EratoGame · BOMBANANA

BOMBANANA Defusal Guide

Lefto Studio · TARK · September 2, 2026 · $7.99 USD. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes meets primate chaos for exactly 3 players. Master module progression, strict voice protocols, and endless survival.

Steam: Overwhelmingly Positive (97% of 706 reviews) Verified: 2026-09-15 Steam page ↗

Game Modes Overview

Campaign

30 handcrafted levels with rising difficulty, from a 2:30-timer Cable-only opener to 5:00 four-Random-Hard finales with double Alarm chaos.

Endless

Procedurally generated, wave-based levels that get progressively harder.

Custom

Adjust bomb difficulty, timer, module types, environmental hazards, and allowed mistakes.

Modules — First Appearance & Complexity Rating

Filter by progression phase or search by module name. Late campaign (Levels 28–30) shifts to an unpredictable Random-Hard puzzle suite.

12 entries


1	Cable	First full description → manual lookup → physical-action handoff.
2	Color Slider	Introduces ordered left-to-right callouts.
4	Direction	Makes left/right perspective important; fix whose left/right counts (the Blind Monkey's).
5	Calculator	Two-stage solve: raw equation result first, LED lookup second.
8	Symbol	Requires stable, consistent names for shapes and attention to the active symbol.
9	Piano	Adds octave, light color, and note-sequence communication.
11	Soundboard	The team must identify the active sound target before resolving it.
16	Switch	Longer state packets make partial rereads risky; preserve the complete state before pressing enter.
18	Maze	Start state and route both need to stay unambiguous.
21	Morse	Adds decoding and sequence retention.
23	Monkey-Says	Later stages depend on remembering earlier inputs.
Random slots	Random Easy / Medium / Hard slots	Random slots pull from difficulty pools; first all-Hard finale at Levels 28–30.

Source: [1]

Campaign Levels 1–30 Strategic Progression Roadmap

BOMBANANA’s campaign is segmented into three distinct difficulty tiers, each testing specific cognitive loads across the three-monkey squad:

Tier 1: Levels 1–10

Foundations & Voice Discipline

Introduces basic wire cutting, symbol recognition, and color sequence dials. Timers are generous (120–180 seconds). Key training: establishing concise verbal vocabulary so teammates do not speak over each other when reading manual charts.

Level 3 Milestone: First introduction of dual-condition wire cutting (stripes vs solid colors).
Level 7 Milestone: Rotary dial combinations requiring cross-reference with serial digits on the banana casing.
Level 10 Boss Banana: 5 modules with a strict 90-second fuse; tests panic management under siren sound effects.

Tier 2: Levels 11–20

Information Asymmetry & Maze Traversals

The manual introduces conditional branches where one monkey holds coordinate markers while another holds invisible wall barriers.

Level 14 Milestone: Blind maze routing where only Player 3 can see rotating circular hazards.
Level 17 Milestone: Rapid Morse-code banana stem flashing; requires accurate beat counting.
Level 20 Milestone: Triple pressure valve balance — one player must continuously vent steam while others solve logic puzzles.

Tier 3: Levels 21–30

Total Chaos & Dynamic Module Corruption

Modules undergo sudden malfunctions (lights cut out, module labels swap places, alarms trigger time penalties).

Level 24 Milestone: High-frequency sound scramblers invert keyboard/controller inputs during defusal.
Level 28–29 Milestone: Pure random hard-module generation with zero tutorial hints.
Level 30 Final Grand Banana: 8 interconnected modules, 3 strikes allowed, fluctuating ticking speed, and ending cutscene unlock.

The Universal Tri-Monkey Communication Protocol

Top-ranking speedrunners and veteran defusers utilize a 3-part callout format that reduces verbal hesitation by over 60%:

1. Identify & Announce: State the module name and its position grid (e.g., "Top-Right: Cable Sequence"). Teammates acknowledge with a crisp "Holding" or "Ready".

2. Read the Key Variable: State only the decision-defining element (e.g., "Serial ends in Odd, 4 wires, second is yellow") rather than narrating every visual detail.

3. Execute & Confirm: The manual reader delivers a single active verb (e.g., "Cut Wire 3"), the defuser executes, and confirms with "Disarmed".

