One of the biggest issues that many players have with board games is finding a group to play with. Then, there are the eye-watering prices that some games can reach. Splurging on a board game only to find out that you or your friends didn’t even enjoy the game can be a frustrating experience.
That’s why I’ve created this list of 20 board games for solo players on a budget. All games in this list cost under $50, and are diverse in genres and styles, from popular titles to lesser-known hidden gems, there’s something to satisfy every type of solo board game player.
20. Tranquility
Tranquility by Lucky Duck Games is a solo or cooperative card game where players work together to fill the sea with island cards in numerical order, ensuring the ship can return to port before running out of cards.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Beautiful Artwork: The game features stunning, tranquil sea-themed artwork that enhances the immersive experience and adds a soothing visual appeal.
- Simple Yet Strategic: Despite its easy-to-understand rules, the game offers deep strategic decisions as players must carefully consider which cards to play and when.
- Relaxing Theme: The tranquil, sea-themed artwork and gentle gameplay make for a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Limited Interaction: While cooperative, the game limits player interaction, which might not appeal to those who prefer more direct engagement with others.
- Repetitive Gameplay: Some players might find the game repetitive after multiple plays, as the core mechanics remain the same.
- Luck Factor: The game involves a significant amount of luck in card draws, which can sometimes feel frustrating if you’re dealt a bad hand.
19. Empires of the North
If you’re a fan of civilization-building games, then you should give Empires of the North a try. It’s a standalone card game that lets you control a Viking clan, competing to establish dominance in the North Sea. You manage resources, expand territories, and construct buildings for special abilities to score victory points.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Factions: Each faction has unique mechanics for a variety of playstyle experiences. The Scotsmen are resourceful, the Inuit focus on hunting and fishing, and the Vikings focus on raiding and exploration. Each faction comes with two different decks, for a total of six to play with for a decent amount of replayability.
- Solo Mode: The game comes with a rulebook for solo players.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Big Setup: The game can have a considerable setup and teardown time due to the numerous components and cards. This might deter some players who prefer quicker setup times.
- Expansion Need: The core game works well enough, but really shines when combined with expansions. Consider your budget when trying this game.
- Rulebook: The game’s steep learning curve requires extra time reading and re-reading the rulebook, which itself may not always be clear in explaining the mechanics.
18. The Lost Expedition
In this adventure card game, you play as an explorer trying to find the Lost City of Z. The game gives you moments of intense gameplay, such as narrowly avoiding a deadly trap or facing off against a ferocious jaguar, every step is fraught with danger and excitement.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Multiple Modes: Play solo or with friends, the game scales well to player count.
- Adventurous: The essence of pulpy adventure brings a sense of danger with every card draw. It does an excellent job of immersing players in the perilous journey of an Amazon expedition.
- Portable: The compact size of the game makes it easy to transport and set up, ideal for gaming on the go.
Reasons To Skip It:
- High Difficulty: While some may enjoy the challenge, it can be off-putting for others.
- Luck-Driven Outcomes: The game relies heavily on card draws, which can lead to highly variable outcomes. Some players find the reliance on luck frustrating, especially during difficult events.
17. Horizons Of Spirit Island
This is a more affordable version of the popular board game Spirit Island for those looking for an entry point into the game. It also offers a solo-player mode and is more beginner-friendly than its predecessor, perfect for Solo Players on a Budget
Why You’ll Love It:
- Approachable: This game introduces you to the core mechanics of the main game in a less intimidating format.
- Fast-Paced and Replayable: Games typically last around 60-90 minutes, for a strategic yet streamlined experience. Multiple difficulty levels and different playable spirits provide high replayability.
- Budget Friendly: This game is cheaper at around $30 or less, while Spirit Island is around $65.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Simplified Experience: If you’ve already played Spirit Island, then this game might feel toned down.
- Component Quality: As the budget version of Spirit Island, the materials of the components are thinner.
16. Cascadia
This delightful tile-laying game is a good choice for players of all ages and skill levels. Set in the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, the game challenges players to draft terrain tiles and place them on their boards to create a habitat that can attract wildlife and score points.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Solo Play: The game plays great for solo players, letting you play at your own pace.
- Gameplay: Drafting tiles and fitting them together creates a satisfying spatial puzzle.
