Top 10 Solo Board Games to Start Your Collection
Disclaimer: I bought all games except for one, Siege of Valeria, which was a review copy.
51st State
Aeon’s End War Eternal
Arkham Horror The Card Game
Astro Knights
Bloodborne the Board Game
Bullet
Cascadia
DustRunner
Elder Sign
Empires of the North
Gate
Glass Road
Gloom of Kilforth
Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion
Guild of Merchant Explorers
Horizons of Spirit Island
It’s a Wonderful World
Marvel United
Marvel Zombies Heroes Resistance
Nusfjord
Planet Unknown
Roll Player
Rolling Realms
Rolling Realms Redux
Siege of Valeria
SpaceShipped
Spirit Island
Terraforming Mars
The Pursuit of Happiness
Tin Helm
Warfighter Modern
Welcome to the Moon
Wild Tiled West
Let me know which solo board games you think are best to start a collection. Please like and subscribe to this channel. Thank you for watching Tabletop For One!
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Music by Paul Shapera
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Overview
01:46 Honorable Mention
02:38 #10 Dice-Based Games
03:40 Roll Player
05:10 #9 Lunch Break Games
06:08 DustRunner
07:17 #8 Roll & Write Games
08:08 Super Mega Lucky Box
09:18 #7 Dungeon Crawler Games
10:53 Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion
12:47 #6 Adventure Card Games
13:54 Warfighter Modern
16:48 #5 Resource Management Games
18:38 The Pursuit of Happiness
19:59 #4 Tile Laying Games
21:09 Cascadia
22:00 #3 Boss Battler Games
22:54 Aeon’s End War Eternal
24:27 #2 Engine Building Games
26:39 It’s a Wonderful World
27:45 #1 Crisis Management Games
28:16 Horizons of Spirit Island
31:17 Final Thoughts and Outro
#boardgames #solo #letsplay #sologameplay #tabletopgaming #boardgaming #playingsolo #sologaming #top #review #multiplayer #tutorial #howtoplay #unboxing
Great suggestions. Many thanks.
Thanks for all the recommendations! I have been looking at Spirit Island and Terraforming Mars for some time but have not pulled the trigger due to price. Maybe Horizons is a good option for me. Appreciate the vulnerability talking about Warfighter and your mental health. That topic touches just about everyone.
Great idea to recommend cheap solo board games with different mechanics.
Great video
I wonder, does people who play solo tend to naturally gravitate towards it or is it something one learns to love? I have loads of board games but only one person to play them with. Playing solo would allow me to get games out more often, but somehow it doesn't feel very tempting. Just wondering if it is possible to get more used to the idea.
First time viewer and now subscribed. Don't know how I've missed your videos before but this one popped up to watch while having my breakfast. Great stuff and I'm holding you responsible for pushing me over the edge to buy Wild Tiled West (not that I needed much persuasion 🤣)
My favorite "Lunch Break Game" is Doom Machine. It also fits in a tin. It's a very cool little game where you're trying to inactivate a doomsday machine by dice placement. Every turn the Doom Machine displays a new card, and every turn those cards have actions you're not going to like. You're rolling dice, trying to get rid of those cards before you get overwhelmed. When you defeat a card, you've got 1 more die in your pool so you get better. Hopefully you get better fast enough not to lose. It's quick to play, easy to learn but has enough going for it that it's fun to play again. I carry it in my computer satchel, just in case I have a few minutes
I like that you are up-front about the costs of games, thanks!
Great video, but as a Brit my main take away is holy crap you guys get your games cheap! 🙂 I really like the sound of that Warfighter game, cheapest I can get it in the uk today.. $79 usd. At $45 it's a no brainer, at 80 though…
Good work recommending games you personally don't like but can appreciate are good games that you just don't click with. I know so many people who think a game is bad just because they personally don't like it.
Hey, this is the first video i saw of your channel. I Like your video and your spirit, keep it up 👍✨
You sir, have an excellent radio voice! Have you considered a podcast?
Do I need gloomhaven base game to play jotl?
Stumbled upon this video and your channel, and just wanted ot say that this was great! I thoroughly enjoyed your video and the approach you took. From the various catagories, to the way you approached your recommendations… it was great! Keep up the good work
GRACIAS MUCHAS GRACIAS IM GRACIOUS MY FRIEND GREAT LIST .WAITING FOR MORE . NEEDED ME SOME SOLO … GAMESYOUR LOVE THE VARIETY OF GAMES YOUVE MENTIONED. 👍🏻🫵🏻… 🤜🏽👊🏻🤛🏽. GOOD STUFF “MR. TABLETOP 4️⃣-1️⃣‼️‼️”
I completely agree with everything you said about TM. I thought I was the only one that felt that way!
BTW – get a haircut, hippie! 😂 For real, it'll feel so good. What are you waiting for?
There are only two games here that I liked, I guess our tastes differ a lot 🙂
Here's my items in the same categories:
Tile Laying: Planet Unknown, it's not even close to the second place.
X and Write: If Hadrian's Wall is too complex to start with, I'd say Dinosaur Island Rawr and Write or Demeter.
Dice based: I can't argue with Roll Player, it's great but I will add Vengeance Roll and Fight which is fantastic.
Dungeon Crawler and Boss Fighter: still looking for one I like, to me they are all boring. Nemesis i guess goes into this category and I like it so I'll go with it. (Two handed).
Engine Building: there are many but I'll mention Furnace with the expansion that now has a solo mode. Love this game.
Crisis Management/Coop/Events games: also have not found one I like, I tried Spirit Island and I bounced off of it very hard. I'm sure there's one out there I would like.
