23 Best One Player Board Games For All Ages

• Age rating: 3+
• Type of board game: Emotional development cooperative game

Designed to foster emotional development in children, Friends and Neighbors is a heartwarming cooperative game.

Players work together to help the characters in the game by identifying and matching emotions to different situations.

It's a fantastic way for kids to learn empathy, cooperation, and emotional recognition in a fun and supportive setting.

• Age rating: Ages 4 and up
• Type of board game: Cognitive skill-building brain game and puzzle game

Smart Farmer is an engaging and educational board game designed to develop cognitive skills in children. Players take on the role of a farmer, strategically placing fence pieces to separate different animals and solve puzzles.

With multiple levels of difficulty, this STEM-focused game provides a fun and challenging way for young minds to enhance problem solving abilities and critical thinking skills.

Download our free farm scavenger hunt printable too!

• Age rating: 6+
• Type of board game: STEM puzzle game

The Genius Square is a highly acclaimed puzzle game that challenges players' problem-solving skills. With over 60,000 possible solutions, players roll dice and race against their opponents to fill a grid by using different shapes.

This engaging and addictive game promotes critical thinking, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities.

With its Game of the Year award-winning status, The Genius Square is one of the best board games for puzzle enthusiasts and those seeking a brain-teasing challenge.

• Age rating: Ages 8+
• Type of board game: Cooperative strategy game

Dive into a world of fantasy and fairy tales with Familiar Tales, a cooperative strategy game. Players embark on thrilling adventures, encountering iconic characters from classic tales and overcoming challenges together.

Whether you're playing with friends or family, Familiar Tales offers an immersive and strategic gameplay experience that will captivate both adults and kids alike.

Its beautiful artwork and engaging narrative make it a must-have for any game night.

• Age rating: Ages 8+
• Type of board game: Abstract strategy game

Evergreen is an engaging abstract strategy game that offers a delightful experience for both adults and families. With its elegant mechanics, players take turns placing their pieces on the board to create patterns and score points.

The game's accessible rules and strategic depth make it a great choice for players of all ages who enjoy a captivating and visually appealing abstract strategy experience.

• Age rating: Ages 8+
• Type of board game: Cat rescue game

The Isle of Cats is a delightful board game where players embark on a mission to rescue as many cats as possible.

With its charming artwork and engaging gameplay, players strategically navigate their boats around the island, collecting cats and arranging them in their personal boats.

Each cat is unique and scores points based on various objectives. Whether you're a cat lover or simply looking for a fun and family-friendly game, The Isle of Cats offers a purrfectly enjoyable experience for players of all ages.

• Age rating: Ages 8+
• Type of board game: Strategy game

Calico is an award-winning strategy game that combines the joy of quilting with tactical decision-making.

Players sew colorful quilt tiles onto their boards to create patterns and score points.

With its family-friendly gameplay, easy-to-learn rules, and solo play option, Calico offers a delightful experience for both casual gamers and quilting enthusiasts alike.

• Age rating: Ages 10+
• Type of board game: Cooperative board game

Players work together to defend their castle from an onslaught of monsters. It's a thrilling and strategic game where everyone collaborates to protect the castle towers while fending off goblins, orcs, and trolls.

With its accessible gameplay and cooperative nature, Castle Panic is a hit for both adults and families seeking an exciting and challenging board game experience.

• Age rating: Ages 10 and up
• Type of board game: Cooperative family board game, murder mystery game

Clue: Robbery at The Museum combines the classic deduction gameplay of Clue with the immersive experience of an escape room.

Players work together as a team to solve the mystery of the museum robbery, deciphering clues and unraveling the truth.

With its cooperative nature and intriguing storyline, this escape room board game provides an exciting and interactive experience for families and friends to enjoy, putting their detective skills to the test.

• Age rating: Ages 10+
• Type of board game: Nature-themed strategy game

Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Cascadia is a board game that lets players build nature corridors and attract wildlife.

Through tile placement and strategic planning, players create a harmonious ecosystem, earning points for different wildlife species they attract.

With stunning artwork and immersive gameplay, Cascadia offers a delightful experience for nature lovers and strategic thinkers of all ages.

• Age rating: 13+
• Type of board game: Deck-building game

Friday is a deck-building game that puts players in the shoes of Robinson Crusoe, stranded on a deserted island. As players progress through the game, they improve their deck, acquiring new cards and abilities to help them survive the challenges of the island.

With its solo gameplay and engaging mechanics, Friday is a fantastic choice for players seeking a captivating deck-building experience that offers both challenge and strategic decision-making.

• Age rating: Ages 14 and up
• Type of board game: Strategy board game

Tiny Towns is an award-winning strategy game where players cleverly plan and construct their own thriving towns.

