Donkey Kong Bananza Hid Secret Language — Now Decoded

Decoding an in-game language is impressive, but cracking it before the game's release? That's exactly what YouTuber 2Chrispy accomplished for Donkey Kong Bananza, pulling off what might be the earliest translation of a secret gaming script ever.

Channeling the same detective work that uncovered The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's hidden script, 2Chrispy pieced together clues from trailers, previews, and even the Nintendo Today app to decipher the Ancient Monkey Scrolls in DK's next big adventure.

"The trailer was packed with subtle details," 2Chrispy revealed in his fascinating breakdown video. "But the banana language immediately caught my eye. Here's how I reconstructed every monkey symbol from scattered clues."

After an eagle-eyed observation that an in-game collectible was officially labeled "Chip Exchange," Chrispy's frame-by-frame analysis cracked nearly the entire banana alphabet - or "Bananabet" as he playfully dubs it - with just five characters remaining unsolved.

Armed with his linguistic breakthrough, 2Chrispy has translated every visible sign and document shown in official footage. For the full translations, don't miss Chrispy2's YouTube deep dive.

His findings include a welcoming archway sign, a glowing "FACTORY" neon display, and icy level markers reading "ICE." Other deciphered notes range from practical ("HINT", "ITEM") to hilariously mysterious - like one that simply states: "MESSAGE. THANK YOU FOR READING. SOMEONE."

"I can't wait to discover what other text the full game contains," he added. "Will we find DK mythology references? Clues about missing Kongs? Maybe even teases about the Kremlings or King K. Rool's return?"

Our Donkey Kong Bananza hands-on preview praised it as "potentially Nintendo's most visually stunning game yet", noting how it "fully utilizes Switch 2's capabilities with breathtaking environments and remarkably expressive character animations that signal a true next-gen leap for Nintendo."

With the Switch 2 release date and technical specifications now confirmed - along with insights into potential pricing for Nintendo's next-gen titles - explore our expert analysis featuring industry insiders. For complete Switch 2 coverage, revisit all the announcements from last month's Nintendo Direct. Donkey Kong Bananza launches July 17 at $69.99 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.