Most of us cherish the joy of playing board games with friends and family, but what about enjoying them solo? It might sound unusual, but many modern board games are designed with solo play in mind, offering engaging single-player modes that are perfect for some quality alone time. From strategic challenges to immersive storytelling, these games provide a fantastic way to relax and keep your mind sharp. Let's explore some of the top board games you can enjoy by yourself, each offering a unique experience to unwind and engage your brain.
TL;DR: These are the Best Solo Board Games
### War Story: Occupied France
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### Invincible: The Hero-Building Game
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### Legacy of Yu
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### Final Girl
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### Dune Imperium
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### Hadrian's Wall
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### Imperium: Horizons
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### Frosthaven
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### Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
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### Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
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### Under Falling Skies
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### Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
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### Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
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### Arkham Horror: The Card Game
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### Cascadia
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### Terraforming Mars
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### Spirit Island
0See it at AmazonEditor's Note: Although every board game on this list can be enjoyed solo, most can also be played with up to four players. The exception is Final Girl, which is designed exclusively for single-player enjoyment.
War Story: Occupied France
### War Story: Occupied France
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-6Play Time: 45-60 minsWar Story: Occupied France blends choose-your-own-adventure storytelling with tactical wargaming, placing you in command of a secret agent team during World War II. The game leads you through a gripping narrative of espionage and danger, with your choices affecting outcomes on miniature maps. It's ideal for solo play, offering deep replay value and the option to link scenarios into a campaign for a challenging experience.
Invincible: The Hero-Building Game
### Invincible: The Hero-Building Game
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 45-90 minsThis game, inspired by the comic and animated series, offers a fresh take on superheroism with its focus on young heroes mastering their powers. Players search for power combinations to enhance their characters while battling villains and saving civilians. Each scenario ties into the TV show's major storylines, allowing for a full campaign experience.
Legacy of Yu
### Legacy of Yu
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60 minsSet in mythic China, you play as Yu the Great, managing resources and building canals to save the kingdom from floods while fending off barbarian tribes. This game combines strategic resource management and worker placement with narrative elements, providing a rich and challenging solo experience.
Final Girl
### Final Girl
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1Play Time: 20-60 minsDesigned for solo horror enthusiasts, Final Girl immerses you in a thrilling survival scenario. With numerous expansion sets, you can tailor the game to your favorite horror themes. The core game requires a Film Box with scenarios based on classic horror movies, ensuring a tense and strategic gameplay experience.
Dune: Imperium
### Dune Imperium
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60-120 minsA standout strategy game, Dune: Imperium includes an automated opponent, House Hagal, making it suitable for solo play. Despite being interactive, the game maintains its challenge with House Hagal, providing a satisfying experience without needing multiple players.
Hadrian’s Wall
### Hadrian's Wall
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1-6Play Time: 60 minsHadrian’s Wall is a flip-and-write game where you construct defenses in Roman Britain to repel Pictish invasions. It excels in solo mode, especially with a downloadable campaign that adds dynamism and strategic depth, making it a standout in its genre.
Imperium: Horizons
### Imperium: Horizons
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 40 mins/playerImperium: Horizons brings deck-building to civilization games, offering a solo-friendly experience. Choose a civilization with a unique deck and navigate complex mechanisms to build from scratch, facing challenges like revolts. With fourteen civilizations, each requiring a distinct strategy, the game offers immense replay value.
Frosthaven / Gloomhaven
### Frosthaven
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60-120 minsFrosthaven is a legacy-style game that offers a grand fantasy adventure. Guide your adventurer through a persistent world, facing tactical combat and making impactful decisions. For a more manageable solo experience, consider Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion.
Mage Knight
### Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-5Play Time: 60+ minsMage Knight is renowned for its solo play, offering a fantasy epic where you fight monsters, upgrade your character, and explore. Be prepared for long sessions, as the game requires significant time and strategic planning.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
### Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-8Play Time: 90 minsStep into the role of Sherlock Holmes in this mystery-solving game. With minimal guidance, you'll use props like a London map and newspaper to solve complex cases, challenging you to match the detective's prowess.
Under Falling Skies
### Under Falling Skies
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1+Play Time: 20-40 minsInspired by Space Invaders, Under Falling Skies is designed for solo play. You manage dice to shoot down alien ships and build your base, with the tension escalating as the aliens descend. Various scenarios and a campaign mode ensure long-term engagement.
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
### Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 90-180 minsIn Robinson Crusoe, you're a shipwreck survivor navigating a hostile island. Play as different characters with unique abilities, scavenging and building to survive. The game's solo mode allows you to control multiple characters, adding depth and replay value.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr N’ Write
### Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 10+Players: 1-4Play Time: 30-45 minsThis roll-and-write game challenges you to manage a dinosaur theme park. Balance resources to build and operate your park, drawing out structures and managing tours. It's more complex than typical roll-and-write games, offering a deeper solo experience.
Arkham Horror: the Card Game
### Arkham Horror: The Card Game
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60-120 minsFace cosmic horrors in this tense solo card game. Navigate scenarios, build decks, and search for clues to advance the story. The game's campaign mode adds thematic depth, making it one of the best horror board games for solo play.
Cascadia
### Cascadia
0See it at WalmartAge Range: 10+Players: 1-4Play Time: 30-45 minsCascadia's simple yet addictive gameplay involves building a nature reserve with terrain tiles and animal tokens. Solo play is enhanced by a list of achievements, offering varied challenges and increasing difficulty for a satisfying experience.
Terraforming Mars
### Terraforming Mars
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1-5Play Time: 120 minsIn Terraforming Mars, you work to make the planet habitable by managing resources and building a tableau of action cards. The solo mode challenges you to optimize your actions within a time limit, offering a rewarding puzzle for strategic thinkers.
Spirit Island
### Spirit Island
0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 90-120 minsSpirit Island is a cooperative game where you control spirits protecting your land from colonizers. The robust theme and strategic card play make it an excellent solo experience, allowing you to manage multiple spirits for a challenging game.
Solo Board Game FAQs
Is it weird to play board games alone?
Not at all! Playing board games solo is a time-honored tradition, with historical evidence dating back centuries. Just as it's normal to enjoy video games alone, solo board gaming offers a similar challenge and satisfaction. It's a great way to engage with a game's mechanics and enjoy its thematic elements, no different from tackling a jigsaw puzzle on your own.
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