The Rise of Solo Board Gaming: 7 Games You Can Play by Yourself

In a world where online multiplayer gaming dominates, there’s a quiet resurgence of a seemingly antiquated hobby: solo board gaming.

And no, we’re not talking about the lonely experience of playing Monopoly by yourself. Today’s solo board games are intricate, engaging, and designed specifically for the single player in mind.

As lives get busier and adult responsibilities multiply, setting aside time to meet friends or family for board game nights can be a challenge.

Solo board gaming provides a refreshing opportunity to unplug, immerse oneself in a tactile and strategic experience, and escape into a narrative or puzzle for a while.

Why Solo Board Gaming is Gaining Popularity

1. Self-Paced Play: There’s no waiting for others to make their move. Players can think through their actions without the pressure of time.

2. Flexibility: It’s much easier to align with one schedule than multiple. If you’ve got a free hour, you can play.

3. Depth and Challenge: Many solo games offer deep narratives or intricate puzzles that can be deeply rewarding.

4. Therapeutic Benefits: Immersion in solo gameplay can be a form of meditation, allowing players to focus, relax, and reduce stress.

7 Must-Try Solo Board Games

1. “Friday”

A Deep Dive into Survival and Strategy

“Friday” is a solo deck-building game designed by Friedemann Friese.

Set against the backdrop of the classic tale of Robinson Crusoe, players are thrust into a scenario where they’re stranded on a deserted island.

With limited resources and an ever-present threat from various challenges, including the looming presence of pirates, the objective is clear: survive and escape.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Deck Building: As with most deck-building games, players start with a basic set of cards. As the game progresses, they’ll acquire new, more powerful cards to bolster their chances of survival, while trying to remove less effective cards from their deck.
• Life Points: Robinson starts with a set number of life points. These can be lost through various challenges but can also be regained. If you run out, it’s game over.
• Phases of the Game: The game consists of different phases marked by increasing difficulty. Robinson will face more challenging hazards as he prepares to confront the pirates in the game’s climax.
• Learning Curve: The game has a unique mechanism where failures can make Robinson better. When he loses against a challenge, that card can be acquired, flipped, and added to the deck, making him stronger for future rounds.

Why It Stands Out:
“Friday” isn’t just a game of luck; it requires careful strategy.

Deciding when to face a challenge, when to forfeit life points to enhance the deck, and when to confront the pirates are critical decisions that can make or break your game.

The game also offers replay value, as no two games are the same, thanks to its deck-building nature.

2. “Onirim”

Venturing into the Dream Labyrinth

Overview:
“Onirim” is a card game designed by Shadi Torbey, offering players a unique journey into a dream realm.

You are a Dreamwalker, lost in a mysterious labyrinth, and you must discover the eight oneiric doors before your dreamtime runs out or remain trapped forever.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Card Types: The main deck consists of three types of cards: location cards, door cards, and nightmare cards. Location cards are used to form sets to unlock the doors, while nightmare cards throw a wrench in your plans.
• Unlocking Doors: To unlock a door, players need to play three location cards of the same color in a row. Alternatively, if you draw a door card and have the corresponding key card in hand, the door is automatically unlocked.
• Navigating Nightmares: Nightmare cards disrupt your progress. When drawn, players must choose to discard a key card, lose the next five cards from the deck, discard an unlocked door, or start the process of unlocking a door again.
• Expansions: The base game includes several expansions that introduce new cards and mechanics, making the game even more challenging and engaging.

Why It Stands Out:
“Onirim” is as much about chance as it is about strategy. It’s a game of risk assessment, deciding when to play certain cards or hold onto keys for future doors.

The dreamy artwork and theme make it an atmospheric experience, and the challenge of navigating the labyrinth under the pressure of dwindling cards keeps players on their toes. The expansions add layers of complexity, ensuring that even seasoned players find new challenges.

3. “Mage Knight”

Embarking on an Epic Quest of Magic and Might

Designed by Vlaada Chvátil, “Mage Knight” is a game of epic proportions, casting players as Mage Knights from the powerful Void Council.

