Unwind and engage your mind with the best solo board games. Many modern board games offer engaging single-player modes or are designed specifically for solo play, providing a fantastic way to spend your downtime. From strategic challenges to relaxing roll-and-writes, there's a solo board game for everyone. Below, we highlight some top contenders, perfect for relaxation and mental stimulation.
TL;DR: The Best Solo Board Games
### War Story: Occupied France
### Invincible: The Hero-Building Game
### Legacy of Yu
### Final Girl
### Dune Imperium
### Hadrian's Wall
### Imperium: Horizons
### Frosthaven
### Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
### Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
### Under Falling Skies
### Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
### Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
### Arkham Horror: The Card Game
### Cascadia
### Terraforming Mars
### Spirit Island
**Editor's Note:** While all games listed are playable solo, most support multiplayer (up to four players, generally). *Final Girl* is the exception, designed exclusively for single-player gameplay.
War Story: Occupied France
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-6
**Play Time:** 45-60 mins
A unique blend of "choose your own adventure" and tactical wargame, *War Story: Occupied France* places you in command of secret agents during WWII. Navigate a compelling narrative through text choices, while simultaneously executing tactical maneuvers on miniature maps. The branching narrative and strategic depth provide significant replayability, especially in solo mode, enhancing the weight of command.
Invincible: The Hero-Building Game
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 45-90 mins
Based on the popular comic and animated series, this game offers a unique take on superheroism. Guide young heroes, balancing power upgrades with the urgent need to fight villains and save civilians. Each scenario connects to a major storyline, allowing for replayability and a full campaign experience.
Legacy of Yu
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 12+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 60 mins
Journey to mythical China as Yu the Great, managing resources and battling barbarian tribes to save the kingdom from flooding. This game cleverly combines resource management, worker placement, narrative elements, and military strategy for a unique and engaging experience.
Final Girl
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1
**Play Time:** 20-60 mins
A solo-only horror game offering a thrilling and unsettling experience. Manage actions, cards, and resource allocation to survive terrifying scenarios based on classic horror movies. Multiple expansions provide diverse and replayable challenges.
Dune: Imperium
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 60-120 mins
While best enjoyed with multiple players, *Dune: Imperium* includes an automated opponent ("House Hagal") for a satisfying solo experience. Challenge yourself against varying difficulty levels, experiencing the strategic depth without needing other players.
Hadrian’s Wall
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 12+
**Players:** 1-6
**Play Time:** 60 mins
A flip-and-write game where players manage resources to build walls and repel invasions in Roman Britain. The downloadable campaign enhances the solo experience, offering a dynamic and strategic challenge.
Imperium: Horizons
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 40 mins/player
A civilization-building game featuring deck-building mechanics. Choose a civilization with a unique starting deck and strategically build your empire, managing resources and avoiding revolt. Fourteen civilizations offer extensive replayability.
Frosthaven
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 60-120 mins
A large-scale legacy game offering a grand fantasy adventure. Guide an adventurer through a sprawling world, engaging in card-driven tactical combat with lasting consequences.
Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-5
**Play Time:** 60+ mins
A sprawling fantasy epic known for its excellent solo experience. Fight monsters, upgrade your character, and explore a vast fantasy setting in a challenging and rewarding solo campaign.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-8
**Play Time:** 90 mins
Become the great detective himself, solving mysteries using provided materials like maps and newspapers. The game offers a challenging and immersive experience, requiring careful deduction and investigation.
Under Falling Skies
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 12+
**Players:** 1+
**Play Time:** 20-40 mins
A solo-focused game where you defend your base against descending alien ships. Manage dice allocation strategically to balance shooting, building, and research, creating a tense and engaging experience.
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 90-180 mins
Survive as a castaway on a hostile island. Scavenge for resources, build shelter, and explore dangerous locations. The solo variant allows for playing multiple characters simultaneously.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr N’ Write
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 10+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 30-45 mins
A roll-and-write game where you manage resources to build and run a dinosaur theme park. Balance resource allocation carefully to maximize profits and avoid disasters.
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 60-120 mins
A tense and thematic card game where you face eldritch horrors. Investigate mysteries, gather clues, and battle terrifying creatures in a challenging and atmospheric solo experience.
Cascadia
See it at Walmart
**Age Range:** 10+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 30-45 mins
A tile-laying game where you build a nature reserve. The included achievements offer varied challenges and replayability, making it a great solo game.
Terraforming Mars
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 12+
**Players:** 1-5
**Play Time:** 120 mins
A complex Euro-style game where you terraform Mars. Manage resources and build a powerful corporation to maximize your impact on the red planet.
Spirit Island
See it at Amazon
**Age Range:** 14+
**Players:** 1-4
**Play Time:** 90-120 mins
A cooperative game where you protect your island from colonizers. Control powerful spirits and utilize their abilities to repel invaders and preserve your land. Excels as a solo experience.
Is it weird to play board games alone?
Absolutely not! Solo gaming has a rich history, dating back centuries. The enjoyment comes from the challenge, the strategic thinking, and the tactile experience. It's no different than enjoying a puzzle or a single-player video game.
