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Best solo board games (2026): playing a board game alone is no longer a strange idea. Many of the best modern games ship with a solo mode, and some are designed for one player from the start. A solo game is a puzzle you can set up after the kids go to bed, a way to learn a game before teaching it, or simply a screen-free way to relax. These seven board games all play beautifully with one, and most scale up to a group too.
Best solo board game overall: Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
Roll the route dice, draw roads and railways on your own map, and try to connect as many exits as possible over seven rounds. Setup takes one minute, a game takes 20, and you can chase your own high score again and again. Up to six can play with the same box.
Price band: $20–$30 (about $26) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Solo board games at a glance
Every game here has an official one-player mode.
- Best overall: Railroad Ink: Deep Blue — roll-and-draw maps (about $26)
- Best solo-first design: Under Falling Skies — defend a city from aliens (about $30)
- Best relaxing puzzle: Harmonies — landscapes and animals (about $32)
- Best engine builder: Wingspan — birds plus an automated rival (about $55)
What makes a solo board game good
A great one-player game needs real decisions and a clear target. Some games give you a score to beat. Others give you an automated opponent, often called an automa, that takes actions from a deck of cards. The best ones also set up fast, because nobody wants 20 minutes of setup for a 30-minute session alone. We favored games with quick setup, a satisfying challenge and good value for groups when friends come over.
1. Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition — best quick solo session
Players: 1–6 (ages 8+) · Price band: $20–$30 (about $26) · Pick for: Best quick solo session · See Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition on Amazon
Each round you roll four route dice and draw those pieces onto your board, trying to link exits. Lake and river dice add bonus goals. Erasable boards mean the box lasts.
It is the best way to fit a full game into a coffee break.
Skip it if: you want physical pieces to move around.
2. Under Falling Skies — best game designed for one player
Players: 1 (ages 12+) · Price band: $20–$30 (about $30) · Pick for: Best game designed for one player · See Under Falling Skies on Amazon
Alien ships descend on your city. Each round you place dice to shoot them down, research, dig your underground base or power up, but higher dice also make the ships fall faster. The box includes a story campaign.
It started as a nine-card print-and-play contest winner and grew into a full box loved by solo players.
Skip it if: you mostly want games to play with others.
3. Harmonies — best relaxing solo puzzle
Players: 1–4 (ages 10+) · Price band: $30+ (about $32) · Pick for: Best relaxing solo puzzle · See Harmonies on Amazon
Stack colored tokens to build mountains, forests, rivers and fields, then place animal cards whose habitats you have created. The solo mode gives you goals to beat with a gentle scoring curve.
The colorful board makes it a calm, beautiful thing to do on a quiet evening.
Skip it if: you want a tense, high-stakes challenge.
4. Wingspan — best solo engine builder
Players: 1–5 (ages 10+) · Price band: $30+ (about $55) · Pick for: Best solo engine builder · See Wingspan on Amazon
Wingspan's automa deck plays against you, taking round goals and scoring bird cards so you have a score to beat. The rest is the full game: play birds, gain food, lay eggs, and chain powers.
Many fans learn Wingspan solo before teaching it to family.
Skip it if: you want short setup; Wingspan has many parts.
5. Finspan — best solo game for ocean lovers
Players: 1–5 (ages 10+) · Price band: $30+ (about $49) · Pick for: Best solo game for ocean lovers · See Finspan on Amazon
The newest game in the Wingspan family swaps birds for fish across the sunlight, twilight and midnight zones of the sea. You discover fish, lay eggs, hatch young and form schools over four rounds of about an hour total.
It plays a little faster than Wingspan and includes solo rules out of the box.
Skip it if: you already own Wingspan and want something very different.
6. Horrified: Universal Monsters — best story-rich solo co-op
Players: 1–5 (ages 10+) · Price band: $30+ (about $45) · Pick for: Best story-rich solo co-op · See Horrified: Universal Monsters on Amazon
In a solo game you control the heroes and race to defeat classic monsters before terror rises too high. Choosing which monsters to face sets the difficulty.
It is a great pick if you like cooperative games and want one you can play alone on any night.
Skip it if: spooky themes are not your thing.
7. Trekking the National Parks — best solo game for travelers and hikers
Players: 1–5 (ages 12+) · Price band: $30+ (about $35) · Pick for: Best solo game for travelers and hikers · See Trekking the National Parks on Amazon
The third edition includes a solo mode in which you hike between parks and try to beat a target score while managing trek cards and stone majorities.
It doubles as a family game for when everyone is home.
Skip it if: you want a game with an automated opponent.
Solo board games compared
| Game | Setup | Solo play time | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Railroad Ink | 1 minute | 20 minutes | Your own high score |
| Under Falling Skies | 5 minutes | 20–40 minutes | The alien deck |
| Harmonies | 3 minutes | 20–30 minutes | Score goals |
| Wingspan | 10 minutes | 40–70 minutes | Automa deck |
| Finspan | 10 minutes | About 45 minutes | Solo rules |
| Horrified | 10 minutes | About 60 minutes | The monsters |
| Trekking the National Parks | 5 minutes | 30 minutes | Target score |
Tips for getting started with solo gaming
- Pick one game and learn it well. Solo play is a great way to master rules you will later teach.
- Track your scores. A notebook of past results turns every session into a personal challenge.
- Use a small table. Many solo setups fit on a desk or tray.
- Play with friends too. Every game here also works for a group; see our easy board games for adults for more crowd-pleasers.
- Prefer cards? Our solitaire guide covers the classic one-deck game.
Solo board game questions
Can you play board games by yourself?
Yes. Many modern board games include official solo rules, and some are designed only for one player.
What is a good first solo board game?
Railroad Ink is quick to learn and quick to set up.
Is Wingspan good solo?
Yes. Wingspan has a well-loved automa opponent.
