Board games are an excellent way to spend time with family or friends without the distraction of mobile phones and the internet. While most people are used to traditional board games requiring two or more people for a friendly competition, you could still enjoy several thrilling games by yourself. So, what are the best solo board games available?
The best single-player game you could get your hands on is Gloomhaven. However, don’t just take my word for it. I understand that you could be interested in different genres of games; that’s why I’ve put together a list of some of the best one-player board games available. From regular board games that you could play alone to board games specifically designed for solo play, you can enjoy your favorite meal, drink, or playlist while playing any of these games, and it won’t be strange to play a game all by yourself.
Top Five Best Single Player Board Games
On the very top of this list is the iconic Gloomhaven. It is the best solo board game, and for perfect reasons. It is an excellent choice for anyone that fancies an exciting fantasy adventure. In Gloomhaven, you’ll play as an adventurer traversing a fantasy world with its fair share of dungeons and scary monsters. Throughout the game, you get to upgrade your abilities and resources. Gloomhaven is one of the top selling board games of the last few years! It’s very popular.
This game uses a clever card system that decides the flow of the gameplay and what happens on every turn. Although it’s pretty random, you’ll need to carefully determine how to play what you have in hand. Additionally, you’ll permanently lose cards from your hand in some cases, such as failing to get rid of all the monsters in a dungeon.
Gloomhaven is a vast engaging game that could have you fighting monsters for quite a long while. It has multiple components, and the great thing is that you can explore this game over several sessions and still not be bored. Gloomhaven is great for kids in the 10 – 12 year age category as well.
If you’re more interested in solving high-profile criminal cases, you’ll enjoy playing Detective. In this game, you get to play as a member of the Antares National Investigation Agency, trying to solve five criminal cases. One catchy thing about this game is that each case you solve affects the next. Your job is to investigate a scandal to determine if a Nazi war criminal is hiding in the United States in the aftermath of World War II.
This is one of the best solo-player board games that test your deduction skills. You may have to look for clues on the internet during the gameplay. Additionally, there are various physical parts you play the game with, such as tiles, tokens, cards, markers, casebooks, and a game board. When you’re playing the game alone, it could last for up to three hours.
Another title that stands out as one of the best single-player board games is Mage Knight. This is one awesome deck-building game that offers all the excitement of a fantasy RPG and intense card combat. For this game, you’ll be building an action deck and stacking up powerful weapons before embarking on an adventure through caves, taking out your foes.
Before you start, though, it’s a good idea to get familiar with all the game rules so you can get the hang of the fighting dynamics. Regardless, Mage Knight doesn’t make it all too easy for you. Instead, it continues to test your abilities and provides just what you need to overcome particular challenges (as long as you use them strategically).
While up to four people can play Mage Knight, it is even more fun as a solo game. You can spend as much time as you need before making a move, which allows you to maximize your wizard warrior’s strength. Mage Knight is also one of the best rpg board games out there!
The 7th Continent is one amazing one-player board game that takes exploration to another level. It has an elaborate story that unfolds into a boarder picture as you play. Inspired by the classic Fighting Fantasy book series, The 7th Continent is packed with random adventures.
Your character is an explorer of the 20th century who has to return to a recently discovered land against his will to get rid of a curse placed on you during your first voyage. To go about your choose-your-own-adventure experience, you’ll need to pull from more than 600 numbered cards. You’ll travel across the map throughout the game, overcoming challenges with your equipment and action cards.
As you play The 7th Continent, you’ll need to make some critical decisions, such as upgrading or moving further to lift your curse. This is because your action deck serves your life force and your only way to complete challenges. The 7th Continent gameplay session can last for up to 20 hours! If you don’t mind the long hours, this should be on your list of the best one-player board games.
This is one of the best board games designed specifically for solo gameplay. Under Falling Skies tells a story of a base you’ll have to defend from invading alien ships descending. To fend off the attack, you’ll have to make the most of a limited pool of dice to make certain decisions, such as shooting the alien ships, building your base, or researching a fatal blow that will end the invasion.
However, Under Falling Skies isn’t too simple. The designers of the game put in a sick twist where the aliens descend faster when you use higher dice, but it also gives you a better effect. Additionally, the game has several scenarios that make for a thrilling single-player campaign.
Conclusion
You don’t need to worry about putting together a group of people to play your favorite board game all the time. As I’ve pointed out in this article, you can have so much fun playing board games on your own. All you need to do is pick the right ones.
Thankfully, we’ve made it easier to choose a game. This list of the best single-player board games will point you in the right direction. So, go ahead and have fun with whichever game appeals to you!
Looking for a board game for only 2 people? Why not check out the best board games for couples?!