Fan Decodes Donkey Kong Bananza's Secret Banana Alphabet Pre-Launch

Donkey Kong Bananza appears to feature a hidden language, and remarkably, a passionate fan has already cracked the code—well ahead of the game's official launch. Read on to discover the secret banana alphabet and how one determined player managed to decode it before release day.

Donkey Kong Bananza: Secret Banana Alphabet Uncovered

Ancient Monkey Scrolls

Even though Donkey Kong Bananza hasn't launched yet, an enthusiastic fan has uncovered what seems to be a secret banana-based alphabet embedded throughout the game’s promotional material. On April 27, YouTube user 2Chrispy posted a video titled "I Decoded the Ancient Monkey Scrolls of Donkey Kong Bananza," in which he details his journey decoding the mysterious "Ancient Monkey Scrolls."

This unique alphabet appeared consistently across all trailers, gameplay footage, and even the official website. While fictional languages aren’t uncommon—Nintendo previously used this technique with Hylian script in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—decoding the symbols before the game's release is unprecedented.

Whether driven by passion or sheer anticipation while waiting for more updates, this deep dive into the game’s lore highlights the dedication of Donkey Kong fans. Though not officially confirmed, 2Chrispy’s detailed methodology and thorough analysis have convinced many that he's accurately mapped out the alphabet.

Thanks, Chip Exchange

In his video, 2Chrispy explains how he began identifying individual characters in the so-called "bananbet" (banana alphabet). His breakthrough came when he noticed the phrase “Chip Exchange” in-game after collecting a Banandium Chip, which triggers a message reading: "Trade these for bananas at any Chip Exchange."

He meticulously analyzed game trailers frame-by-frame, searching for visual clues pointing to the "Chip Exchange" location. He suspected the signage there might hold the key. As it turned out, the number of symbols matched the number of letters in the word “exchange,” and recurring glyphs aligned with the letter "e"—supporting his hypothesis.

By applying the same logic to other signs found in screenshots and trailers, and using a word finder app to assist with pattern recognition, he was able to piece together additional characters in the alphabet.

While still speculative, the depth of his investigation showcases impressive detective work. Fans eagerly awaiting news about the game may now find themselves inspired to dig deeper into existing content, uncovering potential secrets hidden in plain sight.

Donkey Kong Bananza is scheduled to launch on July 17, 2025, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. For the latest updates and insights, keep following our coverage [ttpp].