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Captain Sonar box art

Captain Sonar

Game ID: GID0059090
Collection Status
Description

At the bottom of the ocean, no one will hear you scream!

In Captain Sonar, you and your teammates control a state-of-the-art submarine and are trying to locate an enemy submarine in order to blow it out of the water before they can do the same to you. Every role is important, and the confrontation is merciless. Be organized and communicate because a captain is nothing without his crew: the Chief Mate, the Radio Operator, and the Engineer.

All the members of a team sit on one side of the table, and they each take a particular role on the submarine, with the division of labor for these roles being dependent on the number of players in the game. Roles include: the Captain, who is responsible for moving the submarine and announcing some details of this movement; the Radio Operator listening to the opposing captain's orders and try to decipher where that sub might be in the water; the Engineer working in the munitions room to prepare torpedoes, mines and other devices that will allow for combat.

Captain Sonar can be played in two modes: turn-by-turn or simultaneous. In the latter set-up, all the members of a team take their actions simultaneously while trying to track what the opponents are doing, too. When a captain is ready to launch an attack, the action pauses for a moment to see whether a hit has been recorded — then play resumes with the target having snuck away while the attacker paused or with bits of metal now scattered across the ocean floor.

Multiple maps are included with varying levels of difficulty.

Year Published
2016
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 11
This page: 11
Sentiment: pos 10 · mix 0 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Top
Showing 1–11 of 11
Video t-ZLgzMJhNI Ryan and Bethany Board Game Reviews top_50_list at 22:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62355 · mention_pk 154874
Ryan and Bethany Board Game Reviews - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 22:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Unbelievable experience and table presence
  • High-energy, memorable sessions
Cons
  • Difficult to schedule a full eight-player table
Thematic elements
  • real-time team coordination; asymmetric roles
  • Undersea submarine warfare
  • immersive, chaotic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • asymmetric roles — Each role has different information and duties.
  • asymmetric teams — Each role has different information and duties.
  • Cooperative Game — Two teams operate in real time with distinct roles (captain, weapons, navigation, sonar).
  • real-time — Two teams, four roles per side, act and react in real time to locate and sink the enemy.
  • Real-time cooperative play — Two teams operate in real time with distinct roles (captain, weapons, navigation, sonar).
  • Real-time team coordination — Two teams, four roles per side, act and react in real time to locate and sink the enemy.
  • Real-time teamwork — Two teams operate in real time with distinct roles (captain, navigation, weapons, and sound).
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The action selection and so whatever action you choose when it's your turn to choose everybody else also gets to take that action just on a lesser scale.
  • the two player variant of this is perfection it gives you the exact same feel of a higher player count
  • it's tight there's not a lot of time to do all the things that you need to do
  • it's all about the math and it's all about the area control
  • this game just stole the show on the drive home
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video SxEhIZRkJnY Unknown Channel general_discussion at 5:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 59663 · mention_pk 152199
Unknown Channel - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 5:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Eight-player capacity
  • Very chaotic and energetic group play
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Team coordination under real-time chaos
  • Submarine warfare in a competitive naval setting
  • Group-driven, high-energy social play
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Ahoy number one ... the main game with sustenance during the holidays
  • Ahoy gonna be a really fun time to to be had there
  • Aquatica non-stop lately
  • the base game as it is is perfect it's honestly one of my top 10 games of all time if not top five maybe even top three
  • Ready Set bet that's gonna be I probably like the biggest highlights during the next week or so
  • Captain sonar you saw me unbox it yesterday we're gonna be playing this for sure
  • Frost Haven this one's gonna be for me to enjoy for now until I get going with this
  • Paul Grogan from Gaming Rules just released an official tutorial on that video has come in clutch
  • it's been super helpful learning this way way easier than trying to absorb with all the information that the manual is giving
  • I'll see you all on the next one
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video berxHrvscig Board Game Garden top_10_list at 8:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31668 · mention_pk 93314
Board Game Garden - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 8:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • High excitement and spectator appeal
  • Unique, immersive team play
  • Great social experience in person
Cons
  • Requires a fairly large, quiet space
  • Hearing can be hard in busy venues
Thematic elements
