Best Board Game Gifts for Solo Players: 10 Top Picks

A solo player needs a game that is fully playable alone, not a multiplayer game with a token solo mode. The best ones have a clear way to beat the game, give you something new each time and fit around a free evening instead of a whole weekend.

This list picks ten games that play well from one player upward, from compact engine builders to long campaigns. Each one tells you how many players it suits, how long it takes, how hard it is to learn and who should skip it.

Gifts for solo players at a glance

Want a gentle start? Wingspan and Everdell. A big engine builder? Terraforming Mars and Ark Nova. A campaign to follow? Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and Arkham Horror: The Card Game. Dark and tense? Nemesis.

The ranking

1. Terraforming Mars

You lead a corporation racing to make Mars habitable. Hundreds of project cards create excellent replayability, and the solo mode is well regarded.

It plays 1–5 players, is best with 3, and takes about two hours. The opening can be slow, and some corporations and cards are stronger than others.

Pick it if the recipient loves engine building.

Skip it if they dislike slow starts.

2. Ark Nova

Design and manage a modern zoo, building enclosures, housing animals and funding conservation. More than 250 cards create huge replayability, and the solo mode is excellent.

It plays 1–4 players, is best with 2, and takes about two and a half hours. The dense iconography makes the first game slow.

Pick it if the recipient is a strategy gamer who likes a thematic puzzle.

Skip it if they want something short.

3. Dune: Imperium

Deck building meets worker placement in the world of Dune. You send agents to contested spaces while building a deck that shapes your military and political power, and it supports solo play.

It plays 1–4 players, is best with 3, and takes about two hours. Card luck can frustrate careful planners.

Pick it if the recipient likes strong themes and clever card play.

Skip it if they dislike luck.

4. Scythe

An alternate 1920s Europa where five asymmetric factions race to control a mysterious Factory. It combines engine building, area control and mech-powered conquest, with stunning art, and supports solo play.

It plays 1–5 players, is best with 4, and takes just under two hours. The rulebook and iconography have a steep learning curve.

Pick it if the recipient enjoys asymmetric factions.

Skip it if they prefer short, simple games.

5. Wingspan

A calm engine-building card game about attracting birds to your wildlife preserves. Beautiful illustrations and educational flavor text make it a pleasure to play alone, and the solo mode is well regarded.

It plays 1–5 players, is best with 3, and takes about 70 minutes. Limited interaction means it can feel like solitaire even with a full table, which is a bonus when playing solo.

Pick it if the recipient likes nature and relaxed play.

Skip it if they want conflict.

6. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

A standalone prequel to Gloomhaven built as a faster, friendlier way into its card-based tactical combat. It has four new characters and a self-contained campaign.

It plays 1–4 players, is best with 2, and takes about two hours. The campaign is shorter than the full Gloomhaven, and you still need to return to it session after session.

Pick it if the recipient wants a tactical campaign with an easier start.

Skip it if they want a one-night game.

7. Lost Ruins of Arnak

Explorers uncover artifacts and ancient guardians on an uncharted island. It fuses deck building with worker placement and has a well-regarded solo mode.

It plays 1–4 players, is best with 3, and takes about two hours. Early card draws affect engine strength, and it can start to feel formulaic after many plays.

Pick it if the recipient wants a fresh, approachable strategy game.

Skip it if they want maximum depth.

8. Everdell

A charming valley of forest critters building a thriving woodland city across a single year. You place workers, play cards to grow your tableau, and the solo mode extends its appeal beyond the table.

It plays 1–4 players, is best with 3, and takes about 80 minutes. Card draws affect which strategies are available.

Pick it if the recipient loves lovely art and a tableau engine.

Skip it if they want a lot of interaction.

9. Nemesis

A science fiction horror survival game aboard a spaceship overrun by evolving aliens. Each crew member has unique skills, a personal deck and starting equipment, and the escalating threat keeps the pressure high.

It plays 1–5 players, is best with 4, and takes about three hours. Players can be eliminated, and the rules and setup are long.

Pick it if the recipient wants the feel of an alien movie.

Skip it if they want gentle, pure teamwork.

10. Arkham Horror: The Card Game

A Lovecraftian mystery in the town of Arkham, blending deck building with cooperative scenario play. Each investigator has a deck that grows stronger over a campaign, and it is an excellent solo and small-group experience.

It plays 1–2 players, is best with 2, and takes about two hours. New content carries ongoing costs, and the learning curve is steep for newcomers to Living Card Games.

Pick it if the recipient wants a story to follow over many evenings.

Skip it if they want a single stand-alone game.

How to choose a gift for a solo player

Start with how long they like to sit down. Wingspan and Everdell fit a calm hour or so, while Terraforming Mars, Ark Nova and Scythe reward a free evening.

Then think about the experience they want. A campaign to follow suits Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and Arkham Horror: The Card Game, a tense night suits Nemesis, and a relaxed one suits Wingspan.

For more ideas, see our complete board game gift guide for Christmas 2026, the guide to gifts for strategy fans or the best horror board games. To compare more games by player count or play time, browse the full Hobbli catalog.