Donkey Kong Bananza's Secret Language Revealed and Translated

It’s one thing to crack a secret in-game language after a title has launched, but decoding it before the game’s release? That’s exactly what YouTuber 2Chrispy has accomplished—somehow—with Donkey Kong Bananza.

Following in the footsteps of fans who unraveled the hidden script in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, 2Chrispy meticulously analyzed trailers, preview clips, and even data from the Nintendo Today app to translate the mysterious Ancient Monkey Scrolls featured in Donkey Kong’s next big adventure.

“In the trailer, there were a lot of hidden details,” 2Chrispy explained in a detailed video walkthrough of his discovery. “But the one that stood out the most was the banana language. Watch how I decoded and deciphered every monkey letter I could find.”

After noticing that an in-game item was officially labeled "Chip Exchange," Chrispy used painstaking frame-by-frame analysis to decode all but five characters of the banana-based alphabet—affectionately dubbed the "Bananabet."

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

With this breakthrough, 2Chrispy has successfully transcribed nearly every piece of written text seen in the game’s promotional material to date—including signs, notes, and environmental details. For the full translations, check out 2Chrispy’s YouTube video.

For example, he revealed an overhead sign reading "welcome," a glowing neon sign that says "factory," and a snowy level marker labeled "ice." Other translated messages include "hint," "item," and one particularly cryptic note: "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 there be references to DK lore? Missing Kongs? Any mention of the Kremlings or King K. Rool?"

As we noted in our first hands-on preview of Donkey Kong Bananza, “It’s shaping up to be one of the most visually stunning Nintendo games we’ve seen. It truly leverages the Switch 2’s capabilities—the environments are lush and vibrant, DK’s animations are full of personality, and it feels like a true leap into the next generation of first-party Nintendo titles.”

Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 has an official release date and confirmed tech specs—and with insights emerging on potential pricing for first-party titles—be sure to explore our in-depth analysis where we speak with industry experts. For more on the Switch 2, catch up on everything revealed in last month’s Nintendo Direct.

Donkey Kong Bananza launches on July 17 for $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.