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 secrets in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's secret language, 2Chrispy utilized trailers, preview footage, and the Nintendo Today app to decode 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 stood out most to me was the banana language. Watch to see how I decoded and deciphered every monkey letter I could find."
After astutely spotting that an in-game item had an official name, Chip Exchange, 2Chrispy was able to, through meticulous frame-by-frame analysis, decipher 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-discovered transcription skills, 2Chrispy has been able to translate virtually every sign, note, and written document seen in any footage released so far. To discover what they say, be sure to check out 2Chrispy's YouTube video.
For example, in one screenshot, 2Chrispy translated an overhead sign reading "welcome," a neon sign indicating "factory," and a sign in a snow level that says "ice." He also transcribed various notices that read "hint," "item," and a sign that said: "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 noted in our first hands-on preview of Donkey Kong Bananza. "It really does take full advantage of the Switch 2's hardware — the environments are breathtaking and DK's animations are wonderfully expressive, leaving us feeling like the next generation of first-party Nintendo games has truly arrived."
With the release date and tech specs now announced for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights into the potential pricing of first-party Nintendo games on the new system, you can explore our comprehensive analysis as we consult with industry experts. For more on Nintendo Switch 2, catch up on everything revealed at last month's Nintendo Direct. *Donkey Kong Bananza* is set to launch on July 17 for $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.
