12 Board Games and Tabletop RPGs You Can Play Alone While Social Distancing

In times of social distancing, it can be easy to feel isolated. Luckily, board games and tabletop RPGs (role-playing games) offer a perfect escape. These games can transport you to different worlds, challenge your mind, and provide hours of entertainmentall without needing to leave your home or gather with others. Whether you’re a solo gamer or just in need of a little alone time, here are twelve great games you can enjoy by yourself while keeping safe and healthy.

1. Wingspan

Wingspan is a beautifully designed game that revolves around birdwatching. Players take on the role of bird enthusiasts aiming to attract a variety of birds to their wildlife preserves. The solo mode in Wingspan is both relaxing and strategic, with players completing personal challenges to score points. It’s a perfect game for nature lovers and those who enjoy light strategy with a calming atmosphere.

Why Play Solo?

Wingspan’s solo mode offers a great experience without feeling overly competitive. The AI opponent mimics a birdwatcher trying to build the most efficient preserve, keeping the game challenging but fair.

2. Scythe

Scythe is a heavy strategy game set in an alternate-history post-WWI universe. While it’s traditionally a multiplayer game, its solo mode allows players to control one faction and face off against a challenging AI opponent. The goal is to build an empire, manage resources, and conquer territories while balancing military, economy, and popularity.

Why Play Solo?

Scythe’s solo mode is highly tactical, allowing players to dive deep into the mechanics of the game without the need for multiple players. It’s perfect for anyone who loves complex strategy games.

3. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a spin-off of the renowned Gloomhaven series, designed specifically for solo or two-player campaigns. Players take on the role of adventurers exploring dungeons, battling monsters, and leveling up their characters. The game’s tactical combat and rich storytelling provide a deep solo experience that will keep you engaged for hours.

Why Play Solo?

The game’s modular campaign and flexible difficulty settings make it ideal for solo play, allowing you to create your own personalized adventure with minimal setup.

4. Arkham Horror: The Card Game

For fans of horror and mystery, Arkham Horror: The Card Game offers a thrilling solo experience. Players assume the role of investigators exploring the dark and eerie town of Arkham. This cooperative living card game can be played alone, and it includes a variety of scenarios and expansions to keep the story fresh and exciting.

Why Play Solo?

The game’s deep narrative and ever-evolving challenges make it a fantastic choice for anyone who enjoys immersive storytelling. Plus, the solo mode is seamless, offering a perfect blend of suspense and strategy.

5. Friday

Friday is a card-based deck-building game where you control a castaway stranded on an island. The goal is to improve your deck and overcome various challenges in order to survive and escape the island. The game’s solo-only design makes it a quick but intense experience.

Why Play Solo?

Friday’s compact and solo-focused gameplay is perfect for anyone who enjoys deck-building mechanics. It’s fast-paced and doesn’t require long setup times, making it an excellent choice for quick solo gaming sessions.

6. Spirit Island

Spirit Island is a cooperative strategy game where players take on the role of spirits defending their island from colonizing invaders. While it can be played with multiple people, the solo mode is incredibly satisfying, as you work to coordinate the powers of multiple spirits to push back the invaders and protect the land.

Why Play Solo?

The game’s depth and strategic choices shine in solo play, where you can experience all the different spirits’ powers and plan accordingly. It’s a rewarding game that offers complex decision-making and multiple paths to victory.

7. Tabletop RPG: Dungeons & Dragons (Solo Adventures)

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is the most iconic tabletop RPG, known for its epic adventures and imagination-driven gameplay. While it’s traditionally a group game, solo adventures and campaigns are available, allowing you to take on the role of a hero exploring dungeons, battling monsters, and completing quests all on your own.

Why Play Solo?

Solo adventures in D&D are typically designed with branching storylines and solo gameplay rules, providing a fulfilling narrative experience without needing a Dungeon Master. This option is perfect for creative solo gamers looking to dive into fantasy worlds.

