To play BOMBANANA! with friends, you need exactly three players, all online and all on the same platform. On Steam, one player hosts a lobby and the other two join with its room code or find it in the server browser, with no need to be Steam friends first. There is no local or split-screen co-op, and no solo mode: if you are short a player, look for a third through matchmaking or a public lobby.
BOMBANANA! is a co-op party game from Lefto Studio and TARK Games in which three monkeys, one blind, one deaf, and one mute, defuse bombs by somehow getting their information across before the timer runs out. It is on Steam, and since November 13 on PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, the same day TARK said it had passed two million sales on Steam. Here is how to get your trio into a round.
How Many Players BOMBANANA! Needs
The answer is three, every time. The Steam store page puts it as “3-Player Co-op – No more, no less. Exactly three monkeys required,” and the console stores agree: the PS5 page lists up to three online players and the Xbox listing says online co-op for three to three.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Players per round | Exactly 3 |
| Local or split-screen co-op | No, online only |
| Solo play | No; solo players can join others through matchmaking |
| Crossplay between platforms | No (see our crossplay guide) |
| Voice chat | Built in |
Each player takes one role. The Blind Monkey can touch the bomb but cannot see colors or read screens. The Mute Monkey is the only one who can read the bomb disposal manual. The Deaf Monkey can see the bomb and the others’ frantic gestures but cannot hear a thing. Nobody can defuse alone, which is why the game insists on three.
How to Get Your Friends Into One Lobby on Steam
Lefto Studio built its lobby system so you do not have to friend each other on Steam first. Going by the studio’s launch notes:
- One player hosts. The host creates a lobby, which gets a room code.
- Share the code. Send it to your two friends by message or voice. There is a button to hide and reveal the lobby code, added in update 1.0.2, which helps if you stream.
- Friends join with the code, or find the lobby through the server browser.
- Pick roles. Agree on who plays which monkey, or use the Random Role button in the lobby to let the game decide.
- Choose a mode and start. Campaign has 30 handcrafted levels that get harder as you go, Endless serves up procedurally generated waves, and Custom lets you set the bomb difficulty, timer, module types, hazards, and how many mistakes are allowed.
The Steam version has full controller support, plus keyboard-only and mouse-only options, so each player can use whatever they like.
Playing With Friends on PS5 and Xbox
The console versions have the same three-player online co-op, with one extra requirement each:
- PS5: the PlayStation Store page says PlayStation Plus is required for online play, so all three players need a PS Plus membership.
- Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S: the Xbox listing says online multiplayer on console requires Game Pass Essential, Premium, or Ultimate. Xbox One and Series X|S players can play together.
The room codes and server browser above come from Lefto Studio’s posts about the Steam version. Neither console store page spells out how invites work there, so start with the code or lobby screen the game shows you.
Everyone in your group must also own the same version. Steam, PS5, and Xbox players cannot share a lobby, because the game has no crossplay between them. The Xbox version also runs on PC through Xbox Play Anywhere, so a PC friend joining an Xbox group should buy it on the Xbox store rather than Steam.
What to Do Without a Third Friend
Two friends cannot play on their own, but you do not need to wait for a third:
- Matchmaking: update 1.0.2 added matchmaking, which groups solo players with others.
- Public lobbies: the global lobby browser lists public lobbies from around the world, so you can look for one with room.
- The official Discord: Lefto Studio points players without a group to its Discord, where people look for squads.
Be ready for a stranger on voice chat. The game is built around talking, shouting, and gesturing, so a quiet third player makes for a short round.
Tips for a Better First Session
- Rotate roles. Each monkey plays very differently. The Mute Monkey holds the manual, so give that seat to whoever reads and explains fastest, then swap.
- Agree on signals early. The Deaf Monkey relies on gestures and the emote wheel, so settle a few signals before the timer starts.
- Use Custom mode to learn. A longer timer and more allowed mistakes give new players room to figure out each module.
- Turn on Color Blind Mode if anyone needs it. It supports two types of color blindness across objects and the interface.
For more games built for a trio, see our 25 best 3-player co-op games on PS5 and our best PC co-op games of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play BOMBANANA! with two players? No. Every round needs exactly three players. A pair can look for a third through the public lobby browser or the official Discord, and solo players can use matchmaking.
Can you play BOMBANANA! with four players? No. Lefto Studio caps it at three, one per monkey: “No more, no less.”
Does BOMBANANA! have local co-op? No. It is online only on every platform.
Do my friends need to be on my Steam friends list? No. Players can join through the server browser or a room code without adding each other first.
Do I need PS Plus to play BOMBANANA! with friends on PS5? Yes. The PlayStation Store page says PS Plus is required for online play.
Can friends on different platforms play together? Not between Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. The Xbox version covers Xbox consoles and PC through the Xbox app.