Top 10 Solo Board Games
Today on this Top 10 we talk about our favorite games to play 1 player! Solo gaming has become such a big part of gaming and we think that’s awesome! Down in the comments let us know what some of our favorite solo games are!
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Thanks, guys! I am buying a solo board game for a family member and needed some ideas. Debating one of these or Dorf Romantic.
I have never been able to find a copy of Ex Libris, im from UK and just cant get it 🤷 been trying for 8 months, Fan Boy 3 is my local shop in Manchester but no luck yet
It's so interesting about Ark Nova. I always use it as an example of my least favorite kind of solo mode, one that changes the nature of the game itself. I so dislike that its on a timer compared to multiplayer or ARNO Ark Nova letting you just play the game as you normally would. Especially for Ark Nova being a fairly big box game, I want to leave that bad boy on the table for a while, not only play a set number of turns.
But you see it both ways!
Nemo's War is one game I keep returning to. I also like Hadrian's Wall and Imperium: Classics. And I totally agree on Arnak: I freaking love that game.
l'll have to check out your next 10 on your Patreon, but here are a few of my favs that you didn't mention. Aeons End/Marvel Champions/Warp's Edges boss/minion battle games are great solo. Take your pick of David Thompson's Undaunted w/Reinforcements, Undaunted: Stalingrad and Pavlov's House have a complex solo mode, but once you get the hang of the cascading action selection system are brilliant. Under Falling Skies is Tetris the board game with an interesting dice action selection mechanism. I really need to pull Anachrony off the shelf for some solo play. And almost all of my favorite Euro games have a solo mode: GWT, Boon Lake, Viticulture, Teotihuacan…
Legacy of Yu was my first kickstarter ive ever had delivered and it is amazing so far. Pretty challenging when you start out too
My favorite solo ones are: Lost Ruins of Arnak, Star Wars: Outer Rim, The Witcher: Old World, Unbroken, Everdell, Tapestry, Journeys in Middle Earth, Scythe and Terraforming Mars.
My Ark Nova Solo-variant:
Play 5 turns – ☕️ – 5 turns – ☕️ – 5 – ☕️ – 5 – ☕️ – 5 – ☕️ – 2 turns.
This has the same amount of turns, 27. In the normal solo, I hate you have to wait so long for the first break (which imo is way too long comparing to multiplayer), and you're not constantly on break in the last few rounds. This way it's more in balance.
Siege of Valeria is my current favorite solo game. Quick to setup/takedown, some meaty decisions, but still quick to play, and doesn't take up a ton of space.
When Feast for Odin turned up second I was hooked to see what number one would be.
I received my copy of The Witcher Old World and was thinging it would be number one. I have played this several times and love the solo mode.
I have Legacy of Yu and cant argue with it being number one on your list. It is a very solid game.
Take care
Yay! I was waiting for this! Thanks❤
When Nick says, "Co-op," it sounds to me like a native Bostonian saying, "cop." (Said w/ love…I just thought it was funny)
Solo mode in Scythe helped me up my game. Love soloing Paladins Of the West Kingdom (with expansion) and Wayfarers
Love what you guys do. I just ordered Turing Machine after hearing you guys talk about it for the umpteenth time. Also finally ordered Brass Birmingham since it's been a 10/10 for me for years.
Deep Space D6 is my go-to solo. It's a simple and quick dice chucker trying to get through waves of enemy space ships.
I've only played one episode of Final Girl, and that's moving up the list for me. I also enjoy "It's a Wonderful World " solo, which is an interesting way to search the decks, and the theme actually shines. Legacy of Yu tops the list. But, I decided to try the sandbox approach and have been playing 7th continent recently. And for the first time, I feel I might be brave enough for Mage Knight. Am I going solo crazy or what? Thought I'd never like it.
I really dig Ark Nova solo and it certainly helps that the setup is pretty quick. I'd play Endless Winter more solo if the setup didn't take just as long as the actual game.
I also think Dune: Imperium is quite good solo.
Should've seen that coming from a couple of Garpheads.
Under Falling Skies!
Great picks! The ones that I'd add to the list are Spirit Island and Obsession 😊
I love Robinson Crusoe, and a very subtle but fun solo variant is for Boon Lake
TGIF…but Friday the game is another story. I’m definitely putting it on my resume if I ever win.
No Mage Knight feels like a literal war crime.
