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Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal - Pacific War Naval Warfare
Developer Cyril Jarnot
CARRIER BATTLES is a classic hex-and-counter digital wargame covering the naval-air battles of the Pacific War, from 1942 to 1943. Find your opponent and strike at him before he sinks your precious carriers, while preventing them from invading or supporting your own amphibious operations. From the Steam store page
185 reactions from 1 source (Steam reviews) · newest Sep 9, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
89
LovedLoved
164 positive · 21 negative
95% range 83–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 164 | 21 | 0 |
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
293 of 333 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 185 · most liked firstI know the current "thing" are the RTS type naval games commanding individual or groups with the awesome shoot 'em up graphics. Carrier Battles isn't that. It's Better! I grew up in the classic era of board games. My favorite genre was/is WWII Pacific. And Specifically Carrier based games. Flat top, Dauntless, War in the Pacific, Pacific War. Then the early PC games; Carrier Strike, Carriers at War, War Plan Pacific,etc. Then finally Grigsby's War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition. So I know…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My Dad was an Avalon Hill play tester so growing up we always had board games on the dinning room table, I got good at them and fell in love with a few. This reminds me so much of ~ Flat Top ~ put on computer and that was one of my favorites cause it was one I usually clobbered my dad with. This is a cat and mouse game, he who see's first shoots first. timing the launch of your aircraft just right and keeping back a safe distance to avoid a counter strike. while providing air cover and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played 'Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal' since it's release, and enjoy it greatly.. Buggy, but the developers are slowly smashing through them with every update, so I can see they are actively listening and taking note on the Forum. I'd label this game as 'grand tactical', 'almost hardcore'... Single ships merged into Task Force units, Flights of 4 aircraft per unit. Great Flight deck operations, takeoff/CAP/Strike/Search/repair -timing is everything. Search system is well thought out,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Interesting wargame. The game is quite complex and fun. Here is some gameplay for those curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzJ8sipAjNM
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am an amateur NAVAL Historian. I have simulated naval carrier warfare since the 1970s. First, with traditional I-go,u-go board games from many publishers. Then whence into PC simulation/gaming. I have perused some 3-D gaming, BUT it's not my style. I want to use my brains for results. My deep thoughts and S&T to bring upon outcomes. Not about how fast or accurate my mouse clicks or keystrokes are to watch (albeit oft times beautiful) 3-D animations. Having said all of that, I will tell you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This latest update is really terrible, the bias against USN is unbearable, frustrated and emotionally drained: my SBD squadron hit an IJN carrier 8 times and ZERO damage was inflicted, and then when the IJN air raid came, a SINGLE torpedo shot eliminated Big E. Is USN damage control crew a joke to you? This game is just as cheating as a referee in the 2002 football World Cup. I can't believe that I once recommend this game to my friends!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have been a play tester for the Beta version of Carrier Battles for several months prior to its official release, after pledging for it on Kickstarter. I am thrilled with this game. I am especially impressed with the enemy AI. I am an experienced wargamer, and it is very pleasing to fight an extremely competitive AI. In fact, I have been creamed a few times! I enjoy just about every aspect of the game, though I do admit to being drawn in general to WWII Pacific Theater of Operations. The game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Totally recommended for all those who are interested in the Pacific Theater of WW2. This is one of the better wargames covering the naval warfare in the Pacific, and there aren't many out there. Discovering the enemy CV right after launching your strike package against a wrong target, returning planes having to ditch at night unable to find their carrier, stressful task of managing take off and landing schedules, crowded carrier decks and more. This game has it all. It captures the unique…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been playing wargames for many years now. When I saw the game published, I thought that it would be one more game of the many that already exist about the war in the Pacific. Apparently the simplicity of its graphics may make you think that it is not a title that attracts attention, but as you scratch the surface you discover the great potential that lies behind its apparent simplicity. It seems to me a marvel on the tactical plane. It has a moderate learning curve, but once you get the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been waiting for this game