It's one thing to successfully decipher a secret in-game video game language, but it's quite another to do so before the game is even released – yet that's precisely what YouTuber 2Chrispy has managed to accomplish with Donkey Kong Bananza.
Much like how players unraveled the mysteries 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 for Kong's upcoming adventure.
"In the trailer, there were numerous hidden details," 2Chrispy explained in a captivating video detailing his process. "But the banana language really caught my attention. Watch to see how I decoded and deciphered every monkey letter I could find."
By cleverly identifying that an in-game item had an official name, Chip Exchange, 2Chrispy, through meticulous frame-by-frame analysis, was able to decipher all but five characters of the banana alphabet, which he dubbed the "Bananabet."
Donkey Kong Bananza's secret language has been translated. Image credit: 2Chrispy.With his newly-honed transcription skills, 2Chrispy has successfully translated nearly 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 instance, in one screenshot, 2Chrispy translated an overhead sign reading "welcome," a neon sign indicating "factory," and a snow level sign stating "ice." He also transcribed various notices such as "hint," "item," and a sign that read: "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 uncover in the game," he added. "Could we find references to DK lore? Missing Kongs? Any mentions of the Kremlings or King K. Rool?"
"Donkey Kong Bananza is on track to be one of the most visually stunning Nintendo games I've seen," we stated in our first hands-on preview of Donkey Kong Bananza. "It truly leverages the capabilities of the Switch 2's hardware — the environments are breathtaking, and DK's animations are wonderfully expressive, leaving me convinced that the next generation of first-party Nintendo games has truly arrived."
With the release date and tech specs now revealed for the highly anticipated Switch successor, Nintendo Switch 2, along with an idea of how much first-party Nintendo games may cost on the new system, be sure to delve into our comprehensive analysis as we discuss insights from industry experts. For more on Nintendo Switch 2, you can catch up on everything showcased at last month's Nintendo Direct. *Donkey Kong Bananza* is set to launch on July 17 for $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.
