Sonic CarromGuide

Sonic Carrom guide

How to play Sonic Carrom

Everything you need to play, on Android and on Windows: every menu, every gesture and key, the rules of each game, and online play with voice chat. You can play by ear, by sight, or both.

1. Before you start

What the game is

Carrom is a board game. You flick a large disc, the striker, from your baseline to knock smaller discs (coins or pieces) into the four corner pockets. There are 9 white, 9 black and 1 red Queen. Sonic Carrom has three game types: Classic, Freestyle and Disc Pool. Every game is one board.

On each turn you do three things: place the striker along your baseline, aim it (an angle between 20° and 160°, where 90° is straight ahead), and set the power and strike. The game tells you where the coins are and can suggest shots.

2. Android

2.1 First launch

The first time you open the app, four screens come one after another.

  1. "Do you need accessibility support?"
    • Yes, I need accessibility support: the game speaks every event on the board, gives audio aiming guidance and lets you explore the board by sound. Choose this if you play by ear.
    • No, play with visuals only: captions, turn banners and on-screen indicators show what happens; nothing is spoken.
    You can change this later in Settings, Accessibility support.
  2. Welcome. A short introduction. Tap Play Now.
  3. Sign in. Tap Continue with Google and choose your account. You need to be signed in to play.
  4. Game Permissions. The game needs Notifications (alerts when it's your turn or someone invites you) and the Microphone (talking with your opponent online; never recorded). Tap Allow both and allow each in the system dialog; Allow is the upper button. If you refused one, use Open App Settings, then Permissions. Both are required to continue.

2.2 TalkBack and the board

2.3 Menus

Main menu

At the top is your player card: your name, wins and matches, your online rating and trophies. Then the buttons, in order:

  1. Play: choose how to play (below).
  2. Profile (or Sign In when signed out).
  3. Settings.
  4. Help & Controls: every gesture and rule, and Gesture Practice.
  5. Notifications: news from us. Shows "Notifications · 3 new" when there's something unread.
  6. Exit: closes the app straight away. The phone's Back button on the main menu also exits.

Play: "Select Match Mode"

"Select Carrom Game Type"

"Select AI Opponent"

Choosing an opponent starts the match straight away.

AI opponents, easiest first
NameDifficultyStyle
ChloeVery easyRelaxed and forgiving. Best for your first games.
SterlingEasySteady tournament player, careful with the Queen.
MarcusMediumHits hard; breaks up clusters.
ScarlettHardCushion and bank shots.
AlistairVery hardDefensive and patient.
ZenithLegendThe strongest; almost never misses.

2.4 Your first game, step by step

  1. Main menu, Play, Play with AI, Classic Carrom, Chloe.
  2. If you use TalkBack, pause it now: hold both volume keys for 3 seconds.
  3. Listen for whose turn it is. If it's yours, the game says so and shows "YOUR TURN".
  4. Ask for a suggestion: swipe up with one finger. The game picks a good shot and tells you where to place the striker and which angle to use. Swipe up again for the next suggestion, down for the previous one. A tap with one finger repeats the advice.
  5. Place the striker: swipe left or right with one finger to jump between the left circle, the centre and the right circle. For small steps, hold one finger and drag left or right.
  6. Aim: hold two fingers on the screen and slide them left or right. Each small slide turns the aim; when you lift, the angle is spoken, for example "Aim 95 degrees, left". A two-finger swipe left or right turns it 5 degrees at a time. When you're on the suggested line you hear a chime.
  7. Strike: hold one finger, then drag down to pull back. The further you drag, the more power; every 10 percent is spoken. Lift your finger to strike. Changed your mind? Drag back up, or add a second finger, to cancel. Or just double tap with one finger to strike at the current power (40 percent by default).
  8. Listen: the game says what was pocketed and whose turn is next. Pocket one of your own pieces and you play again.
  9. At any time, a two-finger tap tells you the board, score and whose turn it is.
  10. When the board is decided you hear the result. Choose Play Again or Exit to Menu, then resume TalkBack.

2.5 Gestures on your turn

One finger moves and shoots the striker; two fingers aim. The game never needs more than two fingers, so phone gestures such as the three-finger screenshot don't get in the way.

