Thank you for actually showing the games! I am so tired of all these board gamers who basically talk straight into the camera for half an hour and only show the box art at best. Your video gave me a really good impression of the games - and some great pointers as to what to play next! Great stuff!
Nice list and review! I’m not a huge solo gamer but keep threatening to play solo games more often. That will resolve the frustration when others aren’t available or there’s just a short amount of time to fill. I tend to play games solo when learning a new game to teach others. I do have a few solo games, like Falling Skies and Legacy of Yu. Just getting started with Legacy of Yu. It has the satisfying feel of being a real board game for one. Artwork, packaging and design is all very high quality. Maquis and Coffee Roaster looks appealing to me as perhaps next to try.
I've been watching you for a while, and my solo games collection (or games with solo) is increasing because of it. I've recently bought "Legacy of Yu" and I'll be getting some more from this list for sure. Thanks for your hard work.
My favorite solo only is a game I think I have not seen in your channel. It's called "Eila and Something Shiny". It's a campaign game, 5 chapters, 30 mins - 1hour each. There are some very cool mechanisms, like "story deck building" and it's super simple. What makes the game special is the story but I do not want to spoil anything, so I will just describe the box; you are a cute bunny trying to find something shiny on the top of a mountain. The game length is also ideal even for a complete campaign video and it will probably be a campaign you will finish and finish it pretty soon!
thank you so much! while we love all your solo playthroughs of bigger games, we appreciate the solo only board game coverage as these are usually smaller boxed games and better for our limited space.🥰
I can recommend a few: Wreckage Run by Renegade Games (Dice Management in a Mad Max setting), Propuh by Interhuman Games (Trick Taking in a slavic Mythology setting), One Card Dungeon by Little Rocket Games (Dice Management in a mini Dungeoncrawler) and Gate by Grey Gnome Games (Deckbuilding/Card Management in a fantasy setting). Oh and of course Eila and something shiny by Ice Makes (a solo adventure storytelling game)!
I absolutely love Coffee roaster but rarely see it on Solo board gamers' lists. I feel it's pretty underrated for how unique and cosy it is. Personally, I feel the newer version by Stronghold games is much more aesthetic and pleasing to look at. And the Coffee roaster game app is also really good. I've literally played 100s of games on the app and I'm still not bored of it. So happy to see the game on your list.
100% agreed! Coffee roaster is super lovely. However, I actually think the Sashi version looks much better, and really wish I had that instead of the stronghold version.
Yeah, I think I said in a different video that Coffee Roaster is ironically one of my favorite games to play at night. I find it strangely relaxing and cozy. I've not played the app, I'll have to check that out. Thanks so much for watching!
Great list as always! Halls of Hegra is the only one I haven’t checked out yet (and may have to at some point!!). Other favorites of mine are the Jason Glover solo tin games (Tin Helm, Gate, Dustrunner). All are small tin games that are surprisingly thinky and super fun. Some other button shy standouts in solo only are At the Helm, Numbsters, Ancient Realms, and Unsurmountable. Lastly some other great ones are The Lucky Seven, Puzzle Dungeon; Spire’s End, and Lock & Spell.
@@slimyweasel I have it as well, but find it a bit to fiddly and have more going on then Tinel that it isn’t really worth the extra effort. Definitely fun, but definitely beat it out for me.
Great recommendations! Thanks so much. I need to try those tin games. I've been looking at them for a while and never pulled the trigger. Puzzle Dungeon I just acquired but it hasn't hit the table. And I've played all the Button Shy games. I plan on making a video about them all at some point. Still deciding on the format. I'm a big fan of those, but ROVE is my favorite. Thanks for checking out the video!
Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the list. I rambled a bit more than usual on this one but I find the topic very interesting. :) Thanks for watching!
I've heard Witchcraft is an improvement from several people. I really need to try it. Isn't ROVE great? I can't wait for the new expansions! Thanks so much for checking out the video!
Ow different witchcraft is? I really liked resistance for the theme arts and scenarios (even if some are almost impossible) (the good things is the game is "tunable" )
@@aorakis5795 functionally it's the same game, but the retooled abilities make for a much more interesting experience, and variability of jurors creates less static scenarios.
Loved this! I’m currently solo-crunching through Oathsworn, Earthborne Rangers and having the occasional “reset my brain” night with Fields of Arle (with the Tea & Trade expansion). My only gripe with the bigger campaign games is that I don’t have a place to leave them setup between sessions… maybe one day I’ll convince my partner that a vaulted board game table is a “solid investment” 😂
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I'm trying to find ways to talk about games I don't discuss often. Not easy with top 10 lists. The same games seem to rise to the top. Thanks so much for checking out the video!
I just wanna say that your channel is amazing and enviable. Absolutely love your solo playthroughs! I often find myself watching one of those when I read rules for a new game and have doubts for some things and (almost) everything gets settled. I like your 9-8-7 here and 20 strong, which I think should be higher 😂
That is very nice of you to say. Thank you! I need to play 20 Strong more, especially the Too Many Bones version, so it might go up over time. Thanks for checking out the video and supporting the channel!
Great list. I am broadening the list a little bit to include a few that had multi-player bolted on, sort of the opposite of how many solo modes come about. The best on my list would be Apex Theropod. It is a basic deck builder but the puzzle of each dinosaur and the reigning apex predator is exceptionally satisfying. Some dinosaurs you go right at them, some take a bit of planning. It is so good! The multi-player competitive game is fine, quite different, but just fine. The next on my list is Nemo’s War. Passing control of the Nautilus is such a weak cooperative mode, why even call it that :). The narrative aspect of the game is strong, especially as you start getting to the end game and your determination (or insanity) drives you to taking more risks, pushing your crew, sacrificing everything to accomplish your goal or die trying. You really do become Nemo of the novel. Speaking of solo game adaptations of classic science fiction, War of the Worlds from Dan Verssen Games captures the feeling of the novel perfectly. Well, the UK version :) You are at an extreme technological disadvantage, it requires cunning to keep the Martians from overrunning the British countryside. Of course, you have to play Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds while playing. As good as the UK version is, The US, France and Japan provide interesting unique puzzles of their own. Can the US mobilize fast enough to bring the war to the Martin, Japan is sheer numbers making up for a technology gap, and the French version feels like nobody wants to fight the bad guys. Robinson Crusoe tough, but so rewarding when you make any kind of progress. I am not a fan of real time games, but Proving Grounds is an exception. It would be at the lower end of the list, but quite a good solo game.
I own 8 of the 10 games on your list. They are all really good solo-only games. Other solo-only games that I recommend: Paperback Adventures Onirim (with expansions) Wreckland Run
Great ranking, almost flawless. I predicted most of the titles, but really didn't expect to see Halls of Hegra. Instead, I was expecting Black Sonata to show up somewhere in the list, but now I understand you still have to try it (personally, I don't like it as much as most people do). I would have ranked Maquis as high as you right after I started playing it, but after a while, I realized it's arguably the most luck-based of this entire list, since you can create the supply line as carefully as you want, but then the patrol just happens to match your entire line and arrest the key agent that makes you lose the game instantly. It's infuriating, and the only way to mitigate it would be to memorize each patrol card then count them and do the probability math round by round, but that'd turn it into the most unfun, dry experience. As for Final Girl, that's just another league entirely. There really cannot exist a solo-only ranking that doesn't have Final Girl at the top. I pity people who refuse to play solo games, because they won't be able to experience Final Girl.
Your list is my wish list, lol I already bought 3 of them. But there's one game that's never ever mentioned in all the best solo board games video out there, and that's Nemo's War (second edition). It's such an immersive and adventurous game. It's in my top 3 solitaire games.
I can't rate Legacy of Yu highly enough. I got it for Christmas and played through the campaign twice in the first couple of months (then put it on the shelf for a while so I don't risk overplaying it). This is the best solo game I've played; granted, most of my solo plays are not solo-only games, so more experienced solo gamers may have even better games to recommend, but I loved this one.
I'm pretty new to board games and solo specifically. I have Final Girl and Buttons and Bugs. I am happy to have a list to expand my knowledge of games.
