Most of you will think that playing board games is a group activity, but there are plenty of games that can be enjoyed solitaire too
You are a strange kind of person who has decided to read about board games online. Perhaps you have friends who love rifling through shelves for the next exciting adventure, or perhaps you have mice who cannot socialize and must play on their own. Most of you, we imagine, assume that every board game devolves into a group activity. It is true that most board game sessions are played with a few friends and family members. However, there are many board games that can even be played by a single person.
Playing alone is a whole different experience, like playing a single-player video game with no UI. From adventure games that bear the hallmarks of rich RPG elements, to mystery-based whodunits, we’ve found single-player board games in almost every genre and category. Some, like Werewolf, are so versatile that most games can be played with absolutely no socialization, while others, like Blue Planet II, require nothing more than a sense of self and a dice.
Try playing a single-player game at least once – it’s a fundamentally different feeling from the usual group activity, and is something you should at least sample, like ice cream or a new sport. Just try not to eat anything while playing La Isla, unless you don’t mind cleaning up a chronic spillage. Here are our favorite single-player board games.
Spirit Island
Become a spirit of the land.
Play as an overprotective deity.
Become a powerful island spirit who must drive off the invading colonists before they pillage the land and kill the indigenous tribe that lives there.
Yes, it is great when you get to cooperate with other players, but what is not great is being the sole deity of an island and getting to send tidal waves and hurricanes to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies. Sure, you get struck by lightning sometimes, but you are making the colonizers pay for their misdeeds. The island believes in you, and that belief is pure. Sure, sometimes it only believes in monotheism, but play your cards right, and it will come around to your point of view.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Learn everything about the cases.
Investigate the crimes of Victorian-era London.
While your fellow players are running around shouting about the suspects and their alibis, you can calmly take your time, work every angle, and be absolutely sure before accusing them of the crime. Of course, one of them might be the killer, which would spice things up a bit, but that’s why you always have your revolver with you, and keep low and close to the ground.
The game is based on trial and error, so if every suspect is eliminated apart from one, you can make a reasonable guess about who it is. Multiple casebooks and expansions mean you can be at it for a long time. Perhaps you want some new cases? We have a guide to the best Sherlock Holmes cases, plus some standalone expansions, such as 221B Baker Street, or Black Orchid. Both place you in thrilling yet faithful crossover scenarios that you can play on your own.
Spy Island
Play as a consultant detective.
Answer the moans from victims of a serial killer.
You’ve decided to play a detective by yourself in what is essentially a tabletop-game-based RPG. Of course, there’s no better choice for such an endeavor than the world’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes. It is surprising that not all of the cases are based on crimes around Victorian-era London, including that of the most famous serial killer in the world, Jack the Ripper.
With two cases released already, and two more on their way, this will keep you occupied for a while, even on your own. If you want to get started, we have everything you need to know about 221B Baker Street, the first casebook. It is a fairly straightforward investigation into the case of a missing person, but the game mechanics are just like those of the board game. It’s also the perfect introduction to being a consulting detective.
Spy Island
Play as a master spy.
Uncover espionage in occupied France.
Play as Bernard DuPont, a master spy who has been sent to uncover espionage in occupied France. Players must try to identify those who are loyal and those who would subjugate France.