Your turn: aiming and striking
GestureWhat it does
One finger swipe left or rightJump the striker to the previous or next baseline circle: left circle, centre, right circle.
One finger hold, then drag left or rightMove the striker in small steps.
One finger hold, then drag downPull back to set power. Lift to strike, or drag back up to cancel.
One finger double tapStrike at the current power.
One finger tapRepeat aim, power and striker position (or the current AI advice).
One finger swipe up or downAI shot guidance: next or previous suggested shot.
Two finger hold, then slide left or rightRotate the aim. Twisting two fingers also works.
Two finger swipe left or rightTurn the aim 5 degrees.
Two finger swipe upTrack the locked (or best) target coin with an audio beacon.
Two finger swipe downTarget distance and pocket clearance, or a sonar sweep of the coins.
Add a finger during any holdCancel the hold. During aiming, the previous angle comes back ("Aim cancelled").

Good to know

2.6 Gestures at any time, top bar and quick menu

Anytime during a match (either player's turn)
GestureWhat it does
Two finger tapStatus: board, score, whose turn and the turn timer.
Two finger double tapOpen the quick menu.
Phone Back buttonPause. Also closes the quick menu and leaves exploration.

Top bar

Quick menu

Open it with a two-finger double tap on the board, or ☰ Menu in the top bar. Swipe up or down to move, double tap to choose, two-finger swipe down (or Back) to close. Items appear only when they make sense:

Target coin selection

Lists the coins you may play, each with its position and distance. Swipe up or down to browse, double tap to lock a coin. With a coin locked, AI suggestions and the beacon (two-finger swipe up) are only for that coin. A two-finger tap unlocks it. The lock clears after every shot.

Pause and end of game

2.7 Board exploration

Feel the board by touch. Your finger is the probe: the pitch rises toward the far side, and the sound moves left and right. Open it from the quick menu (Board exploration); leave with Back.

Board exploration gestures
GestureWhat it does
One finger dragMove the probe under your finger and hear what's there.
One finger swipe in any directionStep the probe one coin width.
One finger tapDescribe the spot under the probe.
One finger double tapPreview where the striker would go from its current aim.
One finger holdDescribe the area of the board under the probe.
Two finger tapSonar sweep of all coins.
Two finger swipe left or rightPrevious or next pocket.
Two finger swipe upProbe to the centre.
Two finger swipe downProbe to your striker.
Two finger double tapQuick menu, with the exploration guide.
BackLeave exploration.

Online, the turn timer keeps running while you explore or pause, so keep an eye on the time (two-finger tap tells you).

2.8 Help and Gesture Practice

2.9 Settings and Profile

Android settings
SettingWhat it does
Accessibility supportOn: the game speaks on the board, with audio aiming and exploration. Off: visuals and captions only.
Sound effectsOn or off.
Sound effects volume20 to 100 percent (default 80).
Music volume0 to 100 percent (default 50). Music plays on the main menu.
VibrationOn or off.
Swipe sensitivityVery Low to Very High. Lower it if swipes trigger by accident.
Gesture hintsExtra spoken tips while you play, such as "Holding striker. Drag sideways to move, down to pull back."
Aiming guide (AI matches)Whether the visual aiming line starts switched on.
Board themeClassic, Modern or Tournament.
High contrast boardStronger colours for low vision.
NotificationsOn or off.
AccountSign in or sign out.
Privacy policy, Delete account and dataOpen in your browser.

The game has no speech speed setting of its own: change the voice and speed in Android's text-to-speech settings.

Profile shows your online matches, wins, losses, win rate, score, Queens and online rating. Only online games count; games against the AI are not shown.

3. Windows

3.1 Install and first launch

  1. Download the ZIP from the join page (about 110 MB). Unzip it anywhere, for example your Desktop, and run SonicCarrom.exe.
  2. Start NVDA first if you play by ear. All game speech and braille go to NVDA. Without NVDA the game is silent but still playable by sight.
  3. The main menu opens and says "Main Menu, 6 options".
  4. Sign in: choose START MATCH (or Profile) and you're asked to sign in. Choose Continue with Google: your web browser opens. Sign in there, and when the page says "Sign in successful", go back to the game. You need to sign in even for games against the AI.
  5. Updates are checked automatically. When one is ready you hear "Update available". Press Enter to update (the game restarts by itself) or Esc for later.