Can't wait to give Halls of Hegra a try at some point. Great list! My favorite solo only game has got to be Nemo's War (it's not a war game, but it does have chits). I have both Maquis and Black Sonata and to me Maquis is okay, while Black Sonata is a gem, and it has a lot of staying power. With the expansions, it provides a new puzzle to solve each time, it's very good.
Another great video! As a solo player I am familiar with all of these games, although I have not played them all. One I'm not sure you've tried is Black Sonata. I think that is one of the most underrated solo-only games, and overall games, out there. Hitting Kickstarter next week with a second expansion too!
Yep, Black Sonata is a blind spot that I hope to play soon. High on my list. I'll definitely be jumping on the crowdfunding campaign. Thanks for checking out the video!
Merci pour cette excellente liste: j’irai voir les jeux que je ne connais pas. Surtout, félicitation pour la qualité des tes vidéos : c’est du travail concis qui nous donne un bon aperçu des jeux présentés. Chapeau bas👏👏👏
Thank you so much. You should check out my Top 50 Solo Games of all Time list if you haven't already. And I'm working on a Top 100 solos for the end of the year. Hopefully it will be a valuable resource. Thanks again!
This is an awesome list. I am familiar with many and own 2 of them. Friday and Under Falling Skies are the two I own. Halls of Hegra is really pulling at me. It seems very intense. Thank you for creating and sharing.
Halls of Hegra is fantastic, but definitely has a lot going on and is quite long and epic. Check out my full solo playthrough if you haven't to see how it plays. Thanks for watching the list!
@@TotallyTabled thank you, I will look up your playt through. I have watched Mike's from Board Games for one. I do like different perspectives. Thank you again. I will leave a comment after I get a chance to watch.
Yeah, Nemo's War is one I have bounced off of so far, but I need to play it more before I say definitively that it isn't for me. I will definitely give it another chance at some point. Thanks for checking out the video!
I agree, - Nemo's War is probably my favourite solo game, although technically it can also be played cooperatively and competitively so is not a true "solo only" game.
Great video! I’ve played most of these. Funnily enough the only one I dislike is Final Girl; the components caused me problems and it’s so swingy… I wanted to love it though
I agree with you, but I don't mind swingy-ness in a solo or coop survival game, especially with this horror theme. It works for me. A game like this shouldn't be "fair" in a traditional sense, because we need to feel terror. We need to know that at any moment something bad might happen. That's the brilliance of games like Robinson Crusoe and This War of Mine and even Nemesis. They allow for swingy outcomes, which keeps the player tense, even when things are good. I think that is part of why survival games make such great solo games. When I approach this style of game my mentality isn't "can I win with my strategic brain" but rather "can I survive with my wit and guile." But, yeah, I understand why this wouldn't be an experience that everyone would enjoy. Thanks so much for watching my list video!
Final Girl handles swingy gameplays in two ways I think. It provides a few ways to change your fate, and it makes losing fun. Losing is fun through the tension Totally Tabled mentioned, the on/point theme, and the lore book. Another game I think does this well is Escape the Dark Castle. It’s so dead simple, but I’d almost rather lose that game. Each card has a “death scene” associated with it much like the lore book with Final Girl. Maybe I see some games more of an experience not necessarily designed to crack and win.
I think their new tears dice for season 3 will help with mitigation when you can’t do it with cards. At least you will get something for all those 1 and 2 rolls. 🤣
Good discussion and appreciate the replies here guys! I don’t inherently mind swinginess (Robinson Crusoe is among my favourite games) but something about Final Girl gave me frustration and the feeling of hopelessness which felt a bit overbearing (the closest game to make me feel that was Spirit Island where no matter how good a move was there are always more invaders showing up; I kept feeling like I just wanted a break from the onslaught). The big downer for me with Final Girl was that the theme didn’t really translate like I thought it would; I found the small map/killer boards fiddly and they tended to warp/spin which was super irritating and took me out of the moment (I bought the game twice and had the issue both times), and then the other components weren’t also great either. If they were to re-release with proper game boards and several maps/killers in a single box I’d probably give this another try
This is a great list for solo games. My favourite is Final Girl but I have really been enjoying the X and writes like Welcome to and Dungeons dice and danger. Maquis is my go to board game on my phone. It’s quick to get into and really intense. Keep up the great work! I really liked the list you provided
This list was focused on games that can only be played solo, so none of the X and writes would fit. But I do love Welcome to the Moon. That is one I've been meaning to play on the channel. Thanks for watching!
I had Friday early in my gaming hobby (5 years ago) but I did not like it at all. I like to have at least a 30%(?) chance of winning and I never felt like I would get to win it ever. And I hated seeing people in the BGG forums talk about how "easy" it was and that they "solved it" in just 10 plays or so! Very frustrating! I recently bought For Northwood! and I do enjoy it. I take it on travel since it's so small and has a good amount of challenge without being too hard or too easy. I have Final Girl and like it a lot, but I have to be in the right mood to play because it is truly a survival kind of game. I have won some combinations, but not others. Several of the others on your list are ones that I have been interested in, but didn't know enough about: Under Falling Skies, Maquis, Legacy of Yu, Warp's Edge, and Coffee Roaster. Thanks for covering them here - even just the description you gave here is more than I have seen elsewhere without having to watch an entire playthrough. I suspect that BGA has 1 or 2 of them - I just have to take the time to try them out there!
God I love your videos, keep up the good work! It's so aesthetic and is really informative, I have so many of your recommended games in my own collection!
I recommend Sprawlopolis, Dawn of the Zeds as for solo only board games Star wars Outer Rim is quite enjoyable with its solo mode. Carnegie solo is amazing and really challenging. Haven't won it yet. Fallout the boardgame played with two characters and both expansions is also very good. If you have time and I mean a lot of time, try Sleeping gods. It's amazing.
We have similar tastes. I've actually made full solo playthroughs of Sprawlopolis, Outer Rim, Carnegie and Sleeping Gods. Dawn of the Zeds is on my to-film list. Hopefully soon. And I've been thinking about making a Fallout playthrough. That could be fun. Thanks so much for watching!
@@TotallyTabled I'm excited to see your opinion on Fallout. For Sprawlopolis I do have a challenge for you. If your are interested. Go green ( 3 ) Park hopping ( 13 ) Looping Lanes ( 14 ) This combination was very hard for me to solve.
Siege of Valeria with the campaign is my favourite at the moment, but I also love Sylvion (big tower defense fan obviously!) I'm very keen on Halls of Hegra, but need to wait until I have the budget...
Not Solo-Only-Games, but I love play board games solo like Kingdom Death : Monster, Frostpunk, Robinson Crusoe, Hunter AD, Agemonia or Chronicles of Drunagor. So many top coop games that you must try solo ... Aftermath, Arkham Horror LCG or ISS Vanguard. Love the epic solo play ... 😊
I've enjoyed Soldiers in Postmen's Uniforms a lot. If feels like it achieves what Freedom the underground railroad did for cooperative, in making each choice feel like lives on the line.
Ah, I have that game staring at me in my to-play pile here in my office. It looks really interesting and what an incredible theme! I'm now really excited to play it. Thanks for watching!
To be honest I nowadays quite actively move away from solo only games because I like games where when friends come by we can all enjoy together. So no matter how good Final girl is - I always feel depressed that you can never share that experience with others and it is also a difficult topic to share with. Economically it makes sense too! You buy one game to cater both solo and multiplayef
I just received Button and Bugs and it has not hit the table yet. I should really get that played and see if I want to make a video about it. The mini box is adorable. :) Thanks for checking out the list!
Hey, thanks for checking out the video. I would say For Northwood, Maquis, Warp's Edge and ROVE would be good choices for beginners. I have playthroughs of all four, so you can check those out. I would also recommend the following videos for more suggestions: Top 10 Simple Solo Games: ruclips.net/video/PuE3DUuSFag/видео.html Top 10 Next Step Solo Games: ruclips.net/video/qzPKqjf9r5M/видео.html Top 10 Medium Weight Solo Games: ruclips.net/video/cGijNPQTzJ8/видео.html Top 50 Solo Games of All Time: ruclips.net/video/zpN57Nhehms/видео.html I have playthroughs of many of the games on these lists, so I recommend checking those out for any game that looks interesting. Hope this helps!