- Family-Friendly: The charming artwork and simple rules make it perfect for everyone.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Tight Scoring: The game’s scoring system makes it so that even small mistakes can greatly impact your final score.
- Repetitive: The replayability might be lower than other games on this list, but the core gameplay loop is still enjoyable.
15. Hostage Negotiator
Tasked with saving innocent lives, you must carefully play a deck of cards that represent demands, and emotional responses, while attempting to build rapport with the hostage taker. Every decision feels important and impactful as the situation escalates, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you face off against a bank robber or a cunning terrorist. The game offers plenty of expansions to keep you coming back to play it again and again.
Why You’ll Love It:
- High Tension: The game captures the tension of a hostage crisis. Every card and dice roll adds to the immersive experience.
- Quick Playtime: Games can last between 15 to 30 minutes, perfect for those looking for a quick game.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Limited Variation: Although the game comes with multiple hostage takers and scenarios, once you’ve played them, there’s little reason to replay them. Therefore, the game offers additional abductor packs for sale.
14. Warp’s Edge
Warp’s Edge captures the intensity of space combat in this solo-only board game, combining decision-making, storytelling, and drawing tokens from a bag. You select one of four ships, then must carefully plan your actions to evade enemy fire and strike back at waves of enemy ships.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Replayability: Comes with different starfighters to select, different enemy motherships, and variable difficulty settings, letting you adjust how the game is played.
- Fast-Paced Play: Turns are swift, delivering a quick and fun space combat experience.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Push Your Luck: Drawing tokens from a bag introduces elements of chance, which can be fun for some, but frustrate others who prefer strategic planning.
- Limited Strategy: The game focuses on quick decisions and tactical combat over strategy.
13. Under Falling Skies
In this solo-only game, you lead humanity’s last stand against an invading alien armada. As enemy ships descend upon the city, you must manage resources, build defenses, and shoot down the incoming aliens. It uses dice-placement mechanics, where you must carefully assign rolled dice, balancing offensive and defensive actions.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Solo Spotlight: Designed to be played as a solo experience.
- Thrilling Gameplay: Escalating enemy attacks keeps you on the edge of your seat.
- Campaign Depth: The campaign mode offers a narrative arc with branching paths and increasing difficulty, providing a sense of long-term progression and replayability
Reasons To Skip It:
- Dice Dependence: The game relies heavily on dice rolls and leading to frustrating moments from bad rolls.
- Limited Depth: The game starts to get repetitive after a while.
- Learning Curve: There are numerous rules, systems, and icons to remember, leading to a long initial setup.
12. Turing Machine
With over seven million problems to solve, this game provides nearly endless amounts of replayability. This fascinating deduction game challenges you to decipher a secret code using a physical machine filled with perforated cards. As you test your logic and deduction skills, Turing Machine offers a cerebral and thematic experience for solo players and groups alike.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Unique Experience: The game’s innovative use of an analog computer and the tactile feel of the cards really add to the immersive experience of the codebreaking process.
- Solo or Cooperative/Competetive: The game scales very well when played alone or with friends.
- Brain Teaser: This game rewards your ability to think logically. The satisfaction of cracking the code is not to be missed.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Learning Curve: Grasping the logic and its card system can be difficult for some people.
- Fiddly Components: The perforated cards will need careful handling to avoid wear and tear.
11. The Search For Planet X
This game puts you in the role of an astronomer trying to find Planet X by using deductive reasoning and analyzing the clues given to you by the game’s companion app. The game has multiple gameplay modes and decent replayability that keeps you engaged.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Logic Puzzles: The game revolves around analyzing data and applying logical reasoning to solve the planet puzzle. It’s a great game if you like your mental skills to be challenged.
- Thematic Immersion: You feel like a real researcher about to make a big astronomical discovery.
- Cooperative or Competitive: Team up with friends or challenge them in a race to find Planet X. The game also works well for solo play.
Reasons To Skip It:
- App Dependence: The companion is needed to play, which can be frustrating if the app malfunctions.
- Learning Curve: With plenty of rules to grasp, the initial setup and learning process may take a while.
10. Ex Libris
Using a unique blend of worker placement and whimsical storytelling, players must build a collection of magical books to impress the judge and become the Grand Librarian. The game works well with a group or for solo players.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Charming Theme: The game has wonderful and witty artwork that book lovers will enjoy.
- Multiple Paths to Victory: With multiple ways to score points, you can develop your own strategies.
