Sonar Family Review

Hunt For Family Friendly

Roberto Fraga and Yohan Lemonnier’s Captain Sonar broke the surface in 2016 and quickly became one of the marmite of all games. The team versus team game puts two Submarines against each other as they try and not only find them but blow them out of the water. But what makes this decisive is the simultaneous play. This is a gaming experience of chaos and noise and talking over each other and can easily become overwhelming for many. However, for those who lean into the chaos, it offers an adrenaline pumping playtime. Well in 2018 the same team brought us Sonar Family, a lighter entry point for all budding submariners.

Dive! Dive! Dive!

The game is once again designed for teams but this time, teams of two. One will take on the role of Navigator and the other, Captain. Each is given a copy of the chosen map, the game comes with four variations and a dry erase marker and the navigator gets an extra transparent overlay. That is it. All you need to go on a submarine hunt. So let’s discuss the roles.

First and foremost is the Captain. Your role is to pilot the underwater tin can without detection from the opposition, and, when the time is right, to fire the missiles. Before the game you will decide where your sub will start. On your turn you can take one of five actions. The first is simple. Move one point north, south, east or west. The problem with this is that you must say out loud which direction you are traveling. In fact you must call it out loud.

After each move you will gain a point in energy which can be spent on special maneuvers. The first is radio silence, allowing you to move one point but without telling the world. The next is sonar. This means that the opposing team must tell you either the row or the column that they are currently in. Then there is of course, fire missiles. In order to do this you must be in the same sector as the enemy and you must call out a specific map reference point.

Each submarine can take two hits before sinking to the darkest depths. For those who are counting, that leaves one last maneuver. If you are ever in a position where you can’t move without overlapping your trail (for millennials out there, think Snake on the Nokia 2210), you can submerge. This means you can erase your trail but you must announce to the enemy where you are. So, journey around the waters without hitting islands and try not to get shot. Easy! This is the easiest role to play.

Aye Aye Captain

Next up is the Navigator. Ironically, this role doesn’t involve moving your team’s sub around but instead monitoring where the opposing one is. You will start by placing an ‘x’ on your transparent overlay and then from that point on, you need to listen carefully to the opposing Captain. You will need to track each move your overlay but the difficulty here is not knowing where they start. So, as their journey progresses you will be able to get a better idea of where they are as you eliminate where they can’t be. Add in the option for them to move in radio silence makes for a complex puzzle that can sometimes be really frustrating.

The game starts you on a simple map with very clear instructions taking it in turns to take an action and then allows you move through four different maps, each with different challenges. This is a really fun experience. Kids love being Captain, shouting out instructions and firing missiles as you frantically try and pin down the enemy’s location. And anything you can draw all over usually gets kid-points as well. The ‘hard’ version instructs you to try simultaneous play but be warned, it can quickly get too much for some children but it can also be chaotic fun if you haven’t got any super competitive people on the team. The artwork is fine, fairly uninspired and the maps don’t offer a huge amount of difference in playstyle but that aside, Sonar Family is a fun family experience that will see you hit the depths of familiar rivalry.