for a long time. Sorry to say, I can't figure out how to play it. I am very disappointed because the tutorial is lacking. I cant figure out how to even launch an airstrike. The tutorial has some videos but no sound. There are many, many options on every screen but no explanation. I can't find a game manual that explains every icon or action in sufficient detail. I move icons around but have no idea what the consequences are. If you are the kind of player that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →LOVE. THE. GAME. I am probably one of the few who has the actual Pacific War hex-based full board game. Yes, the one with about a million pop-out counters. I would LOVE to see that made reality by the current game engine. So many of my wars were destroyed by alien invasion...the family dog...that can't happen on the virtual game! :-) Back to the review of this game. Once you have the basic skills on board then it is a great strategic game. The Japanese have their range advantage with aircraft…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It'll do. This looks like someone's underfunded labor of love. First, understand this is a computer version of an old-school table-top hex-based wargame. WW II carrier warfare is a good thing to model with a computer, rather than a board--fog of war is a key element. The computer can do all that and weather, time of day, and so on--all good. This iteration feels unfinished. Scenarios are under-documented, and only a fair historical knowledge kept me from being totally in the dark about…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I give Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal a thumbs up. This is a classic naval hex game but with all the bells and whistles. The fog of war is beautifully baked into the game mechanics and adds to the tension as you race to find the enemy and hit him first. But watch out. You may think you just launched a killing blow against the enemy's carriers only to find you mistakenly gone after a secondary target - a mistake that can cost your side dearly. Yes, you need to look over the rules. I'd…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very enjoyable game. It's different, so it takes some getting use to, but very well made once you get a grip with the mechanics. Do go through the rules, it is worth your while. Game currently has a good number of scenarios covering some of the major sea engagements in the South Pacific. Game does not currently have an editor for making scenarios. I think I would enjoy that immensely so I hope one is added at some point. As with most modern games anymore, it has some instability issues upon…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! Gives a real feeling of the tense in carrier battles. Your scouts reporting some sightings, but what are they? Carriers? An invasion force? It's an amazing idea to have a strike package available on deck to launch once you have a clear picture of the target. But oh wait! That hampers the ability to launch a CAP to protect the carriers when an enemy strike comes in! So be a bit more careful, and have CAP flying around. And once the target is detected, it is already 1630. Do you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Bought this game after watching positive reviews on YouTube. It has a major fail for PC owners that have flight sim type peripherals plugged into their PC's. If you have rudder pedals, then the game's map movement system will not function with the mouse and will default to showing you only one corner of the map. Turns out the pedals function to move the map! Yes we are back to the 1990's and IRQ assignments and all that rubbish. Suffice to say that my other games like War in the East, War in…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Totally cool and excellent. The game Avalon Hill's, 1980 Flat Top should have been! Too bad it took 45 years of waiting. All it needs is some MacGowan cover art. LOL. Minor upgrades needed for rare in game problems that don't come up often. One player works almost flawlessly. I feel launching 2 player games currently a little more complex than need be. But overall, more stable and playable than most "small projects" I have played! Well done dev team!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game started well, but has become an atrocious mess due to it's horrid battle resolution. Think of RNG from hell. 2 enemy torpedo bombers slip through, three torpedo hits with one ship sunk per torpedo. Got your cap up? Great! Twenty fighters against their six undefended bombers will result in.....one enemy bomber damaged, but not brought down. This used to be a fun distraction...but it has become pure punishment to play. Save yourself the agony.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Read a few disconcerting reviews about crashing/instability issues. Took the plunge anyway. Was unable to complete the second tutorial because it hung up and rendered virtually all of the buttons on the screen inactive, and unable to proceed. If the game worked, it appears like it's gonna be a fantastic addition to anyone's naval strategy library. Interface is nice and clean, map is very pleasing to look at, strategy seems deep and enticing. However, I'm not convinced it actually works…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Learning curve and weak tutorial But A good game is here and worth learning.