With limited resources and a grid-based system, players must strategically choose and arrange different building types to maximize their points.

It's a challenging and engaging game that offers endless possibilities for town building and strategic thinking.

• Age rating: Ages 14 and up
• Type of board game: Strategy and adventure game

In Star Wars Outer Rim, players enter the iconic Star Wars universe as outlaws, mercenaries, and smugglers. As they navigate the galaxy, they take on dangerous missions, hire iconic characters, and engage in epic space battles.

With its immersive theme and strategic gameplay, Outer Rim is a must-play for Star Wars fans and gamers looking for an exciting adventure in a galaxy far, far away.

Be prepared for an epic gaming experience that can span several hours.

• Age rating: Ages 14+
• Type of board game: Tactical strategy game

Star Wars The Clone Wars Board Game brings the excitement of the beloved Clone Wars era to the tabletop.

Using the popular Pandemic system, players work together to combat various challenges and missions across the galaxy.

With its strategic depth and immersive Star Wars theme, this game offers a thrilling experience for fans of tactical gameplay and the iconic Clone Wars era.

Have even more fun with our free Star Wars printable games.

• Age rating: 14+
• Type of board game: Solo play game

Box ONE is a board game designed specifically for solo play, presented by Neil Patrick Harris.

It offers a unique and immersive experience where players dive into a series of enigmatic challenges, puzzles, and mysteries.

With its high-quality components and intriguing gameplay, Box ONE provides an engaging and captivating solo gaming adventure.

• Age rating: Ages 14+
• Type of board game: Mystery game

Immerse yourself in the world of Sherlock Holmes as you become a detective and attempt to solve intriguing mysteries.

In this cooperative board game, players work together to gather clues, visit locations, and piece together the truth behind various cases. With its immersive storytelling and challenging puzzles, Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective provides a captivating experience for teens and adults.

Put your detective skills to the test and try to crack the cases in an average playtime of 90 minutes.

• Age rating: Ages 14+
• Type of board game: Mystery/strategy cooperative game

Step into the Lovecraftian world of Arkham Horror, where players work together as investigators to solve mysteries and prevent ancient evils from awakening.

With its immersive storytelling, strategic gameplay, and cooperative nature, Arkham Horror 3rd Edition offers an intense and thrilling experience for both adults and families.

Dive into the dark and mysterious depths of the game and be prepared for an average playtime of 2-3 hours.

• Age rating: 14+
• Type of board game: Card game

Terraforming Mars Ares Expedition is a one person card game set in the popular Terraforming Mars universe.

Players take on the role of corporations competing to terraform the planet Mars by strategically playing cards and managing resources.

• Age rating: Ages 14+
• Type of board game: Bird-collection, engine-building game

Wingspan is a visually stunning board game where players take on the role of bird enthusiasts seeking to attract and collect a variety of bird species to their habitats.

With its elegant gameplay mechanics and beautiful artwork, Wingspan offers a unique experience of strategic decision-making and engine-building.

It's a game that appeals to both nature enthusiasts and board game aficionados, providing a delightful and immersive gameplay experience.

• Age rating: 14+
• Type of board game: Cooperative board game

In Spirit Island, players take on the roles of powerful spirits defending their island home from colonization.

With its deep and complex gameplay, players strategize together to harness their unique abilities and repel the invaders.

With its rich theme, engaging mechanics, and the ability to accommodate up to 4 players, Spirit Island is a must-have for those seeking a challenging and immersive cooperative board game experience.

• Age rating: 14+
• Type of board game: Best strategy board games for families

Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition is a complex and epic board game that puts players in the role of powerful mage knights, exploring a rich fantasy world, recruiting followers, and engaging in battles.

With its deep strategic gameplay and immersive narrative, Mage Knight offers an engrossing experience that rewards careful planning and tactical decision-making.

This ultimate edition includes all expansions and is perfect for players who crave a deep and challenging strategy game.

• Age rating: 14+
• Type of board game: Cooperative adventure game

The 7th Continent Classic Edition is an immersive and thrilling board game that takes players on a grand adventure of exploration and survival.

Set in a mysterious and dangerous world, players work together to uncover the secrets of the continent while overcoming various challenges and obstacles.

With its captivating gameplay and cooperative nature, The 7th Continent offers a unique and engrossing gaming experience for 1 to 4 players.

Prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey filled with discovery and suspense.

• Age rating: 14+
• Type of board game: Space-themed strategy game

In Tiny Epic Galaxies, players take on the role of galactic empires expanding their reach and influence.

Through strategic dice rolling and resource management, players aim to colonize planets, establish diplomatic relations, and build an empire.

Despite its compact size, Tiny Epic Galaxies offers a big gameplay experience, combining engaging mechanics with a space-themed theme that will captivate both casual and seasoned gamers alike.