Changed my mind about solo board games after a comment at the Denver game shop

I always thought playing a board game alone was pointless, but I overheard someone at the Denver Game Lounge say they beat the solo campaign for 'Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion' in 12 sessions. They said it felt like solving a big puzzle, not just playing against yourself. Now I'm looking for a good solo game to start with. What's a good first one that doesn't take 3 hours to set up?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey9092mo ago

Honestly, Wingspan is a chill puzzle to learn the ropes.

aaron6772mo ago

Yeah, calling it a "chill puzzle" is spot on, casey909. I read a review that said the same thing, how the game is more about building your own little engine than directly fighting others. Like, you can just focus on getting those brown powers to chain together, drawing more cards or laying eggs. It's satisfying to see your own board come together even if you're not winning.

walker.jana1mo ago

That brown power chain @aaron677 mentioned is the best part. My first solo win in Wingspan was just getting a raven to keep feeding my hawks. Setup is maybe five minutes once you know where the pieces go. Felt more like building a little bird machine than playing a game.