- Solo Satisfaction: The act of building and organizing shelves of books works well as a solo experience.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Learning Curve: The game explains the mechanics well enough, but mastering the worker placement and book organization can take a while to figure out, especially if introducing the game to new players.
- Limited Replayability: The strategic possibilities can be mastered after repeated sessions, so the game introduces expansions to help increase replayability.
9. Friday
Released in 2011, this solo-player only card game is still a fun and rewarding game, especially for those looking for board games for solo players on a budget. You take the role of Friday, a companion to Robinson Crusoe. Using a deck of cards, you must manage resources to overcome challenges such as wild beasts and hostile natives to ensure survival and eventually escape from the island. Despite its simplistic appearance, it’s one of the best solo-only board games costing less than $20, so don’t overlook this classic.
Why You’ll Love It:
- High Replayability: With variable difficulty levels, each playthrough can deliver a fresh challenge, even after successfully winning the game.
- No Downtime: As a solo game, the game moves fairly quickly after learning the rules.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Luck of the Draw: Your survival is dependant on some elements of chance and luck.
8. Destinies
This game is a narrative-driven game taking place in a fantasy world, where players embark on quests, forge alliances, and uncover hidden secrets. Using a combination of exploration tiles, story cards, and hero abilities, players make choices that shape their journey. The game uses an app to further add to the immersive story-driven gameplay.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Solo or Small Group Friendly: The game scales well with any number of players.
- Narrative Paths: The game plays like a choose-your-own-adventure book, with unique challenges and story elements to discover with each playthrough.
- Immersive: Dark fantasy setting with a decent amount of lore that creates a nice atmosphere for fans of epic fantasy.
Reasons To Skip It:
- App Dependence: You need to use a phone app to play, which some players may dislike.
- Story over Strategy: Priority is given to narration and decision-making over strategic planning.
7. Calico
With colorful artwork and simple mechanics, Calico is perfect for those looking for a cozy game. Players create quilts by placing tiles to create patterns to meet the changing preferences of feline visitors. While the game is competitive, it also shines as a solo experience. The gameplay remains the same, but the goal shifts to achieve optimal tile placements.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Peaceful Puzzle: Enjoyable and relaxing gameplay even as you plan and construct your quilt. Don’t be fooled by it’s adorable cats though, there’s a fair bit of strategic depth.
- Solo Focus: Can easily be played solo, without the pressure of competition.
- Refreshing Theme: Given how many other board games are centered around conflict and danger, Calico’s theme of building a quilt for cats is a nice change of pace.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Analysis Paralysis: With a dizzying array of combinations and scoring possibilities, you’ll find yourself overthinking your tile placement.
- Slow Pacing: If playing with others, the game can feel sluggish for those wanting faster action.
- Limited Interaction: The game is focused on individual effort, with little interaction with other players.
6. For Northwood!
A purely solo card game, you take the role of an emissary tasked with unifying a fractured kingdom. It’s a trick-taking game that offers a blend of hand management and negotiation. Played over eight rounds, your goal is to play the right cards at the right time to win over animal rulers.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Portable: Comes in a small box that makes it easy to play anywhere. Perfect for travel.
- Art Style: The artwork is lighthearted and appealing for all ages.
- Quick Play: Ideal for quick bursts of fun.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Limited Replayability: As a solo game with a set deck, the strategic possibilities start to get exhausted after multiple playthroughs.
- Lower Complexity: Compared to other card games, For Northwood! offers a much lighter experience that might not appeal to someone wanting a tougher challenge.
5. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
One of my personal favorite themes, Arkham Horror immerses players in the world of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. You take on the role of investigators with different stats and abilities as you confront otherwordly horrors. Using a customizable deck, you solve mysteries and secrets by using a variety of skills, weapons, and spells. My favorite part of the game is the story-driven structure, making you feel like you’ve embarked on an epic adventure to thwart the nightmarish creatures.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Strategic Planning: You can optimize your deck to handle the upcoming threats which is a rewarding experience in itself for those who enjoy the deckbuilding aspect.
- Horror Story: The thematic narrative of Lovecraftian horror is well done, with great artwork and gameplay that lets you shape the story through your choices and actions.
- Challenging: The game is notoriously difficult, but the fight against overwhelming odds can be deeply satisfying when you do succeed against the horror.
