Best Solo Board Games 2026: Top 5 Reviewed
Craving a solo board game? We gathered our favorites that guarantee hours of fun, challenge, and adventure—even when nobody else shows up.
5 Best Solo Board Games for Your Next Game Night Alone
Sometimes you just want to play a board game but your friends are busy or just stuck in traffic again. That’s where the joy of solo board games comes in. When we pick solo board games for our top list, we focus on games that are actually fun, keep you coming back, and don’t need a human opponent to work well. We look for thrill, smart puzzles, and stories that make you forget you’re sitting alone at your kitchen table. No multiplayer hacks here—just pure solo action that’s worth your time.
On this list:
5 Friday
Friday is a solo board game gem that hits the spot when we want to outsmart pirates and not share our snacks with anyone. This deckbuilding game drops us onto a desert island as Robinson Crusoe’s only help, and it gets wild fast. We tried it solo and had to think hard, reshuffling our deck almost as much as we questioned our life choices. It’s quick to set up, packs a punch, and has real staying power when it comes to replayability. If you want a game that’s specifically built for solo, Friday is a low-stress, high-fun option.
4 Under Falling Skies
Under Falling Skies throws you into a solo battle to save the world from an alien invasion. It’s basically Space Invaders on your kitchen table. When we played, the tension made us forget to check our phones for a whole hour – that’s saying something! The game keeps us on our toes with dice management and cool campaign missions. It’s compact, so it fits on even the messiest tables (which ours usually is). If you want a solo experience full of nail-biting decisions, this is your game.
3 Coffee Roaster
Coffee Roaster is a solo board game that convinced us making pretend coffee is almost as good as drinking the real stuff. We carefully roasted beans, aiming for the perfect cup, and failed spectacularly more than once. The bag-building mechanic is clever, and every play feels like a fresh brew. It’s relaxing and challenging, which is a rare mix. If you love strategy but want a chill, solo session, Coffee Roaster is a satisfying pick.
2 Final Girl
Final Girl is a solo horror game where you become the lead in your own scary movie. We tried not to scream (success: questionable). The modular system keeps things fresh, as each box offers a new killer and scenario. It’s tense, cinematic, and has more twists than our old phone cables. Even if you’re not a horror fan, the solo puzzle and replayability pulled us in for round after round.
1 Spirit Island
Spirit Island stands tall as the best solo board game on this list, and our group’s go-to for deep solo play. Even though you can play with friends, the solo mode shines thanks to clever spirits, challenging invaders, and a puzzle that never grows old. When we tested it alone, we lost track of time (and snacks). It’s the best because it mixes strategy, theme, and variety like no other solo experience. Every spirit feels different, making each solo session a new story. BoardGameGeek agrees – Spirit Island is a solo masterpiece.