Sent to a foreign land, the goal is to conquer and establish a stronghold in the name of the mysterious Council. The game beautifully fuses deck-building, board exploration, and role-playing elements.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Deck Building: Each Mage Knight starts with a unique set of cards that define their abilities. As players progress, they acquire new and more powerful cards to add to their deck, enhancing their strategies and options.
• Modular Board: The game’s board is constructed from hexagonal tiles, which are drawn and placed as Mage Knights explore, ensuring a different layout in every gameplay.
• Character Progression: Mage Knights gain experience from battles, allowing them to level up and enhance their abilities, garner new skills, or increase their army size.
• Day-Night Cycle: The game operates on a day-night cycle, influencing the gameplay. Some actions and enemies differ based on the time, adding a strategic layer to players’ decisions.
• Multiple Play Modes: “Mage Knight” can be played solo, cooperatively, or competitively, allowing for varied challenges and dynamics.

Why It Stands Out:
The depth and complexity of “Mage Knight” make it a standout. Players need to be strategic about which battles to pick, when to explore, and how to effectively manage their deck of cards.

With its rich lore and multiple scenarios, it offers vast replayability, catering to both solo players and groups seeking a challenging experience.

4. “One Deck Dungeon”

Delve Deep into Danger with Dice in Hand

Created by Chris Cieslik, “One Deck Dungeon” is a compact, yet robust game that captures the essence of a dungeon crawl with just a deck of cards and dice.

Players pick a hero, enter a perilous dungeon, and face whatever lurks in the dark, all while gaining skills and experience.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Hero Selection: Players start by selecting a hero card, each with unique abilities, stats, and starting items.
• Encounter & Combat: The dungeon deck serves multiple functions. Drawn cards might present traps to disarm or foes to battle. Players use their dice, based on their hero’s stats, to resolve these challenges.
• Leveling Up: By overcoming challenges, players earn experience. Accumulating enough allows them to level up, granting increased dice, items, or skills.
• Boss Battle: The dungeon’s final challenge is a formidable boss. Players must be adequately prepared, having honed their skills and stats through prior encounters.
• Time Mechanic: Players must be wary of time. Every turn, time passes, and when the time marker reaches the dungeon’s end, they must face the boss, ready or not.

Why It Stands Out:
“One Deck Dungeon” is lauded for condensing the thrilling essence of a dungeon crawl into a portable, quick-to-play format.

It’s a game of risk management and strategic decision-making, as players must decide when to confront challenges and when to retreat and prepare further.

The game’s versatility, offering solo and co-op modes, adds to its appeal. Plus, its compact nature makes it a perfect travel companion for avid gamers.

5. “Nemo’s War”

Navigating the Depths of Adventure and Intrigue

Inspired by the timeless classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” by Jules Verne, “Nemo’s War” by designer Chris Taylor offers players the helm of the iconic Nautilus.

As Captain Nemo, you navigate geopolitical tensions, explore the wonders of the deep, and face maritime challenges, all while determining your motivations and objectives.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Motivation Setting: Players begin by choosing Nemo’s motivation, which influences objectives, scoring, and gameplay. Options include Science, Exploration, Anti-Imperialism, or War.
• Adventure and Event Cards: Drawing these cards can lead to challenges, discoveries, or even confrontations with ships. Their outcomes can impact the Nautilus’s resources, crew, or Nemo’s sanity.
• Ship Combat: Engage in battles with various vessels. Using dice and strategy, players must decide when to attack, evade, or approach with caution.
• Upgrades and Repairs: Harvest resources from the sea or from sunken ships to maintain the Nautilus’s health and upgrade its capabilities.
• Victory Points and Endgame: Depending on Nemo’s motivation and actions taken during the game, victory points determine the game’s outcome and narrative conclusion.

Why It Stands Out:
“Nemo’s War” is a richly thematic experience. Its integration of story elements from Verne’s novel and the strategic depth it offers make it a standout for solo players.