  • Team coordination vs. coordination, deduction
  • Underwater submarine battle
  • Team-based cooperative tension and real-time play
Comparison games
  • Battleline-inspired coordination games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hidden movement and deduction — teams deduce enemy positions and weaknesses
  • team-based action selection — two teams coordinate roles to find and attack
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Gen Con is the biggest convention in the US
  • I would love to hang out with you guys there and play some games
  • I'm just so so excited to do it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jzSsS-TKwYs Unknown Channel top_100_list at 57:18 sentiment: other
video_pk 9915 · mention_pk 29179
Unknown Channel - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 57:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
S tier
Pros
  • tremendous party vibe
  • team coordination is thrilling
Cons
  • requires 8 players
  • tends to be chaotic
Thematic elements
  • real-time team coordination and chaos
  • submarine warfare
  • team-focused, high-energy
Comparison games
  • The Crew
  • Nexus (Captain Sonar)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • real-time — everyone has a crew role; synchronized actions are key
  • Real-time teamwork — everyone has a crew role; synchronized actions are key
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is obviously an S tier game.
  • I'm combining a few Clank games here, but they're all A tier.
  • I hate Kingdom Death Monster. I hate it.
  • This is an easy A tier game.
  • This is an S tier game.
  • Don't yuck yums.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cLOrxog8Yk4 Board Game Hangar general_discussion at 3:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8530 · mention_pk 25160
Board Game Hangar - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • highly social and interactive
  • great party-leaning design
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • real-time team coordination under pressure
  • submarine team-based pursuit and deduction
Comparison games
  • Watergate
  • Mind MGMT
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Hidden movement — teams operate subs and try to locate the enemy
  • simultaneous action — players perform actions in real-time
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I guarantee that 90 of the games here I think you will enjoy
  • this shelf is like this any game you pull out you know you can immediately play even if you don't remember all the rules
  • I want it as well
  • you have to move with the culture next to the wine I think he's a fan of me
  • two players two player versus games exactly
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video JBmNZ2GatSw Actual Oh general_discussion at 7:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4482 · mention_pk 13169
Actual Oh - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 7:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • fantastic with 6–8 players
  • dramatic, is-it-your-turn tension
Cons
  • rules can be dense for newcomers
  • requires a specific player count for best flow
Thematic elements
  • asymmetric teamwork and real-time decisions
  • coordinated submarine hunt in a fleet battle
  • high-energy, team-based tension
Comparison games
  • Battleship
  • Spaceteam
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Hidden movement — coordination and timing to outmaneuver opponents
  • hidden_movement — coordination and timing to outmaneuver opponents
  • team_tactics — two teams act as submarines, seeking to locate and destroy the other
  • Teams — two teams act as submarines, seeking to locate and destroy the other
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Junk Art might be my favorite dexterity game of all time
  • the system is very clever... the way that you select the Domino's and the way that they fit together
  • Pandemic Iberia just takes basic Pandemic puts it in olden times and has a bit more theme to it
  • When I Dream is a brilliant party game
  • Captain Sonar adds a big hit of a game this is a big group game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YxH_ivtOliA Rolls in the Family top_3_list at 2:27 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4165 · mention_pk 12187
Rolls in the Family - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:27 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Unique, intense real-time team experience
  • High energy and table dynamic with large groups
  • Strong replay potential with different roles and setups
Cons
  • Steep learning curve
  • Requires a sizeable group and setup to feel optimal
Thematic elements
  • team coordination under pressure, fog of war, pursuit and evasion
  • Undersea submarine warfare in real-time, divided teams across ships
  • cooperative-competitive, high-tension teamwork with simultaneous actions
Comparison games
  • Battleship (real-time variant)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Asymmetrical roles — Crew positions (captain, sonar, weapons, etc.) each have distinct duties and information
  • Hidden information and deduction — Opposing team tries to deduce location and intent from calls and charts
  • Real-time simultaneous play — Players act in real time rather than discrete turns, driving fast-paced decisions
  • Spatial tracking on a shared map — Direction calls and marked circles trace movement and positions in real time
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's real time battleship, team verse team.
  • Baptism by fire.
  • There's no game like it.
