BOMBANANA! Squad Comms Manual: Roles, Relays & Callouts

The BOMBANANA! defusal manual is the in-game book held by the Mute monkey (the only squad member who can read it, and the only one who cannot speak or type). Everything else in the game is built around getting answers out of that one book through a three-monkey relay.

The official Steam store page is explicit: “We don’t impose any methods… no one right way to defuse the bomb.” So this guide does not pretend to be an official rulebook. It covers what is actually confirmed: the communication mechanics and the relay protocols that squads use in practice.

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1. Confirmed Communication Mechanics (from the official store page and launch news)

Mechanic	What it does	Source
Voice chat with role limits	Some monkeys can talk, some cannot; voice sync keeps lip movement in sync	Official store page
Emote Wheel	Mute’s non-verbal answer channel: gestures, pointing, nodding	Official store page
Slap	A physical interrupt to break a teammate out of a wrong action	Official launch news (“slap”)
Player reactions (flip off)	Taunt/feedback reactions between squad members	Official launch news
Global room browser	Matchmaking across rooms; environmental interaction on the bomb	Official launch news

The core loop: Mute holds the answer but cannot speak, so every answer must be relayed. That relay is where squads win or wipe.

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2. The Relay Protocol (player-verified, from Steam Community guides)

The community guide that documents the Maze module (#3796748407) describes a call-out discipline that works on every module:

Repeat-Ack (ARQ-style) Confirmation

1. Blind reports what it sees: “Braille three, red light at row 2 column 4.”
2. Mute checks the manual, computes the answer, and signals it (gestures / emote wheel).
3. Deaf confirms the signal and shouts the action back to Blind.
4. Blind repeats the action before touching: “Cutting wire 3, confirmed.”
5. Only after Deaf says “Go” does Blind perform the action, then confirms completion.

If any step is not confirmed, nobody moves: the squad re-sends the message. This is the same repeat-ack (ARQ) pattern used in radio protocols, and it is exactly what the community guides teach.

Shared Coordinate Frame

Call out positions as row-column pairs so the whole squad shares one reference frame. “Row 2, column 4” means the same cell to every monkey. Avoid “the one next to the other one”, because it kills runs.

Count Before Color

Always report count first, then colors/positions (“four wires: red, blue, blue, yellow”). A partial report (“two reds… wait, three”) is worse than no report.

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3. Squad Callout Cheat Sheet: 14 Puzzle Modules Directory

Per the official launch announcement, BOMBANANA! features 14 puzzle modules (11 standard modules + 3 CHAOS modules). Use this standard callout format across your squad:

Standard Modules (11 Modules)

Module Type	Deaf Monkey Reports (Visual)	Mute Monkey Signals (Gesture)	Blind Monkey Action (Voice Ack)	Squad Survival Rule
Wires	Wire count, then color sequence	Emote point to target wire	Repeats target wire aloud	Count before color; never guess cut
Keypad	Digits or letters on display	Nod + directional gesture	Confirms code sequence	Wait for all digits before typing
Symbols	Glyph positions (row, column)	Gesture symbol order from manual	Enters glyphs in confirmed sequence	Use grid coordinates (Row 2 Col 4)
Maze	Green exit light position	Reads maze chart; signals move	Reports Braille number + red light	ARQ repeat-ack; reset to start on wall
D-Pad	Target compass arrow orientation	Points directional arrows on wheel	Presses confirmed D-pad direction	Single click only; wait for Deaf ack
Switches	Switch bank up/down positions	Emote gesture up/down per switch	Flips switch in sequence	Confirm entire bank before flipping
Memory	Stage number and displayed values	Matches manual stage lookup	Presses stage button, repeats label	Re-check previous stages if error
Complex Wires	Strip count, stripe patterns, LEDs	Cross-references manual strip table	Clips confirmed strip	Never cut on unconfirmed LED state
Simon Colors	Flashing color sequence order	Points color order on wheel	Repeats color flash order aloud	Memorize full sequence before input
Pressure Dial	Gauge needle reading (high/low)	Gestures release or hold	Holds release valve to target zone	Stop immediately on Deaf signal
Status Pulses	Blinking light pulse frequency	Decodes frequency pattern in book	Enters matching pulse code	Count full cycles before reporting

CHAOS Modules (3 Modules)

Module Type	Deaf Monkey Reports (Visual)	Mute Monkey Signals (Gesture)	Blind Monkey Action (Voice Ack)	Squad Survival Rule
CHAOS: Blackout	Calls out power outage emergency	Gestures toward flashlight switch	Flips flashlight to restore view	Blind keeps hands off active modules
CHAOS: Siren	Visual alarms and flashing red siren	Gestures to silence alarm lever	Pulls alarm suppressor switch	Loud audio jammer: visual cues only
CHAOS: Turbulence	Vehicle shaking / hazard warning	Steadying gesture; pauses defusal	Pauses all inputs until van settles	Zero inputs during severe turbulence

The in-game book held by the Mute monkey is the definitive source of truth per bomb: remember that the studio explicitly confirms there is no single right way to defuse a bomb, so reliable squad communication is what prevents detonation.

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4. Five Rules That Actually Save Runs

1. Never answer a partial report. If the state is not fully confirmed, re-ask before Mute signals anything.
2. Count before color. State the number first, then the details.
3. Repeat-ack every action. Blind repeats the target and waits for “Go” before touching anything.
4. Use the slap. If a teammate is mid-mistake, a slap interrupts the action before it registers.
5. Turn on Color Blind Mode in settings if anyone in the squad needs it: the developers adapted colors for two types of color blindness (see the accessibility guide).