Press F11 at any time to switch between full screen and a window.

3.2 Menus and menu keys

Main menu

  1. START MATCH: choose AI or online.
  2. PROFILE: your online stats.
  3. SETTINGS.
  4. HELP & CONTROLS: the audio guide to every key and rule.
  5. NOTIFICATIONS: news from us ("NOTIFICATIONS (2 NEW)" when there's something unread).
  6. EXIT GAME.

On the main menu: N opens Notifications, U checks for updates, Page Up / Page Down change the menu music volume.

Choosing a game

3.3 Your first game, step by step

  1. START MATCH, PLAY WITH AI, Classic Carrom, Chloe.
  2. Listen for whose turn it is. Press T any time for the board status.
  3. Ask for a suggestion: press W. The coach picks a shot and says where to place the striker and which angle to use. W again for the next one, Shift+W for the previous, S to repeat.
  4. Place the striker: ← → jump between the left circle, centre and right circle. Shift+← → for small steps. You hear "Baseline aligned!" when you're on the coach's spot.
  5. Aim: ↑ turns the aim 1° left, ↓ 1° right (or Q and E). Hold Shift for 10° steps. You hear "On target!" and a chime when you're on the coach's line.
  6. Strike: hold Space. Power rises from 40 percent; you hear 50, 75 and "Maximum stroke power 100 percent!". Release to strike. To set the power exactly first, press 1 to 5 (20, 40, 60, 80, 100 percent) and then tap Space. Press Esc while holding to cancel.
  7. Listen to the result. Pocket one of your own pieces and you play again.
  8. At the end choose Play Again or Exit to Menu (R also restarts, Esc goes to the menu).

3.4 Keys on your turn

Placing the striker
KeyWhat it does
← → or A DJump between left circle, centre and right circle. A blocked spot is skipped.
Shift + ← →Small steps along the baseline (hold to keep moving).
Home / EndLeft circle / right circle.
Numpad 5Centre. (C also works against the AI; online, C is chat.)
Aiming
KeyWhat it does
↑ or QAim 1° to the left. Hold to sweep; the angle is spoken when you let go.
↓ or EAim 1° to the right.
Shift + any of these10° steps.
Power and striking
KeyWhat it does
Hold Space or EnterCharge from the current power; release to strike.
Esc, Backspace or Delete while chargingCancel the stroke; power goes back to 40 percent.
1 to 5Set power to 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100 percent.
Page Up / Page Down, = / -Power up or down 5 percent. (] / [ also work against the AI; online they switch the message history.)

Power goes back to 40 percent after every shot.

AI coach and target coin
KeyWhat it does
WNext suggested shot ("1 of 4…").
Shift + WPrevious suggested shot.
SRepeat the current advice.
ITarget Coin Selection: ↑ ↓ to browse (or 1–9), Enter to lock, 0 to unlock, Esc to close. With a coin locked, the coach only suggests shots for it.
FAudio beacon toward the locked coin, or a preview of where your aim goes.
RDistance to the locked coin and pocket clearance, or a sonar sweep.
EscUnlock the target (when one is locked).

3.5 Keys at any time

Information and tools, on either player's turn
KeyWhat it does
HSpoken guide to all the match keys.
TBoard status: pieces left, the Queen, score, whose turn.
UPlayer status: score, striker position, aim and power (the opponent's on their turn).
YTurn timer (online games).
PPocket scan: nearest pieces to each pocket in turn.
ZEnter or leave Virtual Exploration.
MMute or unmute sound effects.
EscPause (Resume Match, Restart Match, Exit to Menu; online Resume Match, Forfeit & Exit).
F11Full screen or window.

Online games add chat and voice keys: see Online keys on Windows.

3.6 Virtual Exploration

Press Z to inspect the board freely; press Z or Esc to go back to your shot.

