Top Solo Board Games to Enjoy Alone in 2025

Most of us know that playing board games with friends and family is a wonderful way to spend your free time. But what about when you find yourself alone and seeking a way to pass the time? It's not as strange as it might sound; many modern board games are designed with solo play in mind or include engaging single-player modes. Whether you're into strategy, roll-and-write games, or anything in between, there's a wealth of options available for solo play. Below, we'll explore some of the best board games that you can enjoy alone, providing you with a relaxing yet mentally stimulating pastime.

TL;DR: These are the Best Solo Board Games

### War Story: Occupied France

0See it at Amazon### Invincible: The Hero-Building Game

0See it at Amazon### Legacy of Yu

0See it at Amazon### Final Girl

0See it at Amazon### Dune Imperium

0See it at Amazon### Hadrian's Wall

0See it at Amazon### Imperium: Horizons

0See it at Amazon### Frosthaven

0See it at Amazon### Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition

0See it at Amazon### Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective

0See it at Amazon### Under Falling Skies

0See it at Amazon### Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island

0See it at Amazon### Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game

0See it at Amazon### Cascadia

0See it at Walmart### Terraforming Mars

0See it at Amazon### Spirit Island

0See it at AmazonEditor's Note: Although every board game on this list can be played alone, most of them can also be enjoyed with up to four players. The exception is Final Girl, designed exclusively for solo play.

War Story: Occupied France

### War Story: Occupied France

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-6Play Time: 45-60 minsWar Story: Occupied France blends a choose-your-own-adventure narrative with tactical wargaming. You take charge of a team of secret agents operating behind enemy lines during World War 2. The game guides you through compelling text passages, where you make crucial choices that impact the storyline. Simultaneously, these decisions translate onto miniature maps where your team can set up ambushes against superior enemy forces. With its intricate decision trees and replayable scenarios, you can link them into a campaign for an ultimate solo challenge. While it supports up to six cooperative players, the solo experience intensifies the command burden, making it a standout choice for lone players.

Invincible: The Hero-Building Game

### Invincible: The Hero-Building Game

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 45-90 minsInspired by the popular comic book and animated TV series, Invincible: The Hero-Building Game offers a fresh take on superheroism with its gritty, perilous setting. You guide young heroes learning to harness their powers, searching your hand for power combinations to enhance your protégés while balancing the need to combat villains and rescue civilians. Each scenario ties into major storylines from the TV show, allowing fans to relive their favorite episodes. The game can be played as a standalone session or as part of a larger campaign, offering depth and variety for solo players.

Legacy of Yu

### Legacy of Yu

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60 minsLegacy of Yu transports you to ancient China, where you play as Yu the Great, combating barbarian threats and preventing floods. This game masterfully combines resource management and worker placement with narrative-driven military elements. You build canals to manage the river's flow while defending against barbarian incursions. Despite its unique blend of mechanics, Legacy of Yu delivers a rich strategic experience, infused with historical flavor and moral dilemmas, making it an excellent choice for solo players.

Final Girl

### Final Girl

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1Play Time: 20-60 minsFinal Girl excels in the horror genre, perfect for solo play. In this modular game, you embody the survivor at the end of a horror tale, managing time allocations between actions, playing cards, and acquiring new ones. This dynamic creates tension and strategic depth. To play, you need the core box and a Film Box, which features scenarios inspired by classic horror films. Whether you're confronting your worst fears or enjoying your favorite flicks, Final Girl delivers a thrilling, narrative-rich experience designed solely for solo play.

Dune: Imperium

### Dune Imperium

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60-120 minsDune: Imperium, known for its strategic depth, includes an automated opponent, House Hagal, making it surprisingly enjoyable for solo play. While it shines with multiple players, the solo mode pits you against two versions of House Hagal, offering varying difficulty levels. This setup allows you to experience the game's excellent mechanics and strategic challenges without needing additional players, providing a satisfying experience beyond just aiming for a high score.

Hadrian’s Wall

### Hadrian's Wall

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1-6Play Time: 60 minsHadrian's Wall, a flip-and-write game, has you as a Roman general managing resources to fortify defenses against Pictish invasions. Its solo-friendly nature is enhanced by a downloadable campaign, offering dynamic gameplay. You'll construct walls and fortresses, engage in strategic resource management, and enjoy the game's historical depth, making it a standout choice for solo players seeking a rich, engaging experience.