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Occasionally, a game nails what you want in a wargame simulation by getting all the elements right. This game models the four dimensional nature of carrier war in a way I could only dream of in the past. The dilemma carrier commanders faced of what to keep ready on deck, what to launch when and when to hold back are complex and all represented across a serious of challenging scenarios. The DLCs add a level of complexity and interest. I was surprised how the Indian Ocean scenario is so fresh…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There is a nostalgic air about this game for all lovers of hex-based strategy games – the kind of 'beer and pretzel' games that youngsters (hopefully without the beer) played back in the 70's and early 80's before Commodore et al. provided new and fast paced means of entertainment and RPG's became the norm in college dorms. The tension builds up slowly in this game as air recon gathers intel about enemy ships and manoeuvres. Timing is essential as you spot the deck with planes ready to hit the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →RED FLAG REFUND! When a game with simple graphics freezes up on the 2nd Tutorial, that tells you all you need to know about whether to seek a refund. So I did!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →clean and historically correct.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent game, lots of detail and chrome. Played with optional FOW, seaplanes, and submarines. It takes a while to learn all the interfaces and there are still some things I don't understand. The game plays like how a traditional hex and counter wargame from the 70s or 80s might play but a lot faster with the computer doing most of the work and rules enforcement. It can be played very quickly (a few hours) but I enjoy taking my time and micro managing the carrier air strikes. This plays like…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you are an old Avalon Hill Flat Top or Guadalcanal player, this will be very familiar to you. If not, you will probably enjoy this game if you've played any decent naval board wargame. This is very accessible to even raw newbies and lots of fun for experienced grognards. I certainly enjoy it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wanted to like this more than I did, tutorial not great and actually locked up at one stage, unit graphics are quite basic and the information displayed on them not all that clear, sound and music very average Also game is quite expensive for what it is, contains no interlinked missions or campaign to play will cost nearly £40 to buy game and DLC and for me needs a lot of improvement to justify this cost.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like the game, reminds me of an SSI title from the 80's called War in the South Pacific, I think. The added scenarios like Midway make this a great game. My only complaint is that I can't exit the closing wash screen back to the main menu after I exit the scenario I am playing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal, developed by Avalon Digital and Cyril Jarnot and published by Avalon Digital, is a deeply immersive and detailed wargame that places players in command of naval and air forces during some of the most pivotal battles of the Pacific Theater in World War II. The game focuses on the intense naval-air combat between the United States and Imperial Japan, specifically from 1942 to 1943, a period marked by high-stakes engagements such as the Battle of the Coral Sea,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To give a different opinion from others, the Alt-history options to me are what make this game cool enough to review. This game simulates the hour-by-hour of Carrier/Naval warfare excellently, but with maybe a dozen or so battles in-game, the setup options give it a lot of extra depth. Being able to do make changes like taking the carrier USS Hornet along for Operation Watchtower, or toggling Hiryu to be present for that same battle too, give a ton of re-play value. Midway alone can be played a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game captures the tension, thrill, and agony of the WWII Pacific carrier battles. I keep playing it because each of the many scenarios can be different every time--and the AI is generally good enough to usually keep you guessing and punish your forces. If you played Avalon Hill's Midway or Flat Top, you'll want this. I couldn't afford Flat Top back then...so I'm thrilled to have Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal in my library now. Of note, I appreciate the task force model, WeGo movement,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yes, it is like Avalon Hill's "Flat Top," pretty much a computerized version of same. Like 5th Fleet and 6th Fleet, etc., on the computer what was complex manually is incredibly simplified, so you can play out a scenario in 30 to 90 minutes. This is a good little game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back in the 80s I loved playing boardgames like Flat Top, by Avalon Hill. This is a computer version of Flat Top, but with rules designed for a computer supported game, like the formulas for calculating the chances of spotting a target and a proper "fog of war". The game mechanics work very well and the results of the simulation are quite realistic. There are a few problems though: 1) The AI is quite dumb. After familiarising a bit with the game I am wining almost every scenario. 