Games I own and love playing: Under Falling Skies, Friday, Warp's Edge, For Northwood!, Maquis, Doom Machine, Final Girl (I have four vignettes but have only played the Happy Trails Horror One.) Games I own but haven't played yet: Rove, Witchcraft! (very similar to Resist!) Games I really want to try: Legacy of Yu, Cursed!?, Black Sonata (reprint campaign on Kickstarter tomorrow), Leviathan WIlds (reprint campaign coming to GameFound soon) My current favorite solo game: Ancient Realm (multi-use cards, Button Shy goodness) P.S. I don't think I've ever won a game of Friday.
I feel you about Friday -- I've won a few times, but usually it feels impossible. Not a game I would have thought could be "solved." I'm jumping on the Black Sonata reprint for sure. And I need to try Doom Machine. I remember seeing a bit about that one and it looked cool. Thanks for the list!
Have you tried Nemo's War? I recently picked it up, and it quickly became one of my top games of all time. I think it has a great theme and offers really interesting decisions.
Yeah, I have played a few times a long time ago. I need to try it again as I kind of bounced off of it. Although, it is technically a 1-4 player game. In my mind it is solo only, but for this list I am sticking to the technical player counts. Thanks for watching.
The irony of this video to me is that every time I play a cooperative game, there is always that one person who knows the most and is telling/suggesting other people what to do
I hope you enjoy whatever you buy. I'll accept all credit and none of the blame. :) Thanks for supporting the channel for so long. I really appreciate you!
I have not played either game, but I do own Lux. It is one I've been meaning to get to the table. Thanks for the recommendations and thanks for watching!
Can't agree with Friday being on the list, it's fun but it's solvable (I can win 95% of games at top difficulty level). I'm glad you didn't include Nemo's War; It's very repetative and you can see how the best play in any situation if you redraw the map! Also to get max score you have to play very gamey! I don't recall what the action is (dig for treasure?) but it drives right through all the face down cards.
Hi there, nice little list with some game I have to try out, such has maquis and coffee roaster Around here. Even if I have much less games than before. I had some great time on -Warp's edge -Sprawpolis (now replaced by Naturopolis) -Bullet -LOTR and marvel LCGS -Aeon's end / Astro knights -Resist -Cascadia / Calico -Raiders of scythia -After us I tried out rove but apparently my brain was getting a hard time in that one :D And so many others :)
Those are great solo games. Thanks for the list. For this list I stuck to solo games that couldn't be played at any other player count. But for my full list of favorite solo games, check out my Top 50 Solo Games of All Time that I did several months ago. Thanks for watching!
the more i play Final Girl the more I like it... only played a few times and its in my top 100 of all time already.. just need to play it some more.. thanks for the list...
I was the same way. My first reaction was a bit sour. But I started to lock into what it was doing. I now appreciate the design and have a ton of fun with it. Thanks for checking out the video! Nice to hear from you.
Are legacy of yu and coffee roaster hard? I’m at a for northwood (thanks to ur play through) and don’t want anything too hard or overwhelming- as always you do good work and I’m thankful for ur videos! Xo
I'd suggest watching both playthroughs I've made on those games. They are significantly more complex than For Northwood. Coffee Roaster is close, but the gameplay is quirky and can be hard to learn. I'd also suggest watching my Top 10 Simple Solo Games list here: ruclips.net/video/PuE3DUuSFag/видео.html and my Top 10 Next Step Solo Games list here: ruclips.net/video/qzPKqjf9r5M/видео.html. Those are full of great games that are around the weight of For Northwood. Thanks for watching!
Good solo or solitaire games: Revolution Road ((1775) Sniper Elite the Board game Soldiers in Postmen’s Uniforms Dawn of Empire(1898) One Deck Dungeon Nemo’s War Defending America (from the German Amerika bomber) Regards
Thanks for the list of recommendations. Definitely a few I want to try. Just to clarify, this list was for games that can only be played solo and no other player count. For my list of all solo games, you can check out my Top 50 Solos of all Time list I made many months ago. Thanks for watching!
Good list! Still hoping to try out Warp's Edge. :( My top solo only games also include - Paperback Adventures, Nemo's war, Palm Island, Sylvion and Deep Space D6.
I really want to try Paperback Adventures, but it technically is 1-2 players, as is Sylvion (and the entire Oniverse series of game). Nemo's War is actually 1-4 players. Solo only is a smaller group of games than you would think. I know I was surprised when I was going through. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabled I am not surprised :) and I am also not convinced of the fact that some 1-2 player games as said on the box should be excluded from such list - simply because they belong to the old school solos when publishers/designers were not convinced if true solos would roll therefore they made games that can be "played" with, say, two players - however it is a hard fact almost everyone almost always plays such games solo almost exclusively anyways (e.g said Omniverse or Nemo's war - if you check the soft spot statistics or simply try one game of Nemo's war with more than 1 player, you will find out soon enough that "1-4" is a terrible publisher-pleasing error rather than a deliberate way of designing a pleasant multiplayer game). The bottom line here is - except from Friday, most true solo games have only be published in recent years and don't do justice (yet) to some still recent titles, whereas most 1-2 player games could be true solos if they were made in the right time (during and after the pandemic - the golden era of solos!)
@@TotallyTabled oh strange I thought both those game where on your solos list before and Frostpunk was even designed to be solo first. But that’s ok. Great list I also love those game!
Love solo boardgaming but solo only board games haven’t been great to me. I didn’t like Final Girl or Victorum though I thought I would. Haven’t tried Halls of Hegra but interested. I think my favorite solo only BG is Under Falling Skies. Would love to try ROVE.
Yeah, that is a shame. With the success of Saashi games I'm surprised Coffee Roaster hasn't been rereleased with the original artwork. I suspect lawyers are involved somehow -- if something doesn't make sense then a lawyer is probably involved. Maybe one day. Thanks for watching!
Coffee Roaster captured my attention, I saw your playthrough and I'm considering buying it. ^_^ I like Final Girl, especially that you can manipulate these half-wins and you plan for whatever is happening right now on the board. I kinda dislike deckbuilders, I realized it's pretty annoying that I buy a card and need to wait until it shows up and it often is not even useful at that moment. 😅 I just don't like planning far ahead. I got Warp's Edge and I'm not sure if I like it. The fact that you reshuffle all these guys you defeated and they show up again and again is slightly frustrating. 😅
In Warp's Edge I think of each round as a new wave of enemies -- but this time I'm much stronger than before and next round I'll be even stronger! That feels good to me. And I get the same feeling with deckbuilders. It feels nice to get stronger and stronger -- it's like leveling up each time you shuffle the deck. Thanks so much for watching!
I received 3 solo gems last week and have yet to play them: Castle Itter, Lanzerath Ridge and Pavlov's House. Did you play any of these yet? If so I'm very interested in feedback. Being a big fan of Halls of Hegra, I expect to love these defense games, where you have to hold the line against all odds...
I'm very interested in Pavlov's House after playing Halls of Hegra. Definitely one I will pick up soon. But I haven't played any of those three yet. I've heard great things, that's for sure. Thanks for watching!
Great video ! I really want Northwood but just can't seem to find a copy here in the UK. 😢 *Sobs* Added Legacy of Yu to list of board games to get ! I always find something from your videos 😂 !
Yeah, I wasn't aware of how hard For Northwood is to get. I know some people have print and played it, so maybe those files are somewhere? I'm not a P&Per so I'm not sure. Check out the Legacy of Yu playthrough if you haven't so make sure it looks like something you would enjoy. I think it is another cool design from Shem. Thanks for watching!
Have you played Witchcraft! ? I'm told it's a re-skin of Resist! but updated. It's on my list to acquire (or try to) bc I like the theme more than Resist!
Halls of Hegra is my favorite solo only game. Truly a masterpiece of this genre. However, I can't get into Final girl. Too much random for me with not a lot way to mitigate the bad rolls.
Yes, Final Girl is a specific flavor of game that won't be for everyone. I understand. For me, the randomness works in this game and is cleverly implemented. It evokes the right feeling. It creates dread and tension. It generates stand up moments. You don't feel completely in control, which is necessary for a survival game. Too much mitigation would kill the tension. I like to use the analogy of being in the passenger seat with a driver you don't fully trust -- that's a survival game. You can scream out orders but you aren't fully in control. A very different feeling than being in the driver's seat. Survival games aren't strategy games -- luck is a feature not a bug, when it is designed well. But like I said, this isn't an experience everyone will enjoy. Thanks for watching!