Reasons To Skip It:
- High Cost: Being a Living Card Game (LCG), the core set only gives you a taste of the game. The expansions are almost necessary to experience the real challenges the game has to offer. Not the most ideal game for those on a strict budget.
- Long Campaigns: Be prepared for long sessions that can be extended through multiple expansions.
- Complexity: The game has a learning curve and a deep strategic depth that some players might find overwhelming.
4. Marvel Champions
Much like Arkham Horror, Marvel Champions is also an LCG, except this time you are put in the shoes of your favorite Marvel hero as you face off against cunning villains and thwart their schemes. The core starter set has Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, and Black Panther to choose from. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, the game is both accessible and deep in its strategic gameplay. It’s an absolute must-have for your collection of solo-player board games.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Superhero Action: Take on some of Marvel’s iconic villains and play out your favorite superhero movie or comic storylines. The game’s been a fan favorite for many years.
- High Replayability: With a vast selection of heroes, villains, and expansions, the game is always introducing new layers of strategy and adventures for solo players.
- Rewarding Gameplay: The base game teaches you the core mechanics and how to build a basic deck. As you acquire expansions, the villains get tougher, forcing you to adapt new strategies. Gradual increases in difficulty keep things interesting.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Pricey: While the core set is under $50, the game is a living card game (LCG), so purchasing expansions to increase the game’s replayability can really add up, busting your budget.
- Teamwork: The game offers a great solo experience, however, some heroes and card mechanics are geared more toward cooperative play. The game can also take a long time to play through a campaign.
- Deckbuilding: If acquiring additional heroes, you will accumulate a vast pool of cards from which to choose, which can be overwhelming for some people.
3. Final Girl
This game plays like you’re in a classic slasher flick, fighting for survival against a killer while trapped in a secluded location, such as a summer camp or a haunted mansion. In my experience, the game is quite difficult to win, but very immersive in the horror-movie theme. The game also has expansions to bring more killers and locations that can be mixed and matched for additional replayability.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Risk-Reward Tension: Will you push your luck for more resources, or play it safe to avoid the killer? Every decision adds to the heart-pounding suspense in your struggle to survive.
- High Replayability: With multiple expansions, costing around $20 each, you can add fresh challenges to an already replayable game.
Reasons To Skip It:
- High Difficulty: This game can be brutal. Losing is a real possibility. Expect a real challenge.
- Dice Dependence: Strategy alone won’t help you survive, the game relies on chance with dice rolls.
- Solo Only: The game is designed around only one player, so there’s no chance of adding players when your friends finally answer your call for game night.
2. Cartographers:
Cartographers is an interesting game in that up to 100 people can play it at once, but the game also has a solo mode for those looking for a peaceful experience. You’ll begin by drafting terrain cards such as mountains, forests, or rivers, then focusing on fulfilling specific requirements and creating a visually stunning map.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Relaxing Gameplay: Although strategic in style, the game feels relaxing and doesn’t put tremendous pressure on the player. The beautiful artwork and satisfying tile-placement mechanic
- Quick Setup: It doesn’t take long to get a game set up and started.
- Replayability: Offering a variety of scoring objectives and unique card combinations, each session offers a fresh challenge.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Puzzle Focus: For players looking for a story-driven narrative, this is not it.
- Pencil and Paper: While some enjoy the tactile experience, the game uses a paper map and pencil for marking features, and erasing mistakes can be messy.
1. Legacy Of Yu
Legacy of Yu earns my top spot for solo board games under $50. You take the role of a legendary hero during the Xia Dynasty, Yu the Great. With a fully resettable campaign, the game has a variable difficulty and an easily manageable playtime, so you don’t get bogged down in an overly long marathon session. The game uses a unique blend of worker placement, resource management, and narrative progression for a satisfying solo board game experience.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Thematic Setting: While it isn’t a historical simulation, the game’s ancient Chinese setting really shines here.
- Solo-only game: You alone will play through a multi-game campaign, with each session bringing new challenges to overcome and adding to a sense of progress.
- Manageable Playtime: Average playtime is around 1 hour, which is easier to manage for those short on time.
Reasons To Skip It:
- Price Point: At $47, the game is one of the pricer solo-only board games.
- Repetitive: While the campaign offers decent progression, the worker placement and resource management system doesn’t offer much variety after multiple playthroughs.
