Kinfire Delve Series

(Scorn’s Stockade, Vainglory’s Grotto, Callous Lab)

From its presentation to its game play the Kinfire Devle series is top-notch. It’s unique card management and rich narrative blend together to creat a highly replayable experience. This is the best new solo game we played in 2024. Psst… it also plays great with two.

Deck of Playing Cards

A standard deck of 52 playing cards is a versatile and essential addition to any solo gamer’s collection. There is a world of solo card games beyond solitaire. We recommend trying Ace’s Up or Accordion for an addictive challenge.

Onirim

One of our first solo games in our collection is an excellent blend of hand management & pushing your luck. It’s so quick to play with multiple mini-expansion included to explore you’ll be attempting to escape this dreamy labyrinth all night.

Orchard / Grove / Forage

These three games come in a cute little trilogy set; keep them all together or gift them each individually.

All three are so compact and cute I choose to include them all. All three games have you overlapping nine cards to earn a high score. There is enough variety in each game, we are keeping all three, but if we only kept one it would be Grove.

MicroMacro Crime City

Sherlock Holmes meets Waldo is this mix of visual puzzle and crime solving. This is our teen daughter’s favorite game right now to play by herself or with friends.

There are four games in the series and a bonus box. Chose any of the four to start with, then combine all four maps together to solve epic cases with the bonus box!

Crime City | Full House | All In | Showdown | Bonus Box

Legacy of Yu

A really immersive solo experience with a resettable narrative that Adam could not stop playing. This solo deck building game is great for anyone wanting more story to their solo puzzle games instead just trying to beat a high score.

Warp’s Edge

This sci-fi bag builder is our top solo recommendation for anyone who loves push-your-luck and deck-building games. With multiple spaceships and variable difficulty there the replayability is as endless as space itself. We highly recommend getting some coin capsules as a low cost upgrade to the game.

Castle Panic

For fans of tower defense games, this family cooperative game also plays great solo. Our son plays this one by himself because he enjoys halting the barrage of endless monsters. 

Cascadia

This cozy tile placement game is known for being great for families, but it is also a sneaky great solo. The solo experience matches the feel of traditional multiplayer gameplay allowing you get have great game night no matter the number of available players.

Gentle Rain

For those truly wanting a zen puzzle solo game, this solo only game is a hit. Our five year old loves how simple it is to play and how rewarding it is to place that perfect tile to place your flower. There is a Target exclusive version that we really enjoy, but the standard edition is great too and the gameplay is the same in both.

Kronologic Paris

For fans of time-travel and intricate puzzles, Kronologic Paris offers a captivating solo experience. Its unique mechanics make it an engaging and thought-provoking deduction that will keep you hooked. 

Cartographers

Our favorite flip and write game about map making in fantasy land is prefect for someone is wants a great multiplayer game that can double as an excellent solo choice. This is one of Adam’s most play solo game of the year because the game has a ton of replayability.

Beacon Patrol

Cozy tile placement with a movement twist. Navigating your boat around to place your tiles is this puzzlely tile placement game. We love a lot of solo tile placement games, but this one is unique enough to earn a permanent spot on our solo/cooperative shelf.  

Dorfromantik

A must-have for solo players who enjoy tile-laying games and city-building, providing a smooth and satisfying experience as you create a picturesque landscape. Its campaign mode and unlockable content offer great replayability, making it an excellent choice for a relaxing yet engaging solo game.

Skoventyr

Our surprise solo game of the year as this game about Nordic Folklore is a tense card management puzzle that felt very satisfying to win after multiple failed attempts. This is not one to be overlooked just because you can’t pronounce the name. 

Regicide

A fantastic boss battling card game that can be played with a standard deck of playing cards. Each suit has special powers as you manage your cards to defeat each suit’s face cards. The official edition cards have thematic art and excellent player aids. This is a great one to try out on Board Game Arena.