Yeah, I hear what you are saying, but I've been called out for making similar comments, with people telling me how great the Oniverse games are with 2 players. And the designer has stuck with the 1-2 player count through all the series and put a ton of work into accommodating that count, so it is clearly important to him. Thanks for watching!
As a solo player I have all of those games except for For Northwood and Halls of Hegra which are very hard to find! Great list if I have 80% of them!!!😂
Halls of Hegra is getting a second printing, not sure if the crowdfunding campaign has happened yet. I didn't realize For Northwood was hard to find. Should be temporary. I believe it has been very successful. Thanks for watching!
Sometimes it really pays off to read all the comments on a video. Thank you for recommending this game! I just watched a playthrough of it (case #1, I think) and it looks right up my alley: cool artwork, difficult to win, interesting decision space. Have you played all the cases? If so, are they all decent?
@@jamesmorgan1967 kind of... There's a few different versions and I don't completely understand all the differences but I bought Case 1 and enjoyed it. Then I played a Tabletop Simulator version of Case 2 and it was marginally better but wasn't different enough to add to my collection. Then Case 3 came out and was a perfect evolution of the system. A lot more going on than case 1&2 so not sure it's the best starting place but it is hands down a game I will keep for a long time.
@@michaelrichard1320 Thanks for the quick response! I suspect I'm going to end up with all three of them eventually. I see that there are also two "collector cases" (The Real Leeds and The King in Yellow) that I'll have to look into...
Final Girl has been growing for me. I feel the same way about it as Arkham Horror LCG ... when I'm in the right mood, it is perfect. If I'm not in that mood, I won't touch it. Even when considering all solo games, it ranks highly for me because of the theme and emergent storytelling. Thanks for checking out the video!
It has a ton. Each scenario box is very replayable on its own, with two final girls, extra cards that you won't see in every game, different setups, etc. But then there are so many boxes you can get with so many themes and new twists on the rules. Lots to explore. Thanks for watching!
It was my number 12. I like it a lot. I need to play each of the boxes more and maybe it will go up with time. Many of these other games I've been playing for years, so that might factor in as well. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabledI recommend checking out 20S Hoplomachus after getting familiar with Solar Sentinels. SS feels like a tutorial layer to Hoplomachus, which steps up the decision space on positioning, item management, dice recruitment, and variety (9 bosses and players vs SS having 4 bosses and 6 heroes)
Ha, yeah, I don't have that problem. I just pick the few scenario boxes that seem the most interesting to me. I only have 6 of the who knows how many boxes at this point. It works great that way. Thanks for checking out the list!
I don't get the reasoning for making a list for "only solo" games. When I like playing a game solo which is e.g. 1 to 4 players more than an game which is only 1 player then it's still better solo.
I tried to answer this question during the video, but I guess I wasn't very clear. I think solo-only designs have the potential to offer a different experience then multiplayer games with solo modes. I think it is valuable to isolate these games and explore those differences. What is the design potential when you don't have to accommodate a potential 4 players? I find that interesting. But ultimately the point is just to have fun. This is a hobby and it is fun to categorize, order, compare, and analyze things that are part of your hobby. Most of my favorite solo games are not solo only -- I don't think there is anything inherently better or worse, just different. Anyway, that is the reasoning for a list like this. Thanks for watching.
@@TotallyTabled I get what you mean. My concern is that people who are interested in solo-gaming want to know what are good solo-games. Now one could think that these are the 10 games you should buy when you want to play solo. But in fact that is not the case because in an all-over solo list one doenst know which ranking those 10 games would have. Otherwise, almost all koop-games offer the same experience when you play them solo. E.g. when I play the Arkham Horror LCG solo, there is nothing that makes me feel that somehow it is no perfect solo game just because you can also play it multi-player. In the end, to me the only-solo thing is just a pseudo-discussion, because it's never a reason to buy a game or not. On the opposite, one could argue that solo-only games have a huge disadvantage over 1 to x players games because "limited player count". ;-) Just to give an example how misleading a solo-only list can be: My favorite solo-only game is Under Falling Skies. BUT it's "only" rank 38 in my solo list. So I would recommend 37 other games to solo-gamers. Just to show what I actually mean: I would have preferred it if you hadn't made a top 10 list concerning that topic BUT instead just a basic hobby video about victory condition and overall gameplay that can make only-solo games different from other games. And in this context, you could have shown all those games. My personal opinion: This top10 doenst have a 100% added value to the audience, but a basic talk/discussion with examples would.
Friday is so difficult that I never play it as who needs more hopelessness and frustration in their life? I have gotten to the pirates once and then was annihilated. It sits on my shelf looking for a new home.
Thank you for actually showing the games! I am so tired of all these board gamers who basically talk straight into the camera for half an hour and only show the box art at best. Your video gave me a really good impression of the games - and some great pointers as to what to play next! Great stuff!
I'm glad this style works for you. It is a lot more work, but hopefully more informative and entertaining. I appreciate you checking out the video!
I came here to say the same thing.
YES, so much yes!
The B-Roll is fantastic and informative!
I prefer also to view the game.
Nice list and review! I’m not a huge solo gamer but keep threatening to play solo games more often. That will resolve the frustration when others aren’t available or there’s just a short amount of time to fill. I tend to play games solo when learning a new game to teach others. I do have a few solo games, like Falling Skies and Legacy of Yu. Just getting started with Legacy of Yu. It has the satisfying feel of being a real board game for one. Artwork, packaging and design is all very high quality. Maquis and Coffee Roaster looks appealing to me as perhaps next to try.
I've been watching you for a while, and my solo games collection (or games with solo) is increasing because of it. I've recently bought "Legacy of Yu" and I'll be getting some more from this list for sure. Thanks for your hard work.
My favorite solo only is a game I think I have not seen in your channel.
It's called "Eila and Something Shiny". It's a campaign game, 5 chapters, 30 mins - 1hour each.
There are some very cool mechanisms, like "story deck building" and it's super simple. What makes the game special is the story but I do not want to spoil anything, so I will just describe the box; you are a cute bunny trying to find something shiny on the top of a mountain.
The game length is also ideal even for a complete campaign video and it will probably be a campaign you will finish and finish it pretty soon!
the new edition from 2023. Very important detail.
@@kosterix123 I didn't even know there are two editions 😅
I've been intrigued by this one and I'm considering picking it up. Thanks for recommending it! It seems like something I would enjoy.
Okay now I have to buy it and it's all your fault.
@@TotallyTabled I am really looking forward to see this game from your point of view :)
thank you so much! while we love all your solo playthroughs of bigger games, we appreciate the solo only board game coverage as these are usually smaller boxed games and better for our limited space.🥰
I can recommend a few: Wreckage Run by Renegade Games (Dice Management in a Mad Max setting), Propuh by Interhuman Games (Trick Taking in a slavic Mythology setting), One Card Dungeon by Little Rocket Games (Dice Management in a mini Dungeoncrawler) and Gate by Grey Gnome Games (Deckbuilding/Card Management in a fantasy setting). Oh and of course Eila and something shiny by Ice Makes (a solo adventure storytelling game)!
I absolutely love Coffee roaster but rarely see it on Solo board gamers' lists. I feel it's pretty underrated for how unique and cosy it is.
Personally, I feel the newer version by Stronghold games is much more aesthetic and pleasing to look at.
And the Coffee roaster game app is also really good. I've literally played 100s of games on the app and I'm still not bored of it.
So happy to see the game on your list.
100% agreed! Coffee roaster is super lovely. However, I actually think the Sashi version looks much better, and really wish I had that instead of the stronghold version.
Yeah, I think I said in a different video that Coffee Roaster is ironically one of my favorite games to play at night. I find it strangely relaxing and cozy. I've not played the app, I'll have to check that out. Thanks so much for watching!
I agree with you. I love the Sashi version and their artwork.
Great list and thanks for creating a list for solo games, we need more of these!
