Playing a board game alone is a lot like solving a puzzle: a quiet evening, a cup of tea, and a satisfying problem to work out. Many modern games include a solo mode.
Every game here won or was shortlisted for a major prize and can be played by one person. Most also play well with friends, so they are good value as a gift.
Designed by Randy Flynn
1–430–45′10+Great for a relaxing evening
Build a landscape of habitats and bring wildlife into it, chasing your best score. Calm and quick; it won the Spiel des Jahres.
2022 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave
1–740–70′10+Great for nature lovers
Attract birds to your preserve and build an engine of food, eggs and cards, against an automated opponent. It won the Kennerspiel des Jahres.
2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres (Connoisseurs' Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Johannes Sich
1–415–45′12+Great for a solo detective
Solve crimes on a giant black-and-white map of a city, alone or with others. It won the Spiel des Jahres.
2021 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Gary Grady, Suzanne Goldberg and Raymond Edwards
1–890–120′12+Great for mystery readers
Solve Victorian mysteries by visiting addresses in London and reading what you find. It won the Spiel des Jahres in 1985 and still feels like nothing else.
2012 As d'Or Jury Prize winner
Great for a quiet puzzle
Build landscapes from coloured tokens and invite animals to live in them. A pretty, calm puzzle.
2024 Deutscher Spiele Preis, 7th place
Designed by Wolfgang Warsch
1–430′8+Great for a quick daily challenge
Choose dice to score in coloured sections, chaining bonuses. A clever roll-and-write you can play alone in twenty minutes. Shortlisted for the Kennerspiel des Jahres.
2018 Kennerspiel des Jahres (Connoisseurs' Game of the Year) nominee
Designed by Jordy Adan
1+30–45′10+Great for drawing and map lovers
Draw shapes on a map to complete goals that change every game. A roll-and-write that plays from one to a crowd.
2020 Kennerspiel des Jahres (Connoisseurs' Game of the Year) nominee
Designed by Michaela Štachová and Michal Štach
1–430–120′12+Great for an adventure game
Explore an island with deck-building and worker placement, with a solo mode. It won the Deutscher Spiele Preis.
2021 Deutscher Spiele Preis winner
Great for a serious challenge
Spirits defend their island from colonisers. A deep cooperative game that is excellent solo.
2019 Deutscher Spiele Preis, 4th place
Designed by Mathias Wigge
1–490–150′14+Great for a long solo project
Design and run a modern zoo with hundreds of cards, with a solo mode. It won the Deutscher Spiele Preis.
2023 As d'Or Expert Grand Prix winner
Cascadia and Wingspan for a relaxing game, MicroMacro for a mystery, Spirit Island for a deep challenge.
Yes. They feel like a puzzle or a good book, and many players enjoy them as a quiet hobby.
All the games here also play with two or more players.