  • This game continually impresses me to the point that this is never going to leave my collection.
  • The queen is way harder in this game.
  • Arc's delivering on the promise of what this game set out to be.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video DcOFXQqivME Junkets Games top_10_list at 27:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2849 · mention_pk 8329
Junkets Games - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 27:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Immersive, cramped-submarine atmosphere
  • Strong emphasis on teamwork and role flavor
Cons
  • Can be chaotic; relies on good communication
Thematic elements
  • Team coordination and strategic communication under pressure
  • Two submarines in naval confrontation; real-time submarine warfare
  • High-tension, real-time submarine skirmish with diverse roles
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • engineering and maintenance — The engineer handles ongoing repairs; failures drive tension and strategic choices.
  • sonar and weapon systems — Use sonar to locate opponent; manage weapons within range constraints.
  • team-based real-time play — Players split into teams; each member has distinct submarine roles and must coordinate in real time.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • not alone is a great overall thematic game and that's why it's number 10 on the list
  • season one is like 95% identical to the original pandemic
  • it's like watching a Netflix show as you are playing these games
  • Spirit Island is the most thematic out of all of these
  • genuinely I felt like I was in this cramped pressure-filled crazy stressful submarine duking it out to the death
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HyfZjL2vicM Board Gameco general_discussion at 6:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1834 · mention_pk 5295
Board Gameco - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Great with eight players; excellent convention staple
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hidden movement / team play — Real-time deduction and teamwork for submarine warfare.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I will not be going through campaign games in this.
  • I want to be more cutthroat than I ever have before.
  • Quad Heroes is going. I hate it. I hate it so much.
  • Monumental. If Monumental is still here in a year and hasn't been played, if next year's Purge, if I haven't played Monumental, it's going to go.
  • Last Light can go. I'm not thinking off the shelf.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9AkxHFfRGr8 Board Game Prices top_10_list at 5:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1423 · mention_pk 4130
Board Game Prices - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 5:34 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Intense, tense coordination
  • engaging with six players due to team roles
Cons
  • Can be hectic; some roles may feel more busy than others
Thematic elements
  • team coordination under pressure
  • real-time submarine operation
  • tense, collaborative, chaotic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • role specialization — captain, radio operator, engineers, and other crew manage functions
  • team-based real-time play — two teams coordinate subs and navigation in real time
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • the trading element really comes into its own
  • there's something undeniably majestic about the game
  • six is the magic number for it
  • it's a hell of a lot easier to get six people together that it is to get eight
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tJM-VOylmOc The Discriminating Gamer unboxing / general_discussion at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 395 · mention_pk 1182
The Discriminating Gamer - Captain Sonar video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • high interaction and dramatic team-based play
  • eight players recommended for best experience
  • stunning artwork and components
  • replayability across multiple maps and scenarios
Cons
  • requires a full eight players for optimal play, which can be a scheduling hurdle
  • real-time play can be chaotic for some groups
  • setup and rule complexity may be intimidating at first glance
Thematic elements
  • Team-based submarine chase and ship-to-ship combat
  • Submarine warfare, layered naval pursuit, real-time encounters between opposing crews
  • Live, first-person operational commentary and unboxing narrative
Comparison games
  • Sonar
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Asymmetrical roles — Four roles per side (captain, radio operator, first mate, engineer) each with distinct duties and interfaces.
  • Direct combat resolution with system management — Torpedoes, sonar, and other ship systems are managed in real time to outmaneuver and destroy the opponent.
  • Grid/map-based navigation — Players use maps with coordinates to determine position and track the enemy submarine; multiple maps per scenario exist.
  • Real-time teamwork — All players operate their roles simultaneously in real time, requiring rapid communication and coordination to locate and attack the opposing submarine.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • hands down phenomenal
  • interactions between the players... you're hands down phenomenal
  • the interactions from what I've seen and heard on this game between the players as you're going is just hands down phenomenal
  • I can't wait to get this thing to the table
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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