Solo Games

I love playing games. I always have. I have very seldom had anyone to play with. Even as a kid I would get an occasionally complex little game and just play it alone. I also really like reading game direction booklets. When I open a box and see a thick game book, I do a little happy dance. A well written game manual is to be savored.

Between the pandemic and my cancer diagnosis I have had a lot of time to play solo games. I love that now so many games come with a solo mechanism. Sometimes it is an automa, usually with a deck of cards that works as the other player, sometimes just the same game but trying to beat a high score. Some games are just solo games to begin with. I will say most are brutal, which I like, they are hard to win, which keeps me coming back for more.

These are some of my favorites that I played right after my cancer diagnosis, when I wasn’t working and it was too cold to go outside and I didn’t know what to do with my time:

Last Aurora - This takes place in a post apocalyptic world of snow. You are a survivor trying to get to the “Last Aurora”, a ship that will take you to somewhere warm and maybe safer. You gather resources, pick up survivors, upgrade your rig and fight enemies on the way to your escape. The Automa works well for solo play. This is such a great thematically solid game! There is an expansion that adds more to the game and another one on the way.

Wingspan - This game is lovely. You are trying to get birds to come to your habitats. This is an engine building game. The components are amazing and the bird art is super scientific looking. The automa is hard to beat but works well. The game designer Elizabeth Hargrave nailed the theme, and created a game with a ton of replayability. This one is easy to get people to play because it is so beautiful. There are also a lot of component upgrades out there.

StarWars Outer Rim - Love this game and I can’t wait for the new expansion. It is a pick up and deliver game with a bit of a sandbox feel. I love playing as Bobo Fett and Lando Calrissian. It is a long game, I usually set it up and play it over a couple days as I have time. Set up takes a bit so it is worth leaving out and playing a couple games. I would love to play this with people to get some player interaction but the solo automa works great and I feel really immersed in the Star Wars universe.

Marvel Champions: The Card Game - This is a deck building game where you play the hero and battle against a villain. There are a ton of premade decks for heroes and great villains that get really complex. I think my favorite hero decks are Dr. Strange and Captain Marvel. It is a quick game and I can knock out 3-4 games in 45 minutes or so, especially because I often lose fast.

Roll Player - This game uses dice to create all the stats for a hero, think D and D. You are trying to build that hero for end game points. There are also some expansions so that you can actually use the hero to fight monsters as well. This game is quick and easy to set up. I have added the Monsters and Minion expansion and it really adds to the game.

Escape the Dark Sector - One day I will win this game. This has the feel of an old choose your own adventure game. You and your crewmates have escaped from captivity and are trying to make it to your space ship. The space station you are on is full of danger and hard choices. There is a lot of replayability as the deck that creates the game is randomly made for every game. There are also expansions on the way. This is great fun with other people. I keep coming back for fun and that future possible win. Also not a super long game, especially if you die quickly like I do.

Under Falling Skies - This game is a solo game only and it is amazing. You are trying to use dice to keep the invaders at bay, gain energy, and do research all while the mothership is slowly descending.Think space invaders, but with a board, dice and little plastic ships. It has many ways to change the game up and it comes with a campaign for a longer game. This game is hard to win but so engaging, I just keep coming back for more. This is probably my favorite game I have been playing recently.

One I haven’t been playing solo:

Pandemic - Another older game, but sort of appropriate for the times. This is a cooperative game. You must stop the various viruses from spreading around the world. My sister and I are kind of obsessed with this game and play it together a lot. We got pretty good at beating the game and have now added an expansion that just wipes us out. I cannot say enough good about this game, it is awesome.

Some other great games I have been playing solo are Horrified: American Monsters, Fantastic Factories, Meadow, and Creature Comforts - all great games to play alone or with someone.

Most of these games are pretty easy to get started with even if you do not play a lot of board games.