Best 1 Player Board Games

It’s a dreary night and you’re stuck at home alone – no one to keep company with, no one to play games – and doom scrolling through social media seems like a terrible idea. Netflix holds no appeal. And everything just plain seems blah. Well, you’re in luck because there are some incredible 1 player board games you can bring home today to stave off the loneliness and keep your brain engaged in not only entertaining but encouraging ways. When you can puzzle your way through challenges or beat an in-game villain, your serotonin levels rise and your mind is kept sharp and healthy. Plus, of course, you’ll have a blast and won’t be so bored after all. Let’s take a gander at these top-rated 1 player board games and see which ones best suit your gaming style, making them some of the best board games you can play alone.

Best Solo Board Games

Cooperative Solo Games

Cooperative solo games are a unique subset of solo gaming that involves working together with a fictional partner or team to achieve a common goal. These games often feature a strong narrative and require players to make strategic decisions to overcome various challenges. The cooperative nature of these games adds an extra layer of depth and engagement, making them a favorite among solo gamers.

• Gloomhaven: Dive into a sprawling fantasy world filled with exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat. In Gloomhaven, you take on the role of a mercenary, working to uncover the secrets of the world while battling fierce enemies and navigating complex scenarios.

• Pandemic: In this intense game, you must work to stop the spread of deadly diseases and save the world. As a solo player, you’ll manage multiple roles, each with unique abilities, to develop cures and prevent outbreaks.

• Forbidden Island/Forbidden Desert: These games challenge you to retrieve treasures from a sinking island or a desert before it’s too late. The cooperative gameplay requires careful planning and quick thinking to succeed.

Introduction to Solo Gaming

Solo gaming has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many gamers discovering the joy of playing board games by themselves. Unlike traditional board gaming, solo gaming offers a unique experience that allows players to immerse themselves fully in the game, focusing solely on their own strategy and decision-making. This form of gaming eliminates the need for social interaction or competition, making it a perfect choice for those quiet evenings when you want to unwind and engage your mind.

The world of solo gaming is vast and varied, offering everything from intricate puzzles and strategic challenges to immersive narratives and thematic adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned board gamer or new to the hobby, there’s a solo board game out there that will captivate your interest and provide hours of entertainment. In this section, we’ll explore the benefits of solo gaming and introduce you to the different types of solo board games available.

Benefits of Solo Board Games

Solo board games offer a range of benefits that make them an excellent choice for gamers of all types. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Improved Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Solo games require players to think critically and make strategic decisions, which can enhance their problem-solving abilities. Each move must be carefully considered, fostering a deeper level of cognitive engagement.

• Increased Focus and Concentration: Playing solo allows you to concentrate fully on the game without distractions or interruptions. This heightened focus can lead to a more immersive and satisfying gaming experience.

• Enhanced Creativity and Imagination: Many solo games feature rich narratives and imaginative scenarios, encouraging players to explore different storylines and outcomes. This can inspire creativity and provide a mental escape from everyday life.

• Relaxation and Stress Relief: Solo gaming can be a great way to unwind and relax. The act of playing a game can be soothing and provide a sense of accomplishment, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.

• Improved Time Management and Organization: Solo games often require players to manage their time and resources effectively. This can help improve organizational skills and teach valuable lessons in planning and prioritization.

Whether you’re looking to sharpen your mind, relax after a long day, or simply enjoy some quality alone time, solo board games offer a wealth of benefits that make them a worthwhile addition to any gamer’s collection.

Competitive Solo Games

Competitive solo games pit you against a fictional opponent or a timer, challenging you to achieve a specific goal. These games often feature a strong competitive element and require players to make strategic decisions to outmaneuver their virtual adversaries. The thrill of competition, even against an AI, can be incredibly satisfying and engaging.

• Scythe: Set in an alternate history of the 1920s, Scythe is a game of empire-building and resource management. As a solo player, you’ll compete against an automated opponent to expand your territory, gather resources, and achieve dominance.

• Terraforming Mars: In this game, you take on the role of a corporation working to terraform the planet Mars. Compete against a timer to make the planet habitable, managing resources and developing infrastructure to achieve your goals.

• Azul: Azul challenges you to create the most beautiful mosaic by strategically placing tiles. Compete against a virtual opponent to score the highest points and create stunning patterns.

Story-Driven Games

Story-driven games are a type of solo game that features a strong narrative, requiring players to make strategic decisions to progress through the story. These games often include branching storylines and multiple endings, providing a rich and immersive experience that can be different each time you play.

• T.I.M.E. Stories: Step into the shoes of a temporal agent in this time-traveling adventure game. Your mission is to prevent a catastrophic future by solving puzzles and making critical decisions that impact the storyline.

• The 7th Continent: Explore a mysterious and dangerous continent in this solo adventure game. Uncover secrets, face challenges, and make choices that will determine your fate as you navigate through a richly detailed world.