2) The UI…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Bear with the crappy tutorial, watch Stategic Gamer on YouTube and learn what you need to know. If you have an interest in WWII Pacific Carrier and Island Based air ops this is a fun strategy game. It's not an FPS and nothing glitzy on graphics (although the map is beautiful and detailed) I played the Avalon Hill board game "Midway" when I was a kid and this is it with the clunky mechanics taken over by AI, fog of war, and a much larger campaign scale. I think you will like it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really Enjoying this game.. the enhancement to play online (more like play by email PBE) online. But it is very nice. (use saved games to find them quickly) Game play is quick, reminds me of carrier strike on the pc (but better)! Enjoy for the money its a great wargame.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wonderfully accurate simulation of Carrier tactics & differences between the two navies & their respective capabilities or lack thereof. Needs a full dynamic campaign!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is old school and great!. There are some small bugs, but it is dream of all what would like to pass all these great battles in the Pacific. Maybe mission editor should be the standard and in the future some level of Campaign. 25 years ago I have played this in board game and it fascinate me, this game brings me memories back. What to improve: 1. To add mission editor 2. Win/Lost list to add scroll bar to see all sink ships 3. Win/lost list to add also all damaged ships too 4. To add…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a re-skinning of SSI's Carrier Strike game. CS is, from a strictly wargaming perspective, the best WWII carrier battle game. The original game was a DOS game, so it had very limited graphics and almost no sound. Despite that, it was a brilliant simulation of carrier task force combat. This version is very true to the original, with only minor modifications. If you're looking steer your Avenger through Zeros and ram your torpedo down the enemies throat, this is NOT the game for you.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sorry. I wrote a bad review but then I changed my mind. I can give this a thumbs up if you like old board games. Once I figured out the wonkey mechanics and I did have fun replaying these maps. It's always a cat and mouse battle and I remember enjoying that aspect when I played Flat Top with my older brother as a kid. I gave it a low review first because I didn't understand all the rules I did really enjoy the nostalgia of playing the old Avalon Hill hex based war games. This comes pretty…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like carrier warfare this is for you. It is a fast game and even complex senarios can be completed in a couple of hours and yet the complexity of carrier operations is well covered in the game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A terrific carrier simulation. A real plus and highly recommended
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A bit ponderous for a play-by-email/server with many dull turns, but lots of fun vs the AI. Nice operational level naval game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not a bad game. Plays quickly and is interesting. You can only send out two search groups at a time which is pretty unrealistic. The AI is decent, not as good as the old Carriers At War game, but it is adequate. The screens are full of grammatical errors. My guess is that English is not the authors primary language. Normally I can look past them but in this game they are everywhere and they detract from what is otherwise a pretty polished game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a huge fan of Avalon Hill's Flat Top from back in the day, I've been waiting for a computer game that could give a similar experience for what seems like forever. This game really nails it in a way I never thought we'd see. It seems to hit a sweet spot where you still get the board game feel while leveraging the advantages digitization brings to the table. If you're an old board gamer like me and have an interest in the pacific theater this is certainly worth your time!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Easy to pick up the basics of the different types of counter moves but the strategy is very challenging, which I like. I enjoy being my own Admiral in these scenarios. Each play through is different. Great game. Played the board game as a kid. I like it better here.