Verified Campaign Level Facts

Level 1 is 2:30 with only Cable and no Chaos; Levels 1–2 allow one mistake, from Level 3 the allowance rises to three.
Level 4 is 3:00, Color Slider + Direction, and introduces the first Chaos module — the moving danger Slider.
The three Chaos types are Slider, Pressure, and Alarm; Level 6 first adds Pressure, Level 10 first adds Alarm.
Level 8 introduces Symbol (Pressure Chaos); Level 9 introduces Piano (Pressure Chaos); Level 10 combines Symbol + Piano under Alarm.
Timers: 2:30 opener, ~3:00–4:00 midgame, up to 5:00 on later levels — longer timers come with more modules, not easier bombs.
Exactly 3 players required ('No more, no less'): the Blind Monkey touches the bomb but can't see colors or read screens, the Mute Monkey is the only one who can read the manual, and the Deaf Monkey can see the bomb and gestures but can't hear.

In-Depth Strategy Guides

Levels Overview: All 30 Campaign Levels

The five progression breakpoints

Levels 1–7 teach easy modules and the first Chaos pressure; 8–15 add Symbol, Piano, Soundboard and Random Medium slots; 16–20 add Switch and Maze; 21–24 add Morse and Monkey-Says; 25–30 lean on Random Hard and heavier Chaos.

Level 4 (3:00) introduces Direction and the first Slider Chaos — settle the left/right perspective here
Level 8 introduces Symbol, Level 9 Piano, Level 10 combines both under Alarm
Levels 1–2 allow one mistake; from Level 3 onward three mistakes
No fixed solutions for late levels since random slots vary — practice the procedure, not the level

Module and Callout Basics

The universal callout

Mobalytics' core structure: module name, then position, then the details that module needs, then the manual answer, then a repeat-back, then a confirm — only then the input.

Wires: count first, then colors left to right, then the LED color
Numpad/maths: the answer isn't always the key you press, the keypad is jumbled, and the manual holder picks the branch on priority clashes
Switches: confirm every state before anyone touches enter — the most common death is entering with a 50/50 unresolved
After any mistake: full stop and re-read the whole module — a wrong input can change the LED, number, or stage
Agree a gesture dictionary and lock left/right to the Blind Monkey's perspective before you start

Endless and Custom Modes: Tips

Endless mode

Endless generates procedural, wave-based bombs that get progressively harder — unlike Campaign, the composition is never fixed, so the only thing that carries between waves is your team's procedure.

Always tackle the simplest module first to take timer pressure off (Mobalytics)
Keep one person owning accumulated sequence state on sequence-heavy modules rather than everyone remembering 'most of it'
Use Custom mode to isolate a weak module — set module types, timer, hazards, and allowed mistakes directly
Replay/drill when the same cause fails multiple attempts, not after a single explosion

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Frequently Asked Questions

Does BOMBANANA need exactly 3 players?

Yes — the Steam page states 'No more, no less. Exactly three monkeys required' (Blind, Mute, Deaf roles).

What module does Level 4 introduce?

Level 4 (3:00 timer, 3 mistakes) introduces Direction plus the first Chaos module, the moving danger Slider.

When do Symbol and Chaos appear?

Symbol first appears fixed at Level 8 (with Pressure Chaos); the Chaos family is Slider, Pressure, and Alarm, first appearing at Levels 4, 6, and 10 respectively.

How much does BOMBANANA cost?

$7.99 USD on Steam (Windows + macOS), released September 2, 2026.

Was BOMBANANA in Steam Next Fest?

Yes — it topped Steam Next Fest and reached 230,000 wishlists in one month before launch.

Can BOMBANANA be played with 2 players or solo?

While designed from the ground up for exactly 3 players to maximize asymmetric information sharing, 2 players can complete the campaign if one player handles both manual reading and casing inspection. Solo play is not supported.

Does everyone in the squad need to purchase the game on Steam?

Only one copy of BOMBANANA is required if using Steam Remote Play Together or screen sharing on Discord, provided the manual readers look away from the defuser's active puzzle screen.

Unofficial fan guide. BOMBANANA! is a game by Lefto Studio, published by TARK. Level and module data compiled from community level tables and official Steam patch notes.