8. Renegade: The Solo Roleplaying Game

Renegade is a unique solo RPG where players create their own narratives and adventures, all without needing a group. It’s a storytelling game where you build characters, set challenges, and explore different scenarios. Renegade is flexible and easy to set up, making it ideal for solo play.

Why Play Solo?

This solo RPG offers a lot of creative freedom and can be adapted to various genres, whether you prefer fantasy, sci-fi, or horror. The storytelling aspect of the game makes it engaging for players who enjoy world-building and improvisation.

9. Wings of Glory

Wings of Glory is a tabletop game that focuses on aerial combat in World War I and II. The game allows players to control aircraft, maneuver in the sky, and engage in dogfights. The solo mode offers AI-controlled opponents, and the game’s tactical nature makes it perfect for players who enjoy strategic combat.

Why Play Solo?

Wings of Glory is deeply immersive, offering an exciting mix of strategy and action. The solo mode allows you to experience the thrill of aerial combat without needing other players.

10. The 7th Continent

The 7th Continent is an exploration and adventure game where you’re tasked with discovering new territories, solving puzzles, and surviving on a mysterious island. This game can be played solo, and its deep narrative and vast world offer an exciting experience for anyone looking for a game with rich exploration.

Why Play Solo?

The game’s open-world exploration and challenging puzzles make it an ideal solo experience. You’ll have to think critically about how to survive and progress, which provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment.

11. Dark Souls: The Board Game

Based on the popular video game franchise, Dark Souls: The Board Game offers a dark and challenging experience for solo players. The game is brutal, with players needing to defeat enemies and bosses in order to progress. With strategic combat and a deep system of leveling up, Dark Souls provides a great solo experience.

Why Play Solo?

Dark Souls is known for its difficulty, and playing it solo adds an extra layer of challenge. The game’s combat mechanics and the need for careful planning make it a rewarding solo experience.

12. Subterra

Subterra is a cooperative exploration game where players are trapped underground and need to work together to escape. However, it’s also designed with a solo mode, allowing players to control multiple characters and solve the mysteries of the underground cavern by themselves. The game’s tense atmosphere and challenging puzzles provide a thrilling solo experience.

Why Play Solo?

Subterra’s solo mode lets you enjoy the intensity of the game without relying on others. You can take on the roles of different characters, making decisions that will affect your survival. It’s a great choice for fans of survival horror and strategic problem-solving.

Solo Gaming Experience: A Personal Reflection

As a frequent solo gamer, I can honestly say that board games and tabletop RPGs are the perfect way to spend time alone while still having a meaningful and fulfilling experience. While social distancing might have originally motivated me to explore these games, I now enjoy them purely for the relaxation and immersive experiences they provide. There’s something uniquely satisfying about playing solo games that allow you to engage deeply with the narrative and mechanics, offering both a challenge and an escape.

Games like Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and Spirit Island provide immense replayability and depth, making them perfect for solo play. I appreciate how these games often allow for strategic thinking without the pressure of competing against others. The ability to focus on the game’s internal systemswhether it’s optimizing resources or crafting the perfect deckoffers a rewarding solo experience.

Additionally, playing solo games lets you appreciate the design and artistry of the game itself. With no distractions or interruptions, you can focus on the fine details, from the beautifully illustrated cards in Wingspan to the intricate character development systems in RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. Each of these games offers a personal journey, where your choices truly matter, and the outcome is determined solely by your decisions.

For me, solo board gaming is no longer just a temporary fixit’s become a hobby that I now regularly indulge in, finding joy and relaxation in the complex challenges and storytelling they provide.

Conclusion

In the end, board games and tabletop RPGs provide an excellent way to entertain yourself while social distancing. Whether you’re drawn to the tactical challenges of games like Scythe or the deep storytelling of Arkham Horror, there’s something for everyone in the world of solo gaming. These games offer a perfect balance of strategy, fun, and immersion, allowing you to enjoy an adventure from the comfort of your home.