Great list as always! Halls of Hegra is the only one I haven’t checked out yet (and may have to at some point!!). Other favorites of mine are the Jason Glover solo tin games (Tin Helm, Gate, Dustrunner). All are small tin games that are surprisingly thinky and super fun. Some other button shy standouts in solo only are At the Helm, Numbsters, Ancient Realms, and Unsurmountable.
Lastly some other great ones are The Lucky Seven, Puzzle Dungeon; Spire’s End, and Lock & Spell.
What about Iron Helm, have you tried it?
@@slimyweasel I have it as well, but find it a bit to fiddly and have more going on then Tinel that it isn’t really worth the extra effort. Definitely fun, but definitely beat it out for me.
Great recommendations! Thanks so much. I need to try those tin games. I've been looking at them for a while and never pulled the trigger. Puzzle Dungeon I just acquired but it hasn't hit the table. And I've played all the Button Shy games. I plan on making a video about them all at some point. Still deciding on the format. I'm a big fan of those, but ROVE is my favorite. Thanks for checking out the video!
Love your videos. Always simple and concise 😊
Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the list. I rambled a bit more than usual on this one but I find the topic very interesting. :) Thanks for watching!
Always wanted to know where you get your board games
Some absolute bangers on here. Love Rove and Maquis, but Resist! has been summarily booted out by Witchcraft!
I've heard Witchcraft is an improvement from several people. I really need to try it. Isn't ROVE great? I can't wait for the new expansions! Thanks so much for checking out the video!
Ow different witchcraft is?
I really liked resistance for the theme arts and scenarios (even if some are almost impossible) (the good things is the game is "tunable" )
@@aorakis5795 functionally it's the same game, but the retooled abilities make for a much more interesting experience, and variability of jurors creates less static scenarios.
@@NoPunIncludedcouldn’t agree more. Couldn’t think of a single thing that is better in Resistance. Witchcraft is such an improvement
Loved this!
I’m currently solo-crunching through Oathsworn, Earthborne Rangers and having the occasional “reset my brain” night with Fields of Arle (with the Tea & Trade expansion).
My only gripe with the bigger campaign games is that I don’t have a place to leave them setup between sessions… maybe one day I’ll convince my partner that a vaulted board game table is a “solid investment” 😂
Great list with some intriguing titles I haven't had a chance to try yet. Thanks for this!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I'm trying to find ways to talk about games I don't discuss often. Not easy with top 10 lists. The same games seem to rise to the top. Thanks so much for checking out the video!
I just wanna say that your channel is amazing and enviable. Absolutely love your solo playthroughs! I often find myself watching one of those when I read rules for a new game and have doubts for some things and (almost) everything gets settled. I like your 9-8-7 here and 20 strong, which I think should be higher 😂
That is very nice of you to say. Thank you! I need to play 20 Strong more, especially the Too Many Bones version, so it might go up over time. Thanks for checking out the video and supporting the channel!
Great list. I am broadening the list a little bit to include a few that had multi-player bolted on, sort of the opposite of how many solo modes come about.
The best on my list would be Apex Theropod. It is a basic deck builder but the puzzle of each dinosaur and the reigning apex predator is exceptionally satisfying. Some dinosaurs you go right at them, some take a bit of planning. It is so good! The multi-player competitive game is fine, quite different, but just fine.
The next on my list is Nemo’s War. Passing control of the Nautilus is such a weak cooperative mode, why even call it that :). The narrative aspect of the game is strong, especially as you start getting to the end game and your determination (or insanity) drives you to taking more risks, pushing your crew, sacrificing everything to accomplish your goal or die trying. You really do become Nemo of the novel.
Speaking of solo game adaptations of classic science fiction, War of the Worlds from Dan Verssen Games captures the feeling of the novel perfectly. Well, the UK version :) You are at an extreme technological disadvantage, it requires cunning to keep the Martians from overrunning the British countryside. Of course, you have to play Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds while playing. As good as the UK version is, The US, France and Japan provide interesting unique puzzles of their own. Can the US mobilize fast enough to bring the war to the Martin, Japan is sheer numbers making up for a technology gap, and the French version feels like nobody wants to fight the bad guys. Robinson Crusoe tough, but so rewarding when you make any kind of progress.
I am not a fan of real time games, but Proving Grounds is an exception. It would be at the lower end of the list, but quite a good solo game.
A very solid list. Not a weak game in sight.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for checking out the video!
I own 8 of the 10 games on your list. They are all really good solo-only games.
Other solo-only games that I recommend:
Paperback Adventures
Onirim (with expansions)
Wreckland Run
Great ranking, almost flawless. I predicted most of the titles, but really didn't expect to see Halls of Hegra. Instead, I was expecting Black Sonata to show up somewhere in the list, but now I understand you still have to try it (personally, I don't like it as much as most people do).
I would have ranked Maquis as high as you right after I started playing it, but after a while, I realized it's arguably the most luck-based of this entire list, since you can create the supply line as carefully as you want, but then the patrol just happens to match your entire line and arrest the key agent that makes you lose the game instantly. It's infuriating, and the only way to mitigate it would be to memorize each patrol card then count them and do the probability math round by round, but that'd turn it into the most unfun, dry experience.
As for Final Girl, that's just another league entirely. There really cannot exist a solo-only ranking that doesn't have Final Girl at the top. I pity people who refuse to play solo games, because they won't be able to experience Final Girl.
Your list is my wish list, lol
I already bought 3 of them.
But there's one game that's never ever mentioned in all the best solo board games video out there, and that's Nemo's War (second edition).
It's such an immersive and adventurous game. It's in my top 3 solitaire games.
I can't rate Legacy of Yu highly enough. I got it for Christmas and played through the campaign twice in the first couple of months (then put it on the shelf for a while so I don't risk overplaying it). This is the best solo game I've played; granted, most of my solo plays are not solo-only games, so more experienced solo gamers may have even better games to recommend, but I loved this one.
Agree! I was surprised at how good Legacy of Yu is! So glad I backed it on KS!
I'm pretty new to board games and solo specifically. I have Final Girl and Buttons and Bugs. I am happy to have a list to expand my knowledge of games.
Welcome! I definitely recommend checking out my Top 50 Solo Games of All Time list. That has all my favorites. Thanks so much for watching!
Can't wait to give Halls of Hegra a try at some point. Great list!
My favorite solo only game has got to be Nemo's War (it's not a war game, but it does have chits). I have both Maquis and Black Sonata and to me Maquis is okay, while Black Sonata is a gem, and it has a lot of staying power. With the expansions, it provides a new puzzle to solve each time, it's very good.
I'm very excited to finally try Black Sonata. I've been hearing about it for a long time. Sounds great. Thanks for watching!
Nemo’s War is so top notch!
Maquis is fantastic! I also love the small box solo games Aleph Null and Lux Aeterna. I think you might like those too.
Hi there. I really have to try it, but is the luck aspect a big deal in the game?
Cheers
I have Lux but haven't tried it yet. I'll definitely move that one up the list. Sounds fun. Thanks for watching!
Skoventyr. You have to play it. It feels like Onirim, but I like it better, and it requires a lot less shuffling.
Thanks for the recommendation! I've heard a bit about that one but it fell off my radar. Time to put it back on the radar! Thanks!
Another great video! As a solo player I am familiar with all of these games, although I have not played them all. One I'm not sure you've tried is Black Sonata. I think that is one of the most underrated solo-only games, and overall games, out there. Hitting Kickstarter next week with a second expansion too!
Yep, Black Sonata is a blind spot that I hope to play soon. High on my list. I'll definitely be jumping on the crowdfunding campaign. Thanks for checking out the video!
Great choices. Legacy of Yu sets up what I hope turns into an evolving series of solo-only games from Shem and co.
Merci pour cette excellente liste: j’irai voir les jeux que je ne connais pas. Surtout, félicitation pour la qualité des tes vidéos : c’est du travail concis qui nous donne un bon aperçu des jeux présentés. Chapeau bas👏👏👏
Such quality content as always Sir! Thank you for this solo list. As I play mostly solo, its so great to get ur views on what's good!
Thank you so much. You should check out my Top 50 Solo Games of all Time list if you haven't already. And I'm working on a Top 100 solos for the end of the year. Hopefully it will be a valuable resource. Thanks again!
Love the game choices on this list definitely some of my favorites and some I need to try like Legacy of Yu.