• Near and Far: Embark on a journey through a fantasy world in this storytelling game. As a hero, you’ll explore new lands, encounter unique characters, and make decisions that shape the narrative and your destiny.

By exploring these different types of solo games, you’ll find a wealth of options to suit your preferences and gaming style. Whether you enjoy cooperative challenges, competitive strategy, or immersive storytelling, there’s a solo board game out there waiting for you to discover.

Mice and Mystics

Age: 7+ (Community 8+) Players: 1-4 Time: 60-90 minutes

For those looking for a thrilling adventure game set in a fantasy world where critters bear anthropomorphic powers, grab a copy of Mice and Mystics. The game sinks 1 to 4 players into a magical realm where you’re loyal to your faithful king. But, of course, you’re not just any subjects, you’re the people who’ve been turned into mice seeking to escape the evil clutches of Vanestra. Your mission: as clever field mice, race through the massive-scale castle, dodging Vanestra’s minions and vile traps ready to capture you by the tail.

Each player takes on the role of a specific cunning mouse, from Prince Collin, master fencer, to wise old Maginos, the burly smith Nez Bellows, or Tilda the healer. Every player is vital to the mission (whether you’re playing as 1 or with 3 others).

You must warn the king of Vanestra’s evil plans and work together (or solo!) to defeat the evil lurking in every castle corridor. Ward off rats, cockroaches, spiders, and, worst of all, the castle cat, Brodie.

The interactive, ever-changing game provides plenty of varied storylines and loads of replayability as the base game. But if you’re looking for even more 1 player fun, consider adding expansions along the way, as well: Cat’s Cradle, Heart of Glorm, The Ghost of Castle Andon, Downwood Tales, or the Portents of Importance.

Paperback Adventures

Age: 14+ Players: 1-2 Time: 50-150 minutes

Technically, Paperback Adventures can be played by 1 or 2 people (I mean, why not have options?), but it’s been ranked as one of the absolute best solo board games of all time. In the book-themed adventure, Paige Turner, our main character and heroine, returns for new thrills in a wild brainstorming session. She’s out to craft the perfect pulp novel and you’re going to help her get there with deck-building wordplay.

In the game, you’ll build a deck of cards throughout the play, each with letters that help you spell out words at every turn. But instead of just testing your writing skills, you’re testing your wits against the odds (or maybe another player) to defeat a series of AI enemies.

The game was specifically crafted as a solo game, designed for nearly unlimited replayability, with variants added on for an extra player when the need arises. It should be noted that you’ll need a character box to finish out this core box – whether Ex Machina, Plothook, or Damsel.

Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island

Age: 14+ (Community 12+) Players: 1-4 Time: 60-120 minutes

What greater solo story could you ever retell than that of Robinson Crusoe, the ultimate solo act. In Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island, players (whether one, two, three, or four) find themselves on the undiscovered desert island where shipwrecks go to die. But you, the survivors, won’t let that happen to you, too!

Players must build shelters, fight off wild animals, protect themselves from the elements, weather the storms, and find food to survive. All of this means taking advantage of the natural resources on the island and learning how to make weapons, domesticate animals, and hunt or fish. The game mechanics involve strategic decision-making and resource management, adding depth to the survival experience. But you’re in control of the game – you decide which direction to take your character through hard work and intentional strategies.

But it’s not just survival on the minds of those in Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island. This island has a secret and you’ve got to uncover it! Is it a buried treasure? Maybe a deserted village. Is there a volcano ready to erupt? Or a lost treasure trove of food, weapons, and gold? You’ll never know until you embark on a fantastic adventure and find your way home.

Wingspan

Age: 10+ Players: 1-5 Time: 40-70 minutes

Whether you’re in love with the idea of winning your birder’s Big Year or just love beautiful artwork and games themed on nature, you’re bound to love Wingspan, a brilliant example of thematic games that offer rich, immersive experiences. Wingspan is a 1 player board game that has all the makings of an engaging evening on your own.

The game has some of the most gorgeous artwork in the board game world, with over 170 bird illustrations by Natalia Rojas, Ana Maria Martinez, and Beth Sobel. The stunning game works as a solo adventure in creating bird sanctuaries or becomes competitive with medium-weight play. Take on the role of any bird enthusiast, from ornithologists to collectors, or bird watchers and researchers. Then, develop your wildlife preserve with your feathered friends in mind. Every bird of the game sets off a chain of powerful combinations when housed in your habitats – and these habitats focus on several aspects of growth, including food tokens to care for the birds and egg laying to grow populations.

Nusfjord

Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 1-5 Time: 20-100 minutes

Head to Nusfjord for your idyllic getaway in the Lofoten archipelago in northern Norway. You’ll find that after 50 years of tourism, the crowds have fizzled out and the town is more of a nod to the past than a bustling cod fishing village or tourist trap. Now, only 100 people or fewer are around and the icy waters are all your own to explore. You no longer have to pay hefty fees to visit and the cruise ships no longer land. Nusfjord can be played solo, offering a peaceful and strategic experience for individual players.