Imperium: Horizons

### Imperium: Horizons

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 40 mins/playerImperium: Horizons brings the deck-building mechanic to civilization-building games, making it well-suited for solo play. Each civilization starts with a unique deck and set of cards to add as the game progresses. You must navigate complex mechanisms, including trading and economics, to build your civilization while avoiding collapse. With fourteen civilizations, each requiring a unique strategic approach, Imperium: Horizons offers immense replay value and depth for solo players.

Frosthaven / Gloomhaven

### Frosthaven

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60-120 minsFrosthaven, a legacy-style game, invites you on a grand fantasy adventure filled with dungeons and monsters. You guide an adventurer through tactical, card-driven combat, where each decision carries weight due to the possibility of permanently losing cards. The persistent world ensures a unique experience with each playthrough. For those who find its scale daunting, consider the more accessible yet still excellent Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion.

Mage Knight

### Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-5Play Time: 60+ minsMage Knight has become synonymous with solo gaming since its 2011 release. This fantasy epic from Vlaada Chvátil is designed for 1-4 players but excels in solitary play. You'll fight monsters, upgrade your character, and explore a fantasy world, all within a game that can last over three hours. Each turn presents a puzzle-like series of actions, making Mage Knight a deep and rewarding solo experience.

Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective

### Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-8Play Time: 90 minsStep into the shoes of literature's greatest detective with Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective. This game offers a mystery-solving experience with scenarios and props that enhance immersion. You'll navigate a map of London, consult an address directory, and read newspapers to uncover clues and interview suspects. The game challenges you to live up to Holmes' reputation, making it a thrilling solo adventure.

Under Falling Skies

### Under Falling Skies

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1+Play Time: 20-40 minsUnder Falling Skies is a solo-only game inspired by Space Invaders. You defend your base from descending alien ships, balancing dice rolls between shooting, building, and researching a final solution. The game's mechanic, where higher dice rolls accelerate the alien descent, adds strategic depth. With various scenarios and campaign options, Under Falling Skies offers a simple yet engaging solo experience.

Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island

### Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 90-180 minsRobinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island challenges you as a shipwreck survivor on a hostile island. You'll scavenge for food, build shelters, and explore dangerous locations. The solo variant allows you to control multiple characters, adding complexity and depth. With ample iconography and multiple expansions, Robinson Crusoe offers a rewarding adventure that invites repeated exploration.

Dinosaur Island: Rawr N’ Write

### Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 10+Players: 1-4Play Time: 30-45 minsDinosaur Island: Rawr N’ Write offers a more complex roll-and-write experience perfect for solo play. You manage resources to build and operate a Jurassic World-style theme park, drawing buildings on a grid and managing tours. Balancing security to prevent dinosaur escapes adds tension and strategic depth, making it a satisfying solo game.

Arkham Horror: the Card Game

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 60-120 minsArkham Horror: The Card Game offers a tense and immersive solo experience as you confront eldritch horrors. The base game includes scenarios that plunge you into cosmic mysteries, where you build decks and navigate locations to gather clues and advance the story. The game's campaign system, where damage and weaknesses carry over, adds thematic depth, making it one of the best horror board games for solo play.

Cascadia

### Cascadia

0See it at WalmartAge Range: 10+Players: 1-4Play Time: 30-45 minsCascadia, a top family board game, also offers a compelling solo experience. You build a nature reserve by selecting terrain tiles and animal tokens to meet scoring patterns. The game's solo mode includes a list of achievements with varied setups and challenges, providing a satisfying and diverse solo experience.

Terraforming Mars

### Terraforming Mars

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 12+Players: 1-5Play Time: 120 minsTerraforming Mars challenges you to make Mars habitable through resource management and tableau building. As a mega-corporation, you'll increase oxygen levels, raise temperatures, and create oceans. In solo play, you race against time to optimize the end-game parameters. With expansion scenarios available, Terraforming Mars offers a deep, rewarding solo experience for those who enjoy optimization puzzles.

Spirit Island

### Spirit Island

0See it at AmazonAge Range: 14+Players: 1-4Play Time: 90-120 minsSpirit Island, a cooperative game, translates well to solo play. You control island spirits to protect your land from colonizers, using power cards to destroy settlements and heal the land. The game's strong theme and combo-heavy gameplay make it a robust and ideal solo experience.

Solo Board Game FAQs

Is it weird to play board games alone?

Not at all! Solo board gaming has a rich history, with evidence dating back to the 17th century. Just like playing video games alone, enjoying a board game by yourself is a common and enjoyable way to engage with challenges and improve your skills. The tactile and visual pleasures of board games make them no more peculiar than doing a jigsaw puzzle alone.