Awesome, Tracie! I'm glad you liked the list. Yeah, Legacy of Yu is worth trying for sure. Thanks so much for watching!
This is an awesome list. I am familiar with many and own 2 of them. Friday and Under Falling Skies are the two I own. Halls of Hegra is really pulling at me. It seems very intense. Thank you for creating and sharing.
Halls of Hegra is fantastic, but definitely has a lot going on and is quite long and epic. Check out my full solo playthrough if you haven't to see how it plays. Thanks for watching the list!
@@TotallyTabled thank you, I will look up your playt through. I have watched Mike's from Board Games for one. I do like different perspectives. Thank you again. I will leave a comment after I get a chance to watch.
Love these games! I also highly recommend Nemo's War. Super thematic and extremely replayable.
I agree with Nemo's War, feels like something he would enjoy a lot!
Yeah, Nemo's War is one I have bounced off of so far, but I need to play it more before I say definitively that it isn't for me. I will definitely give it another chance at some point. Thanks for checking out the video!
I agree, - Nemo's War is probably my favourite solo game, although technically it can also be played cooperatively and competitively so is not a true "solo only" game.
yeah I agree... I would put Nemo's War on my list as well...
Great video! I’ve played most of these. Funnily enough the only one I dislike is Final Girl; the components caused me problems and it’s so swingy… I wanted to love it though
Swingy is a fantastic way to put it!
I agree with you, but I don't mind swingy-ness in a solo or coop survival game, especially with this horror theme. It works for me. A game like this shouldn't be "fair" in a traditional sense, because we need to feel terror. We need to know that at any moment something bad might happen. That's the brilliance of games like Robinson Crusoe and This War of Mine and even Nemesis. They allow for swingy outcomes, which keeps the player tense, even when things are good. I think that is part of why survival games make such great solo games. When I approach this style of game my mentality isn't "can I win with my strategic brain" but rather "can I survive with my wit and guile." But, yeah, I understand why this wouldn't be an experience that everyone would enjoy. Thanks so much for watching my list video!
Final Girl handles swingy gameplays in two ways I think. It provides a few ways to change your fate, and it makes losing fun. Losing is fun through the tension Totally Tabled mentioned, the on/point theme, and the lore book.
Another game I think does this well is Escape the Dark Castle. It’s so dead simple, but I’d almost rather lose that game. Each card has a “death scene” associated with it much like the lore book with Final Girl.
Maybe I see some games more of an experience not necessarily designed to crack and win.
I think their new tears dice for season 3 will help with mitigation when you can’t do it with cards. At least you will get something for all those 1 and 2 rolls. 🤣
Good discussion and appreciate the replies here guys! I don’t inherently mind swinginess (Robinson Crusoe is among my favourite games) but something about Final Girl gave me frustration and the feeling of hopelessness which felt a bit overbearing (the closest game to make me feel that was Spirit Island where no matter how good a move was there are always more invaders showing up; I kept feeling like I just wanted a break from the onslaught). The big downer for me with Final Girl was that the theme didn’t really translate like I thought it would; I found the small map/killer boards fiddly and they tended to warp/spin which was super irritating and took me out of the moment (I bought the game twice and had the issue both times), and then the other components weren’t also great either. If they were to re-release with proper game boards and several maps/killers in a single box I’d probably give this another try
Thanks for sharing. You have an awesome list.
I'm glad you liked the list. I really appreciate you checking it out!
This is a great list for solo games. My favourite is Final Girl but I have really been enjoying the X and writes like Welcome to and Dungeons dice and danger. Maquis is my go to board game on my phone. It’s quick to get into and really intense.
Keep up the great work! I really liked the list you provided
This list was focused on games that can only be played solo, so none of the X and writes would fit. But I do love Welcome to the Moon. That is one I've been meaning to play on the channel. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabled solo only. I get it. Those two x and writes are still really good solo plays.
I had Friday early in my gaming hobby (5 years ago) but I did not like it at all. I like to have at least a 30%(?) chance of winning and I never felt like I would get to win it ever. And I hated seeing people in the BGG forums talk about how "easy" it was and that they "solved it" in just 10 plays or so! Very frustrating!
I recently bought For Northwood! and I do enjoy it. I take it on travel since it's so small and has a good amount of challenge without being too hard or too easy. I have Final Girl and like it a lot, but I have to be in the right mood to play because it is truly a survival kind of game. I have won some combinations, but not others.
Several of the others on your list are ones that I have been interested in, but didn't know enough about: Under Falling Skies, Maquis, Legacy of Yu, Warp's Edge, and Coffee Roaster. Thanks for covering them here - even just the description you gave here is more than I have seen elsewhere without having to watch an entire playthrough. I suspect that BGA has 1 or 2 of them - I just have to take the time to try them out there!
God I love your videos, keep up the good work! It's so aesthetic and is really informative, I have so many of your recommended games in my own collection!
I'm glad you enjoy my videos and find them informative or helpful in some way. Thanks for checking out the list!
I recommend Sprawlopolis, Dawn of the Zeds as for solo only board games
Star wars Outer Rim is quite enjoyable with its solo mode.
Carnegie solo is amazing and really challenging. Haven't won it yet.
Fallout the boardgame played with two characters and both expansions is also very good.
If you have time and I mean a lot of time, try Sleeping gods. It's amazing.
We have similar tastes. I've actually made full solo playthroughs of Sprawlopolis, Outer Rim, Carnegie and Sleeping Gods. Dawn of the Zeds is on my to-film list. Hopefully soon. And I've been thinking about making a Fallout playthrough. That could be fun. Thanks so much for watching!
@@TotallyTabled
I'm excited to see your opinion on Fallout.
For Sprawlopolis I do have a challenge for you. If your are interested.
Go green ( 3 )
Park hopping ( 13 )
Looping Lanes ( 14 )
This combination was very hard for me to solve.
I highly recommend Lux Aeterna but it might be a bit difficult to get a copy, but it's totally worth it.
Lux Aeterna is fantastic. Highly recommend and it deserves a reprint.
Siege of Valeria with the campaign is my favourite at the moment, but I also love Sylvion (big tower defense fan obviously!) I'm very keen on Halls of Hegra, but need to wait until I have the budget...
Not Solo-Only-Games, but I love play board games solo like Kingdom Death : Monster, Frostpunk, Robinson Crusoe, Hunter AD, Agemonia or Chronicles of Drunagor. So many top coop games that you must try solo ... Aftermath, Arkham Horror LCG or ISS Vanguard. Love the epic solo play ... 😊
I've enjoyed Soldiers in Postmen's Uniforms a lot. If feels like it achieves what Freedom the underground railroad did for cooperative, in making each choice feel like lives on the line.
Ah, I have that game staring at me in my to-play pile here in my office. It looks really interesting and what an incredible theme! I'm now really excited to play it. Thanks for watching!
To be honest I nowadays quite actively move away from solo only games because I like games where when friends come by we can all enjoy together. So no matter how good Final girl is - I always feel depressed that you can never share that experience with others and it is also a difficult topic to share with.
Economically it makes sense too! You buy one game to cater both solo and multiplayef
This is a great video! Thank you! Very helpful.
Have you checked out gloomhaven button and bugs yet?
I just received Button and Bugs and it has not hit the table yet. I should really get that played and see if I want to make a video about it. The mini box is adorable. :) Thanks for checking out the list!
@@TotallyTabled I would love a review from you on that one :-)
Would any of these be good for a beginner? Ive never played anything other than the usual basic family stuff like monopoly and life etc...
Hey, thanks for checking out the video. I would say For Northwood, Maquis, Warp's Edge and ROVE would be good choices for beginners. I have playthroughs of all four, so you can check those out. I would also recommend the following videos for more suggestions:
Top 10 Simple Solo Games: ruclips.net/video/PuE3DUuSFag/видео.html
Top 10 Next Step Solo Games: ruclips.net/video/qzPKqjf9r5M/видео.html
Top 10 Medium Weight Solo Games: ruclips.net/video/cGijNPQTzJ8/видео.html
Top 50 Solo Games of All Time: ruclips.net/video/zpN57Nhehms/видео.html
I have playthroughs of many of the games on these lists, so I recommend checking those out for any game that looks interesting. Hope this helps!