The beautifully illustrated components, coupled with the ability to influence the storyline, create a replayable and immersive undersea adventure.

6. “The 7th Continent”

Charting Unknown Territories and Untold Stories

Designed by Ludovic Roudy and Bruno Sautter, “The 7th Continent” is a monumental exploration and survival game.

Set in the early 20th century, players embark on expeditions to a newly-discovered continent, facing the unexpected and dealing with a looming curse.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Choose Your Path: The game uses a unique “choose-your-own-adventure” system. Players decide where to go, which challenges to face, and how to approach mysteries.
• Card-Driven Mechanism: Gameplay revolves around a massive deck of cards. They depict parts of the continent, items, allies, challenges, and more. As players explore, they add and remove cards, shaping their journey.
• Skill Tests and Challenges: Whether it’s hunting for food, crafting tools, or facing wildlife, players will encounter various challenges, relying on skills, tools, and sometimes luck to overcome them.
• The Curse: The overarching objective is to unravel and lift the curse afflicting the adventurers. This primary mission drives the narrative and exploration.
• Save System: Given its lengthy gameplay, “The 7th Continent” features a unique save system, allowing players to pause their adventure and resume later without starting over.

Why It Stands Out:
“The 7th Continent” breaks the mold of traditional board games with its expansive narrative, immense replayability, and the sheer scale of exploration it offers.

Its emphasis on storytelling and decision-making provides a cinematic experience, ensuring that no two games are alike.

The meticulous attention to detail, from artwork to game mechanics, ensures players are thoroughly engrossed in their quest to uncover the continent’s secrets.

7. “Spirit Island”

Defending the Heartbeat of Nature

“Spirit Island,” masterfully designed by R. Eric Reuss, flips the script on traditional colonization games. Instead of being the invaders, players are powerful spirits of nature, fervently working to repel colonizers threatening to overrun and exploit the island.

This game offers a deep strategic experience, combining area control, card play, and cooperative elements into a captivating challenge.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Distinct Spirits: Each player chooses a spirit, each with its unique powers, strengths, and playstyle. From lightning’s swift wrath to the slow growth of the jungle, spirits bring diverse abilities to the table.
• Power Cards: As spirits grow in might, they gain access to power cards. These cards allow spirits to take a myriad of actions, from damaging invaders to influencing the land or aiding other spirits.
• Invader Actions: The invaders operate predictably, exploring, building, and ravaging the land in cycles. Anticipating and countering these actions is pivotal to success.
• Fear Mechanism: As spirits fend off invaders, they induce fear. Generating enough fear can lead to victory, as the invaders become too terrified to continue their colonization.
• Scalable Difficulty: “Spirit Island” offers adjustable difficulty, with different adversaries and scenarios providing varied challenges, ensuring each game feels fresh and engaging.

Why It Stands Out:
What sets “Spirit Island” apart is its refreshing theme and intricate gameplay.

The game actively promotes collaboration, even in solo mode, as players must strategize the best way to use their spirit’s powers in tandem with the island’s natural forces.

Its thematic depth, coupled with its strategic richness, allows players to deeply immerse themselves in the narrative of defending their homeland.

The game also subtly touches on themes of colonialism and environmental protection, making it not just an entertaining experience, but a thought-provoking one as well.

Personalized Board Adventures

Solo board gaming has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of the modern gaming landscape.

Far from being a mere alternative when gaming partners are scarce, it offers an intricately designed, rewarding experience that caters to introspection, strategy, and personal achievement.

From navigating the vast seas in Nemo’s world to defending the mystical terrains of Spirit Island, each game invites players to be not just participants but the main protagonists of unfolding tales.

Whether you’re a seasoned gamer familiar with every twist and turn or someone new looking for an immersive escape, solo board gaming promises a vast array of adventures, tailor-made for individual exploration.

Set your board, gather your resolve, and embark on your next gaming odyssey.