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dive into the intense naval battles around Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands. If you like naval games and fancy yourself as an armchair Fletcher, then this is the game for you. The scenario goals are simple, but how you execute your fleets orders to reach these conclusions is the difficult part. Take control of naval and air assets against the enemy. Each sides naval and air units have their strengths and weaknesses, the challenge is to assess these and take advantage of your strengths before…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you enjoyed the board games Flattop, CV, and Fast Carriers, then you will enjoy Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal. All the WWII scenarios (plus a few others) from the classic board games, plus the program handles fog of war and bookkeeping. There is a learning curve, and the two player interface was a bit clunky at first, but it will be a rewarding experience for both solitaire and online play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a challenge. It has many moving pieces (literally) and calls for planning moves and coordination of forces. Plus the AI is quite good. I have actually lost to it, which is more than I can say for the last two games I bought. The game is pricey at $30. If you go for it I suggest buying the SeaPlane and Fog of War DLCs for another $10. Looking forward to hours of playtime with a half dozen more scenarios to check out such as the big battle of Midway. After playing all those…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just an initial thoughts post. I played the original DOS game back in the 80's and also the excellent SSI Carrier Force. I think back at those simple DOS days with four color screens and how many hours of enjoyment and research I did into them and WW2 fleet actions. Saw this and downloaded yesterday and have 10 hours into it. The two tutorials, a preserious-game just to get a feel and then the Wake Island scenario. LOVE IT so far. All the startegy from the old games. Once I learned the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal is quite a gem of a game for the genre of WWII carrier warfare. In terms of Carrier based wargames, I started way back with the classic Avalon Midway and Flat Top board games, graduated to the PC based Carrier Strike and SSG’s Carriers at War, and now Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal. I have to say that this game is by far the best! Good show and keep up the good work. The game does an excellent job of modelling the intense campaign for the Solomons Islands, with a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a great, turn-based, strategic-board-game-style computer game. It reminds me a lot of the old Avalon Hill boardgames I used to play with my father. Great effort has been put into the common-sense interface and the historical accuracy of the various units in the Pacific Theatre of World War 2. They also manage to keep the integrity of the scenarios despite sometimes compressing battles that took place over the course of weeks into a three-day period. Thoroughly enjoyable. A couple of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I grew up playing flattop and CV on a map with pencil and paper. I love the easy and the feel of the game. The game engine accounts for Japanese advantages but does not over-penalize the U.S. The search process is probably over-friendly and too easy. It would be nice to to have more data for aviation logistics in play vis-a-vis fuel and ammuniton -- maybe I am obtuse and missing it. I look forward to playing the game more and challenging my college kid to online battles. Semper Fi Eric
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros: Probably the best carrier combat game on Steam right now. Great stand in for anyone waiting for Task Force Admiral to be released. Cons: Needs heavy optimization and bug fixes. There are a lot of bugs I've noted. Mostly minor visual glitches that have little effect on gameplay. The game runs horribly slow. What would make this game great: Optimization, lots of optimization. Cleaner UI (Don't like to obvious mobile-port look). Greater post-battle anaylsis (turn-by-turn history,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i am more interested in a Grand Campaign, this game has its faults but its not bad.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Easy to play difficult to master. Play is fast. A scenario can be played in 1 to 4 hours. I had one crash at the height of one of the larger scenarios but only that one time. The game does not force you to go grognard but you can if you want to. It captures the "feel" of carrier warfare in a fun way. I highly recommend this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have really enjoyed this game. It is a nice, simple carrier warfare simulator. I would suggest adding more scenarios, including "what ifs" and a scenario editor. Also a campaign mode for the Guadalcanal period would be a great addition.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you are into carrier warfare and the WWII Pacific theatre this game is for you, it captures it brilliantly and oozes depth and atmophere.... The support and communication from the dev is also great with bugs being fixed within hours of being reported...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very smooth play and clear graphics. Not all features all clearly documented; I recommend you watch some U Tube videos to see play examples. If you liked Carriers at War you will like this just as much if not better. The AI is very good and is not predictable. The AI can be very aggressive and has surprised me a number of times. It has some bugs but nothing that a good patch won't fix. Very enjoyable because it allows you to focus on searching and striking, which is the core of it all.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quick learning curve and fun game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really enjoyed it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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