@@TotallyTabled thanks for all the suggestions
Games I own and love playing: Under Falling Skies, Friday, Warp's Edge, For Northwood!, Maquis, Doom Machine, Final Girl (I have four vignettes but have only played the Happy Trails Horror One.)
Games I own but haven't played yet: Rove, Witchcraft! (very similar to Resist!)
Games I really want to try: Legacy of Yu, Cursed!?, Black Sonata (reprint campaign on Kickstarter tomorrow), Leviathan WIlds (reprint campaign coming to GameFound soon)
My current favorite solo game: Ancient Realm (multi-use cards, Button Shy goodness)
P.S. I don't think I've ever won a game of Friday.
I feel you about Friday -- I've won a few times, but usually it feels impossible. Not a game I would have thought could be "solved." I'm jumping on the Black Sonata reprint for sure. And I need to try Doom Machine. I remember seeing a bit about that one and it looked cool. Thanks for the list!
Have you tried Nemo's War?
I recently picked it up, and it quickly became one of my top games of all time. I think it has a great theme and offers really interesting decisions.
Yeah, I have played a few times a long time ago. I need to try it again as I kind of bounced off of it. Although, it is technically a 1-4 player game. In my mind it is solo only, but for this list I am sticking to the technical player counts. Thanks for watching.
The irony of this video to me is that every time I play a cooperative game, there is always that one person who knows the most and is telling/suggesting other people what to do
Amazing video as usual! And it seems I will buy some of the games on your list :)
I hope you enjoy whatever you buy. I'll accept all credit and none of the blame. :) Thanks for supporting the channel for so long. I really appreciate you!
Have you tried Lux Aeterna and Aleph Null? Two great solo only small box games!
I have not played either game, but I do own Lux. It is one I've been meaning to get to the table. Thanks for the recommendations and thanks for watching!
Can't agree with Friday being on the list, it's fun but it's solvable (I can win 95% of games at top difficulty level). I'm glad you didn't include Nemo's War; It's very repetative and you can see how the best play in any situation if you redraw the map! Also to get max score you have to play very gamey! I don't recall what the action is (dig for treasure?) but it drives right through all the face down cards.
Hi there, nice little list with some game I have to try out, such has maquis and coffee roaster
Around here. Even if I have much less games than before. I had some great time on
-Warp's edge
-Sprawpolis (now replaced by Naturopolis)
-Bullet
-LOTR and marvel LCGS
-Aeon's end / Astro knights
-Resist
-Cascadia / Calico
-Raiders of scythia
-After us
I tried out rove but apparently my brain was getting a hard time in that one :D
And so many others :)
Those are great solo games. Thanks for the list. For this list I stuck to solo games that couldn't be played at any other player count. But for my full list of favorite solo games, check out my Top 50 Solo Games of All Time that I did several months ago. Thanks for watching!
the more i play Final Girl the more I like it... only played a few times and its in my top 100 of all time already.. just need to play it some more.. thanks for the list...
I was the same way. My first reaction was a bit sour. But I started to lock into what it was doing. I now appreciate the design and have a ton of fun with it. Thanks for checking out the video! Nice to hear from you.
Coffee Roaster BAAYYBAAAYYYYY!!! Excellent call! The most unknown greatest solo game ever.
The last time I looked (probably a year ago or more), it was very difficult to find.
@@cindykee3719 it is hard to find. I finally found a copy a few months back
Yeah, it is unfortunately under the radar. It needs a reprint with the original artwork. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video!
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.
Set a Watch is a solo game in everything but name, and one of my favourites.
I never played that one. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!
Are legacy of yu and coffee roaster hard? I’m at a for northwood (thanks to ur play through) and don’t want anything too hard or overwhelming- as always you do good work and I’m thankful for ur videos! Xo
I'd suggest watching both playthroughs I've made on those games. They are significantly more complex than For Northwood. Coffee Roaster is close, but the gameplay is quirky and can be hard to learn. I'd also suggest watching my Top 10 Simple Solo Games list here: ruclips.net/video/PuE3DUuSFag/видео.html and my Top 10 Next Step Solo Games list here: ruclips.net/video/qzPKqjf9r5M/видео.html. Those are full of great games that are around the weight of For Northwood. Thanks for watching!
Good solo or solitaire games:
Revolution Road ((1775)
Sniper Elite the Board game
Soldiers in Postmen’s Uniforms
Dawn of Empire(1898)
One Deck Dungeon
Nemo’s War
Defending America
(from the German Amerika bomber)
Regards
Thanks for the list of recommendations. Definitely a few I want to try. Just to clarify, this list was for games that can only be played solo and no other player count. For my list of all solo games, you can check out my Top 50 Solos of all Time list I made many months ago. Thanks for watching!
If you like games that feel unwinnable, check out the solo only Nemo’s War!
Have tried many of these. Maquis looks interesting to me.
Good list! Still hoping to try out Warp's Edge. :( My top solo only games also include - Paperback Adventures, Nemo's war, Palm Island, Sylvion and Deep Space D6.
I really want to try Paperback Adventures, but it technically is 1-2 players, as is Sylvion (and the entire Oniverse series of game). Nemo's War is actually 1-4 players. Solo only is a smaller group of games than you would think. I know I was surprised when I was going through. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabled I am not surprised :) and I am also not convinced of the fact that some 1-2 player games as said on the box should be excluded from such list - simply because they belong to the old school solos when publishers/designers were not convinced if true solos would roll therefore they made games that can be "played" with, say, two players - however it is a hard fact almost everyone almost always plays such games solo almost exclusively anyways (e.g said Omniverse or Nemo's war - if you check the soft spot statistics or simply try one game of Nemo's war with more than 1 player, you will find out soon enough that "1-4" is a terrible publisher-pleasing error rather than a deliberate way of designing a pleasant multiplayer game). The bottom line here is - except from Friday, most true solo games have only be published in recent years and don't do justice (yet) to some still recent titles, whereas most 1-2 player games could be true solos if they were made in the right time (during and after the pandemic - the golden era of solos!)
@@TotallyTabled please do a play through of paperback adventures!
@@utubingit357 Yeah, I need to pick up a copy. It looks really interesting and I love the original Paperback. Thanks!
I recommend Deep Space D6. It can be hard to get a copy, but it is a very unique solo only game.
I've wanted to try that one for a while, but couldn't easily get my hands on a copy. Hope to try it out one day. Thanks!
what happened to robinson crusoe or frostpunk?
This list is for solo only games -- games that cannot be played at any other player count. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabled oh strange I thought both those game where on your solos list before and Frostpunk was even designed to be solo first. But that’s ok. Great list I also love those game!
Consider Withcraft! Great review.
Yeah, I missed out on Witchcraft and I really want to try it. Thanks for watching!
Love solo boardgaming but solo only board games haven’t been great to me. I didn’t like Final Girl or Victorum though I thought I would. Haven’t tried Halls of Hegra but interested. I think my favorite solo only BG is Under Falling Skies. Would love to try ROVE.
I love Coffee Roaster, but every time I see the older version it just bugs me that I have the second edition. I just adore the art of the original.
Yeah, that is a shame. With the success of Saashi games I'm surprised Coffee Roaster hasn't been rereleased with the original artwork. I suspect lawyers are involved somehow -- if something doesn't make sense then a lawyer is probably involved. Maybe one day. Thanks for watching!
Coffee Roaster captured my attention, I saw your playthrough and I'm considering buying it. ^_^
I like Final Girl, especially that you can manipulate these half-wins and you plan for whatever is happening right now on the board. I kinda dislike deckbuilders, I realized it's pretty annoying that I buy a card and need to wait until it shows up and it often is not even useful at that moment. 😅 I just don't like planning far ahead.
I got Warp's Edge and I'm not sure if I like it. The fact that you reshuffle all these guys you defeated and they show up again and again is slightly frustrating. 😅
In Warp's Edge I think of each round as a new wave of enemies -- but this time I'm much stronger than before and next round I'll be even stronger! That feels good to me. And I get the same feeling with deckbuilders. It feels nice to get stronger and stronger -- it's like leveling up each time you shuffle the deck. Thanks so much for watching!
I received 3 solo gems last week and have yet to play them: Castle Itter, Lanzerath Ridge and Pavlov's House. Did you play any of these yet? If so I'm very interested in feedback.