Now, your goal, as the owner of a major fishing company in the region, is to redevelop the harbor and marina and grow your fleet for remote fishing where few dare venture. You’ve got to give back to the village though, and meet the elders’ demands.

The game ultimately uses a worker placement mechanism, similar to what you’d find in Agricola, and every player starts out with three workers they can place on the board to trigger actions. These actions may involve clearing the forest, constructing buildings, or buying equipment. But you must use your resources (read: money!) wisely, or you won’t succeed.

Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Age: 14+ (Community 12+) Players: 1-4 Time: 45-90 minutes

What better way to spend an evening on your own than by playing Marvel Champions: The Card Game. In the game, you become one of the superheroes of the Marvel universe. You’ll battle as Iron Man or Black Panther, Spiderman or Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, or some other hero and fight off Ultron, Rhino, or another baddie looking to end the world. The game also features a solo mode, allowing players to enjoy the superhero action on their own.

The cooperative Living Card Game – as it’s known – encourages players to manage their hands carefully while dealing out deadly blows to infamous villains. Fight hard, win hard, and enjoy the victory.

Aeon’s End

Age: 14+ (Community 12+) Players: 1-4 Time: 60 minutes

Plunge into the underground city of Gravehold for a 1 player board game experience like none other. Here, you’ll find yourself one of the few survivors of a cataclysmic world and a time when people had to hide away to survive. Those who remain desperately use the energy of the monsters, via repurposed gems, to transform themselves into powerful wielders of magic.

The cooperative game of Aeon’s End allows players to enjoy a solo game or include up to four total players, using deck building, unique game mechanics, and a variable turn order system to keep things interesting with chaotic attacks, unique strategy requirements, and more.

Final Girl: Solo Play

Age: 14+ Players: 1 Time: 20-60 minutes

If you’re up for a creepy evening alone, grab a copy of Final Girl, the best 1 player board game set into the horror movie trope by the same name. The solo-only game puts you, the player, into the shoes of the last woman protagonist to survive the rampage of the slasher – and you want to, no— need to survive. The Core Box of Final Girl needs to be combined with an expansion for a full game – one of the Feature Film Boxes. Together they have everything you need for a scary adventure late into the night. (And for the most replayability, grab a few of the Feature Film Boxes.) Each Feature Film Box includes a unique killer, location, and overall experience, so the more of them you’ve got, the more combinations you can create for a horror-filled thrill ride. Final Girl is a must-have for solo gamers who enjoy immersive and challenging experiences.

Some say the game is a bit similar to Hostage Negotiator, but the game has huge differences, including a game board that lets you track locations and character movements. And when you play, you can choose from a range of characters as your Final Girl, unleashing different killers to run from. Every killer also has their own terror cards to shuffle together for added layers of intrigue.

Keep the Heroes Out

Age: 10+ (Community 8+) Players: 1-4 Time: 40 minutes

While you can play Keep the Heroes Out with as many as four players, it comes as one of the top-ranked 1 player board games around. The fantasy-themed game is all about dungeon defense, pitting players as the monsters in charge of keeping the heroes away from the goods. Because, after all, they’re just looters anyway, not really heroes! The game’s design makes it a perfect fit for solo gaming, offering a unique and engaging experience for individual players.

During each turn of play, you’ll draw 5 cards and play them, using these to move, activate actions, move units, attack those so-called heroes, and more. Then, after you play your hand, you’ll draw from the Heroes deck and play their actions. Goals vary, depending on the number of people playing, but ultimately, it’s all about doing your duty as a good, scary monster: Keep the Heroes Out!

Lost Ruins of Arnak

Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 1-4 Time: 30-120 minutes

It’s time to go off on another solo island adventure in Lost Ruins of Arnak, an exciting adventure game that plants players on a deserted island in uncharted waters where few adventurers dare to explore, yet clues lead to a once-great civilization. Your role is to lead an expedition into this great unknown and find lost artifacts and face powerful guardians on your quest.

The game uses worker placement, resource management, and deck-building skills to keep things interesting and ever-challenging. Use your cards wisely to place workers, take actions, and explore – and you’ll find yourself steeped in glory. You may only take one action per turn, though, so choose your actions wisely.

Conclusion

If you’re “stuck” at home some night and know boredom’s headed your way, be sure to grab some copies of these best 1 player board games to break the silence and play board games that offer immersive and engaging experiences. You’ll find yourself exploring fantasy worlds, dark dungeons, far-flung islands, the Marvel universe, books, wildlife sanctuaries, and more. And every one of these games has tons of replayability built right into it, plus many have expansions for deeper cuts and longer plays. You’re bound to bust that boredom and never worry about being home “alone” again.

Frequently Asked Questions