10 Best Single Player Board Games Reviewed for 2026
Looking for the best single player board games? We tested the top picks, and these solo adventures will keep you entertained for hours!
Feeling bored and no one’s answering your texts? We’ve been there! That’s why we’ve gathered the 10 best single player board games you can play solo, based on real fun and challenge. When we pick games for this list, we focus on strong solo play, replay value, and a bunch of interesting themes. Some games make you sweat with tough choices, while others feel like a full adventure right at your kitchen table. No matter your mood, there’s a solo board game here that will fit like your favorite hoodie. Ready? Let’s find your next solo gaming obsession!
On this list:
10 Friday
Friday is one of those single player board games that quietly sneaks up on you and slaps you with a good time. You’re basically Robinson Crusoe, but instead of building huts, you’re fighting pirates and trying not to trip over vines. We love how quick it plays—you mess up, you try again, and pretty soon, you’re rooting for yourself out loud. It’s got deck-building, which is basically just collecting enough good cards to stop embarrassing yourself in front of angry monkeys. Plus, it’s small enough to play on a coffee table or the floor if you feel wild. Great for a rainy day… or when your friends ditch you.
9 Under Falling Skies
We grabbed this game because the world was ending and, well, the box art looked cool. You get to defend your city from an alien attack, all by yourself. The dice system keeps you guessing, and the puzzle never plays out the same twice. It’s one of those single player board games that makes you mutter your moves—and sometimes your failures—to yourself. The campaign mode adds a lot of replay value, but we just like blowing up aliens and pretending the whole thing is happening in our hometown. All the fun, none of the cleanup.
8 Space Hulk: Death Angel – The Card Game
Ever wanted to team up with marines to fight off waves of genestealers? With single player board games like this, you don’t even need friends! The game manages to be tough, exciting, and a little bit nerve-wracking. It’s got a dice system so cruel it made us question the laws of probability. But that’s half the fun—trying to make it out alive. The theme is thick and, honestly, we wear our most serious game-faces when we play it. Great for when you want a serious challenge and don’t mind space marines shouting in your head.
7 Onirim
Onirim is all about wandering through dreamy mazes and sometimes yelling at the cards for locking you in a nightmare. It’s one of those single player board games that’s simple to learn and tough to master. The art is charming, and while it says you can play with two, we always play solo—mostly because it’s a little spooky and that keeps things interesting. You get just enough luck and strategy to make every playthrough feel fresh. Oh, and it fits in your pocket, so you can play while you wait for your laundry to dry.
6 Hostage Negotiator
Not gonna lie, Hostage Negotiator gets our heart racing every time. You, alone, must save everyone—no pressure! The tension builds with every card, and the dice hate us just enough to keep things interesting. It’s a unique one among single player board games because you’ll actually pace around the table trying to outsmart an imaginary villain. We recommend it for the drama and for shouting, ‘Let the hostages GO!’ at least once per play. It fits a quick session, but good luck stopping at just one.
5 Maquis
Maquis is set in occupied France and makes us feel like sneaky secret agents every time we play solo. It’s a worker placement game, which means you spend a lot of time plotting your next genius move—only to realize you accidentally blew up your own safehouse again. Every session is a puzzle of hope, failure, and sometimes, glorious victory. It’s quick to learn, but replaying keeps our brains busy for a long time. Outwitting the system is super rewarding, and it’s a must-have for fans of clever single player board games.
4 Warp’s Edge
Ever wondered if you could pilot a spaceship and not crash it? Us too! Warp’s Edge is basically space combat meets bag-building (yes, you grab tokens from a bag and hope for the best). You’ll fight off boss ships and sweat over every single token. We love the replay value because each game feels totally different, and you get to live your best sci-fi pilot life from your kitchen table. It’s got enough puzzle to keep things fresh, and enough explosions to keep us smiling.
3 Coffee Roaster
Coffee Roaster lets you roast imaginary beans with all the stress and none of the caffeine jitters. The bag-building mechanic is weirdly addictive—you spend half your time planning and the other half apologizing to your imaginary customers for burning their beans. It’s one of those single player board games that mixes strategy with luck, but every play feels cozy and satisfying. Plus, you’ll start craving real coffee. We recommend this for anyone who loves board games—and coffee, of course.
2 Nemo’s War (Second Edition)
This is the game we pull out when we want a big, epic story. Nemo’s War lets you become Captain Nemo, causing trouble across the seas. There’s loads of ways to score points—fighting, exploring, or just being a menace. We love all the story bits and dice-rolling drama. You lose a lot, but when you win, it feels like you’ve truly outsmarted the ocean. It’s one of the deeper single player board games, for those who want a serious challenge. Just clear your evening—this one’s a meal, not a snack.
1 Spirit Island
Spirit Island is our pick for the best single player board game—and here’s why: It flips the script. You’re the spirits, defending your home from invaders, not the other way around. The choices are endless, the combos wild, and the strategy deep. Sometimes it melts our brains, but in a good way. We learned new tricks every play, and the challenge never felt unfair. Other solo board games are quick snacks, but Spirit Island is a feast. Sure, it takes time to set up, but once you start, you won’t want to stop. We keep coming back—nothing else feels this epic solo.