Final girl, legacy of Yu and ark nova are probably my top 3.
If you can ever get your hands on some of the solo-only games by Alone Editions (Way of the Samurai, The Road, Colossus, The Spirit of Eden) do it. They are primarily Kickstarter only, but worth hunting down. Tiny footprint games that offer a ton of theme, great immersion, a good challenge, and solid replay value. As I wean myself away from Kickstarter altogether, Alone Editions will continue to be an insta-back for me. His games are fully designed and ready for print before even beginning a KS campaign. Once finished, they are off to the printer and shipping to backers within a couple of months. A welcome change of pace from so many other games that I've backed that go into development limbo for years.
Orléeeeeeeeeeeeenzzzz…..❤❤❤
Its a bit of a heavier game, but I absolutely love Imperium: Classics/Legends as a solo game. Campaign is great but also can play it without and the Bot is simple to run. Just have to get past the vagueness/not so great rulebook
I like Ex Libris but I agree, the print is tiny. So I photocopied all the location texts and made little cards for all the players so they can have them in front of them during play. Makes it so much easier and much more enjoyable! Now I will have to check out the solo mode! Love your videos!
Great list, always enjoy watching your content. You guys are my wife and my favorite content creators. There's a few on here I've really been wanting to try such as Orleans invasion, Ex libris, and Burncycle. Ark Nova and Feast are so good, love those games. I think Ark Nova will be even better with the expansion, that will help cycle cards from the display. Hope it works well with solo.
I just played Feast for the first time last night multiplayer and now cannot wait to play solo
Nemo's War technically is a solo only for me anyway and is great with all the different motives you can play for Nemo.🙂 Fields of Arle and Coffee Roaster are also a solos for me.
Legacy of Yu is so fun! And hard…I think I'm 2-4 currently. Nemo's War is great but a much bigger game. Just tried Fields of Arle and loved it. Have you tried For Northwood? Unique solo trick taking game.
Loved the video, I need to do more solo gaming… Eventually I'll get Turing Machine and that'll help.
Unrelated, but when is the shelf roast video coming? It's been a long while, so I understand if it's been scrapped. 😊
Marvel Legendary is my solo of choice at the moment
The 5th player expansion to Orleans also has a solo scenario. It's also tough.
Totally agree that Turing Machine is a really fun solo experience. For the parents out there, it's also fun to play solo mode as a coop with your kids and work out the solution together.
Turing machine for sure made my solo list
One of my proudest boardgaming achievements is winning friday on the hardest difficulty. I got lucky and it was some of the easiest pirates but a win is a win!!!
Some of my fav solo plays- Arnak, Ark Nova, Legacy Of Yu (even though I keep losing!), Fantastic Factories and Le Havre. I often play solo to learn a game and then I can teach it to my family.
Solo games I enjoy: Under Falling Skies, Warp's Edge, Final Girl. When I have less time, I play Welcome To and Next Station: London
Great video! I love Turing Machine solo, and I REALLY want to try Legacy of Yu. My favorite solo game, by far, is Final Girl, and I also really love Under Falling Skies, and the solo mode of Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest.
Marvel Champions is a great game to play solo.
I bought Turing Machine because Mike made it sound so much fun… Guess what?… He was right!… Daily challenge: yes please!
Also bought The Search for Planet X… it's definitely more crunchy but absolutely love it… the bot always beats me though 😂
Great list. I have played most of the games you mentioned. I also like Resist!, Warp's Edge and Under falling skies.
Final girl is a fit with me for the theme and the gameplay. I love sprawlopolis and Onirim as little quick solo games too. I wanna try Legacy of Yu and Falling sky next!
Final Girl is oh so good
This whole time I'm like man, I can't believe they haven't mentioned Legacy of Yu yet! lol!!!! There it is! #1. Couldn't agree more, it's SO refreshing to play a solo game that we don't have to play against an AI! Brilliant. That storybook is rich too! You have your heart strings pulled. It's great!
Yes! Legacy of Yu takes the #1 spot! Good choice! Amazing!
Love me some Friday, good to see it getting some love. It's like gaming comfort food for me, it's got such a satisfying arc with a simple ruleset and some cards.
My favourite Solo games currently are:
DUNE IMPERIUM
A FEAST FOR ODIN
TAPESTRY
&
DWELLINGS OF ELVERDALE
Bloody Inn is a top solo for me. The minimal setup is great too.