Being a big fan of Halls of Hegra, I expect to love these defense games, where you have to hold the line against all odds...
I'm very interested in Pavlov's House after playing Halls of Hegra. Definitely one I will pick up soon. But I haven't played any of those three yet. I've heard great things, that's for sure. Thanks for watching!
Great video ! I really want Northwood but just can't seem to find a copy here in the UK. 😢 *Sobs*
Added Legacy of Yu to list of board games to get ! I always find something from your videos 😂 !
Yeah, I wasn't aware of how hard For Northwood is to get. I know some people have print and played it, so maybe those files are somewhere? I'm not a P&Per so I'm not sure. Check out the Legacy of Yu playthrough if you haven't so make sure it looks like something you would enjoy. I think it is another cool design from Shem. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabled I will have a look, thank you! 😎
Have you played Witchcraft! ? I'm told it's a re-skin of Resist! but updated. It's on my list to acquire (or try to) bc I like the theme more than Resist!
Halls of Hegra is my favorite solo only game. Truly a masterpiece of this genre. However, I can't get into Final girl. Too much random for me with not a lot way to mitigate the bad rolls.
Yes, Final Girl is a specific flavor of game that won't be for everyone. I understand. For me, the randomness works in this game and is cleverly implemented. It evokes the right feeling. It creates dread and tension. It generates stand up moments. You don't feel completely in control, which is necessary for a survival game. Too much mitigation would kill the tension. I like to use the analogy of being in the passenger seat with a driver you don't fully trust -- that's a survival game. You can scream out orders but you aren't fully in control. A very different feeling than being in the driver's seat. Survival games aren't strategy games -- luck is a feature not a bug, when it is designed well. But like I said, this isn't an experience everyone will enjoy. Thanks for watching!
I love Onirim. While it has a two player mode, let's be honest... It's a single player game. Some of the other Oniverse games are also pretty good.
Yeah, I hear what you are saying, but I've been called out for making similar comments, with people telling me how great the Oniverse games are with 2 players. And the designer has stuck with the 1-2 player count through all the series and put a ton of work into accommodating that count, so it is clearly important to him. Thanks for watching!
As a solo player I have all of those games except for For Northwood and Halls of Hegra which are very hard to find! Great list if I have 80% of them!!!😂
Halls of Hegra is getting a second printing, not sure if the crowdfunding campaign has happened yet. I didn't realize For Northwood was hard to find. Should be temporary. I believe it has been very successful. Thanks for watching!
Check out Arkham Noir. Case #3 especially has evolved into an epic bifurcating story that is devilishly difficult.
I've never heard of this one. I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the rec!
Sometimes it really pays off to read all the comments on a video. Thank you for recommending this game! I just watched a playthrough of it (case #1, I think) and it looks right up my alley: cool artwork, difficult to win, interesting decision space. Have you played all the cases? If so, are they all decent?
@@jamesmorgan1967 kind of... There's a few different versions and I don't completely understand all the differences but I bought Case 1 and enjoyed it. Then I played a Tabletop Simulator version of Case 2 and it was marginally better but wasn't different enough to add to my collection. Then Case 3 came out and was a perfect evolution of the system. A lot more going on than case 1&2 so not sure it's the best starting place but it is hands down a game I will keep for a long time.
@@michaelrichard1320 Thanks for the quick response! I suspect I'm going to end up with all three of them eventually. I see that there are also two "collector cases" (The Real Leeds and The King in Yellow) that I'll have to look into...
didnt expect final girl to be number 1
Final Girl has been growing for me. I feel the same way about it as Arkham Horror LCG ... when I'm in the right mood, it is perfect. If I'm not in that mood, I won't touch it. Even when considering all solo games, it ranks highly for me because of the theme and emergent storytelling. Thanks for checking out the video!
how much replayability has final girl?
It has a ton. Each scenario box is very replayable on its own, with two final girls, extra cards that you won't see in every game, different setups, etc. But then there are so many boxes you can get with so many themes and new twists on the rules. Lots to explore. Thanks for watching!
No 20 Strong?! Blasphemous! But I do love a lot of these games. Halls of Hegra is the one you highlighted that I realllllyyyy wanna checkout.
It was number 12. I like it a lot, but need to explore it more. Thanks for checking out the video!
When you can, you should make a new Final Girl video with another "movie".
Havent you played 20 Strong yet or do you dislike it?
It was my number 12. I like it a lot. I need to play each of the boxes more and maybe it will go up with time. Many of these other games I've been playing for years, so that might factor in as well. Thanks for watching!
@@TotallyTabledI recommend checking out 20S Hoplomachus after getting familiar with Solar Sentinels. SS feels like a tutorial layer to Hoplomachus, which steps up the decision space on positioning, item management, dice recruitment, and variety (9 bosses and players vs SS having 4 bosses and 6 heroes)
Black Sonata is truly amazing!
Ah, I need to play that one. I'm definitely jumping on the upcoming crowdfunding campaign. Thanks for watching, Melanie!
Wow! I have 11->2. My completionist gene has kept me away from Final Girl as am so far behind collecting it.
Ha, yeah, I don't have that problem. I just pick the few scenario boxes that seem the most interesting to me. I only have 6 of the who knows how many boxes at this point. It works great that way. Thanks for checking out the list!
Yeah, the idea in Friday is that you are helping dumbass Robinson Crusoe to learn better to survive. ;-) Always amused me as a theme.
Yeah, that is a funny theme. RC's expressions on the cards make me smile every time. Thanks for watching, KabukiKid!
I have Unbroken, it's really cool :)
I need to try that one! Thanks for the recommendation!
you may want to take a look at hadrians wall.
I plan to play that one soon. I'm not a huge fan of roll and writes, but it looks interesting. Thanks for watching!
I think you missed Black Sonata
Where’s Frostpunk?
This list is for "solo only" games, games that only play solo and no other player count. Frostpunk is 1-4 players. Thanks for watching.
I don't get the reasoning for making a list for "only solo" games.
When I like playing a game solo which is e.g. 1 to 4 players more than an game which is only 1 player then it's still better solo.
I tried to answer this question during the video, but I guess I wasn't very clear. I think solo-only designs have the potential to offer a different experience then multiplayer games with solo modes. I think it is valuable to isolate these games and explore those differences. What is the design potential when you don't have to accommodate a potential 4 players? I find that interesting. But ultimately the point is just to have fun. This is a hobby and it is fun to categorize, order, compare, and analyze things that are part of your hobby. Most of my favorite solo games are not solo only -- I don't think there is anything inherently better or worse, just different. Anyway, that is the reasoning for a list like this. Thanks for watching.
@@TotallyTabled
I get what you mean.
My concern is that people who are interested in solo-gaming want to know what are good solo-games.
Now one could think that these are the 10 games you should buy when you want to play solo.
But in fact that is not the case because in an all-over solo list one doenst know which ranking those 10 games would have.
Otherwise, almost all koop-games offer the same experience when you play them solo.
E.g. when I play the Arkham Horror LCG solo, there is nothing that makes me feel that somehow it is no perfect solo game just because you can also play it multi-player.
In the end, to me the only-solo thing is just a pseudo-discussion, because it's never a reason to buy a game or not.
On the opposite, one could argue that solo-only games have a huge disadvantage over 1 to x players games because "limited player count". ;-)
Just to give an example how misleading a solo-only list can be:
My favorite solo-only game is Under Falling Skies. BUT it's "only" rank 38 in my solo list.
So I would recommend 37 other games to solo-gamers.
Just to show what I actually mean:
I would have preferred it if you hadn't made a top 10 list concerning that topic BUT instead just a basic hobby video about victory condition and overall gameplay that can make only-solo games different from other games. And in this context, you could have shown all those games.
My personal opinion:
This top10 doenst have a 100% added value to the audience, but a basic talk/discussion with examples would.
Friday is so difficult that I never play it as who needs more hopelessness and frustration in their life? I have gotten to the pirates once and then was annihilated. It sits on my shelf looking for a new home.
Great ✨✨ 💖😗
Thanks, Michele. I'm happy you enjoyed the video.
Top 1 boardgaming channel... ❤🎉
That is so nice of you to say. I'm touched. Thank you! :)