First time viewer and wow… Such a high quality list with excellent talking points. Thanks for the recommendations. I may have to go find a copy of Warfighter now!
Ahem. I still think you should shave your head…. 🤗
Pursuit of life is too triggering for me. But thanks so much for the excellent list! So many suggestions that I look forward to trying.
Fantastic list! I have at least 2 games (and many 3) in most of these categories. The only categories I lack in are dungeon crawler, adventure card, and crisis management which are none my favorite genres of games. I do have some that fit the category though. 🙂 And thanks for the heads up about Under Quest, I hadn't seen that mentioned yet.
Just ordered Dust Runner! Looking forward to it
I don't own many games, i play only solο, my favourite games are Arkham horror LCG and Spirit Island. I think i can live with those two.
Amazing video, thank you so much! I especially love that you talk about price and recommend a lot of inexpensive games. And you listed several games that I've never heard of before, so that's very helpful, too.
Great video. I love that you included games that you yourself don’t enjoy but think others wil (e.g., Aeon’s End). Many of these titles I’d not heard of. I also appreciate that you focused on more affordable and approachable titles as many board game reviewers often ignore cost.
That was a great video, so much to love about it: Your natural mix of enthusiasm and nuance, leaving the well-trodden path for hidden gems, highlighting some showcases with visuals and a glimpse of gameplay, casually tipping cthulhu over and over again (not afraid of the elder ones, are you?) but most of all: The structure of the list. I love your categories, and think they should become canon. Starting off with an obvious choice, and bringing a less-well known, the community favourite or finally your own heart's cherished treasure. I also love that you deal with the price point, and how you do it. Subscribed, liked, look forward to more of your content.
Great video dude! Really enjoyed the content and the way it was presented. You have a new subscriber!
I love Roll Player, but did not enjoy the monsters and minions expansion either. Some games you did not mention that I enjoy solo include The Bloody Inn, Cartographers, Paper Tales, Hadrian's Wall and Ganz Schon Clever.
Own Nusfjord and Spirit Island but yet to table it. Will try to get to it soon! Cheers
Thanks so much for making this video. So glad you included more than just 10 games! I would like to suggest another category some might want to consider for solo game play and that is the many escape room games out there like Exit. I love these a lot when playing a solo game.
Thank you Daniel
This is a solid list!
That's a list and half:) ill certainly be checking out a few of your recommendations
Appreciate the focus on cost and categorization! Thanks!
Just do it!!! Get those clippers out (no attachment, lowest setting) and free yourself. You'll feel super clean and look fresh as hell.
Great list! But with Gloomhaven JotL, a used copy would have stickers all over the map. Wouldn't they need to buy the extra map/decal set?
Awesome vid! Was planning on getting Under Falling Skies as a dice driven game, but your take on Roll Player has got me thinking. Your thoughts? I lean more towards the Sci fi theme, but would you say Roll Player is that much better to get that 1st?
Was glad to see Horizons of SI listed on your list as I recently got that
And your play through video was super helpful and appreciated! Currently looking for videos on basic strategy on how to play defensive versus offensive players (I'm a slow learner on my own🤣), so play thrus like yours are very helpful.
Great list!
Thx for this video – and especially for the recommondation of warfighter – sounds interesting 🙂 is there any other games similar felling in play ? Will check this out 🙂 THX again and happy gaming 🙂
Glad to see Spaceshipped getting some love. One of my favorite Button Shy games.
Great topic! I love the recommendations for budget-friendly, small version, and lunch break games.
Fun video and sone great games. I would add a couple of space-themed games to your list: Under Falling Skies and Warp’s Edge!
We just received Pursuit of Happiness. We will be playing this one two player. It's a wonderful world is a fantastic game. I'm currently playing 51st states Ultimate Edition. This version was so much cheaper in comparison to Masters plus the new solo mode. I am enjoying it but does not beat out IAWW. Horizons spirit Island didn't hit the mark for us. Don't know just didn't enjoy that much. I would definitely recommend this version to see if you like. I haven't tried Warfighter as I heard from multiple people the rules are bad, watch the playthrough. So I avoided this series. Great list. Thanks as always. Have a great day!
One of the best channels on YouTube! 🥰 Love all of your videos!! Thank you so much!
You're killing it, my dude. You and Sir Thecos (highly recommend) are my favorite game YouTubers. Great content from great people. ❤
Great list! I love both Role Player and Pursuit of Happiness.
What a great name for a YouTube channel ❤
Hi, i'm from Brazil and we don't have all the games that you mention here to buy. I use to play boardgames solo too, and recently i'm playing Under The Falling Skies, Arkham Horror 3ed, Everdell, Wingspan, Verdant, Roll Player, Keep the Heroes Out, This War of Mine and Robinson Crusoe.
Congratulations for your channel and a shout from Brazil
There were a few here I had not heard of – and what a great variety of games and list! Really enjoy all the video's and tutorials. For those that love puzzle games I recommend Dragon Castle. Tile laying Dorf Romantik. Both of these are one's I enjoy a ton. I enjoy Skulls of Sedlec and Food Chain Island from Button Shy a great deal – and those are so easy to travel with too!
Awesome video, as always. Your hair is awesome! AND it grows back!
Great Video as always. A new solo game that will fulfill soon is 20 Strong by Chip Theory Games. Have you seen that one? 😅
Great list but I'm still struggling to get Spirit Island to work for me. Had a really bad first play and been trying to convince myself to dive back in. Definitely a few games I was unfamiliar with or had limited knowledge of that I might need to look at a bit deeper when finances clear up. Thanks again for all your great content!
Great video as usual bro!! Well done on every level.