Best 1 Player Board Games (High Complexity)

Looking for a solo, heavy strategy game that rewards players who are willing to learn the complex ruleset and decision space? Here are our recommendations.

🔗 Adjust Complexity/Player Count

⭐️ Top Picks

Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition

🟢 Ryan’s #5 All-Time 🔴 Daniel’s #3 All-Time

image

Release Year: 2018 Complexity: High

  👥  1-5 Players

  ⏰  150-480 min

  💸 ~$140

  🔗  Buy

Summary: Build your hero’s spells, abilities, and artifacts as you explore and conquer through strategic deck-building and card play.

You Might Like If… you enjoy deck-building games and a strong sense of “leveling up” over time, and are looking for an epic experience with a lot of variability from session that plays best solo, or cooperatively with 2-3 players.

👍 Honorable Mentions

Spirit Island

image

Release Year: 2017 Complexity: High

  👥  1-4 Players

  ⏰  90-150 min

  💸 ~$70

  🔗  Buy

Summary: Take on the role of Island Spirits joining forces to use their elemental powers to defend their home from invaders.

You Might Like If… you enjoy cooperative games with low amounts of luck, and like the idea of a complex puzzle where the interest comes less from surprises from the opposition and more from how you can combo your cards and abilities together to best clear invaders and manage the board state.

Gaia Project

🟢 Ryan’s #17 All-Time 🔴 Daniel’s #15 All-Time

image

Release Year: 2017 Complexity: High

  👥  1-4 Players

  ⏰  90-150 min

  💸 ~$80

  🔗  Buy

Summary: Expand, research, upgrade, and settle the galaxy as you strategically allocate the resources and abilities of your unique alien race.

You Might Like If… you enjoy deep strategic games with no random elements after setup, and are looking for a game with satisfying engine-building with variable setup that makes each game unique.

 👀 Worth a Look

Too Many Bones

image

Release Year: 2017 Complexity: High

  👥  1-4 Players

  ⏰  90-180 min

  💸 ~$150

  🔗  Buy

Summary: Work as a team and manage your the dice of your unique character as you adventure towards an epic boss showdown.

You Might Like If… you enjoy cooperative games with a lot of strategic customization, and want an epic experience with a lot of progression that plays best with 1-3 players.