Virtual Exploration keys
KeyWhat it does
I O P / J K L / B N MThe 9 areas of the board: top row, middle row, bottom row (your side). K is the centre. Numpad 7–9, 4–6, 1–3 work the same.
Q E A DPockets: top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right.
Arrow keysSlide the probe (1 inch); with Shift 4 inches. Hold to glide.
C / SProbe to the centre / to your striker.
RSonar sweep of all coins.
FPreview of where your current aim goes.
HExploration guide.

Online, the turn timer keeps running while you explore or pause.

3.7 Playing with the mouse

3.8 Settings, Profile, notifications and updates

In Settings, ↑ ↓ choose a row and Enter (or ← →) moves to the next value. Esc goes back.

Windows settings
SettingWhat it does
Game Sound EffectsActive or muted.
Sound Effects Volume20 to 100 percent (default 80).
Menu Music Volume0 to 100 percent (default 50).
Visual Aiming GuideWhether the aiming line is on at the start of a match.
Board ThemeClassic, Modern or Tournament.
Screen Reader AnnouncementsSend menu and game speech to NVDA, or not.
High Contrast BoardStronger colours for low vision.
System NotificationsPop-up news from us.
Automatic Update ChecksCheck for updates when the game starts.
Check for UpdatesCheck now and install.
What's New in SonicCarromWhat changed in this version.
User AccountSign in or sign out.

Speech speed and voice are set in NVDA, not in the game.

4. The rules

The same rules apply on Android and Windows, against the AI and online.

Every game type

Classic Carrom

Freestyle Carrom (Board Clearance)

Disc Pool (Clearance Race)

5. Sounds and what they mean

6. Online play, chat and voice

What you need

Finding a game

  1. Android: Play, Play with Friend. Windows: START MATCH, PLAY ONLINE MULTIPLAYER.
  2. The Online Lobby Area lists open games: who's hosting, the game type, public or private, and the turn timer. Choose Join Match on a public game, or Enter Code 🔒 on a private one and type its 6-character code. Use Refresh Lobbies to update the list; there are 6 games per page.
  3. Or choose + Create Lobby: pick the Game Type, Lobby Type (public, or private with a code) and Turn Timing (30, 45 or 60 seconds), then Create & Host. A private room's code is copied for you, so you can paste it to a friend.
  4. Waiting room: the host sees who joined. In a public room the host chooses Select Player on the opponent, then Start Match ⚔️. Copy Lobby Code copies and reads out a private room's code. Leave Lobby leaves (when the host leaves, the room closes).

Chat

Voice chat

Online keys on Windows

Windows keys in online games
KeyWhat it does
COpen or close the chat box. Type, Enter sends, Esc closes, Ctrl+V pastes. Letters aren't read back as you type.
Alt + 1 to 8Send a quick chat message (in the order listed above).
KRead the last message.
, / .Previous / next message in the history (Shift for first / last).
[ / ]Switch history category.
Alt+Shift+CTurn incoming opponent messages off or on.
VVoice chat on or off.
BMute or unmute your microphone.
YSeconds left in the turn.
F2Ping (connection speed).

Leaving and connection problems

7. Problems and questions

Android: my gestures do nothing on the board.
TalkBack is on. Hold both volume keys for 3 seconds to pause it, play, then resume it the same way. Also check that Settings, Accessibility support is on if you want the game to speak.
Android: the game doesn't speak on the board.
Turn on Settings, Accessibility support, and check your phone's media volume and text-to-speech engine.
Windows: the game is silent.
Start NVDA, then the game. Check Settings, Screen Reader Announcements is enabled. Other screen readers don't receive game speech.
I can't find the app on Google Play.
Join the tester group and tap Become a tester first, with the same Google account as your Play Store. The join page has the links. It can take up to 30 minutes.
"Online play needs SonicCarrom Premium".
Subscribe in the Android app, or wait for a free period. Then on Windows choose Re-check Premium.
Windows says "Testers Only".
Apply at the join page with the same Google account you signed in with in the game.
Swipes go off by accident (Android).
Lower Settings, Swipe sensitivity, and practise in Help, Gesture Practice.
Where are my games against the AI in my stats?
Profile and rating count online games only.
How do I report a bug?
Email athiban0612@gmail.com, or tell us in the SonicGames Telegram group. Say your device, Android or Windows version, screen reader, and what happened.