint," "item," and one particularly amusing message: "Message. Thank you for reading. Someone."

"I'm excited to discover more game text," he added. "Could we uncover DK lore references? Missing Kong members? Maybe even hints about Kremlings or King K. Rool?"

"Bananza looks poised to become one of Nintendo's most visually stunning titles," we noted in our Donkey Kong Bananza hands-on preview. "It truly showcases Switch 2's capabilities – lush environments, beautifully expressive animations, and what feels like the dawn of next-generation Nintendo gaming."

With the Switch 2 release date and technical specifications now confirmed – plus insights into potential pricing for first-party games – explore our comprehensive breakdown featuring industry expert analysis. For the latest Nintendo updates, revisit everything from last month's Nintendo Direct. Donkey Kong Bananza launches July 17 priced at $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.