I’ve mentioned quite a few times that board gaming is a very social hobby that benefits from a face-to-face element of human interaction. One of the biggest appeals of the hobby is the ability to sit down at a game amongst friends and engage in a competitive, challenging contest that draws on player personalities, skills, intuition, creativity, and cunning. All of that is great when you’ve got a great game group like I do and are never at a loss for someone that will play board games with you but what happens when you’re a board gamer and you don’t have anybody interested, inclined, or available to play all those awesome games gathering dust on your shelves?

The easy answer that most will chime in with would be “play a video game”. And sure, a game like any of the CIVILIZATION titles or something like the grand old chestnut PANZER GENERAL gives you a board game feel, but nothing beats the touch and feel of cardboard. So what’s to stop you from playing a game- even a multiplayer game- by yourself? Don’t worry—it’s no secret shame to solo a board game. Every board gamer, whether they want to admit it or not, has at some point set up and played at least a few turns of something even if just to get a feel for how a game plays.

Although board games are almost exclusively intended for two or more players and most feature functions like hidden information or direct player interaction that would seem to foreclose on the possibility of one player essentially playing all other hands, there have been games designed specifically for one player like the paragraph-based AMBUSH! and the stupendously titled CHAINSAW WARRIOR. In solitaire games, the game systems are generally designed such that the player interacts directly with an automated system (almost like a primitive AI based solely on game procedures, structures, and mechanisms). Tables, cards, random events, time limits, and other such mechanics enable the player to interact with the game without the need for other human players. The solitaire board game, largely thanks to video games of course, is definitely a dying breed and the only one published in recent memory that I can think of is SILENT WAR, a World War 2-era simulation of submarine operations in the Pacific.

And then there are games that have a built-in solitaire option that provides a similar or at least approximate experience of a full multiplayer game. ARKHAM HORROR, billed as supporting 1-8 players, features a simple AI system for the monster movement that enables a challenging single player experience that many prefer over the multiplayer version. Other games such as the wooden cube extravaganza ROADS AND BOATS feature a solitaire version that reconfigures the game as a puzzle, wherein the player is presented with a particular scenario and simply tries to achieve a high score. And then there’s games like DUNGEON QUEST that simply pit the game system (which in this case is absolutely diabolical) against the player. War games, specifically of the old fashioned hex-and-counter variety, generally have a high degree of built-in solo play capability due to their lack of hidden information and the simple fact that it’s easier for one player to play two sides in a game than more. Most wargame publishers include a “Solitaire Suitability” rating on the box but it’s been my experience that even card-driven or block wargames can be effectively soloed.

So there are really two categories of board games that have built-in options for the lonely or isolated gamer but many multiplayer games are entirely playable by a single player simply playing all hands either as well as possible, to test strategies or ideas, or to simply accomplish certain goals. Back before I was really involved in the Atlanta gaming scene, I had only one friend who was interested in gaming and since he wasn’t always around and games with a three player minimum were out of the question, I found myself playing many games by myself. Fortunately for me, I was really into the Eurogames that were coming out at the time that didn’t feature much player interaction to begin with- the “multiplayer solitaire” style game is custom made for a gamer without peers. In fact, I think the first five games of PUERTO RICO that I played were solitaire and going further back I played many solo games of those mid-late 1990s Eurogames like TIGRIS & EUPHRATES to learn how to play effectively. Out of my game collection, I think I’ve probably played one player games of everything that can feasibly played solitaire even if it means playing multiple hands. You can’t really solo play an interaction-intensive game like DIPLOMACY or a game that hinges on hidden information like LORD OF THE RINGS: THE CONFRONTATION, but I find that I can reasonably play most games even when I’m alone- even in my pajamas and on the dining room floor.

The big question is, of course, “what’s the point, Barnes?” Beyond the obvious value to gamers in Antarctica, the answers are simple: solitaire gaming can be fun and rewarding in its own right; it can give you insight on how to play a game well, and it can help you learn rules before you sit down to play with others. Before I set out to teach everybody how to play STARCRAFT, I played several solo games with varying numbers of players- and actually had a really fun time with it. My recent adventure into the land of ASL has been aided and abetted greatly by playing solitaire learning games and although I’ll likely never get anyone to play MAGIC REALM with me I’ve had a lot of fun exploring it on my own. With really rules-intensive games like that, I find that solo games are particularly valuable because I can take my time to really learn the rules and get things right without worrying about spoiling other players’ fun with uncertainty or endless rulebook referencing. And beyond that, I find it really fascinating to sit down with a game and really dig into it on my own. I find that my appreciation of games grows when I’m able to really savor it on my own terms and at my own pace.

Solitaire gaming in any form is not, however, a substitute for a face-to-face experience when we’re talking about games designed specifically for multiple players. The reasons vary from game to game, but just like with online video games there’s always something that another live player is going to do that either an AI system or yourself playing both Axis and Allies is not going to do or even think of. What’s more, sometimes the more subtle interactions and engagements that other players bring to the table sometime reveal games to be better or more interesting than they seem on your own. And further, there’s games that seem to play pretty well when you’re by yourself that aren’t as hot when you get them to the table with live opponents—AGE OF EMPIRES III was a chief offender for me in that respect.

So what then are some good games for solo play? Beyond those games with specific solitaire options, I find that, like I said, most wargames do well on those lonely nights and in particular I think the Columbia Games block wargames like HAMMER OF THE SCOTS or CRUSADER REX, even with the STRATEGO-like fog-of-war lifted by having complete knowledge of both sides, offer a lot of good fun, dice rolling, and tough tactical decisions. Adventure games like TALISMAN, PROPHECY, or the previously mentioned ARKHAM HORROR can be surprisingly satisfying even with only one player even if it requires you to manage a couple of characters and decide when to engage in logical PVP if the game supports it. Most of the Eurogame economic games, like PUERTO RICO, that do not feature auction elements or negotiation play pretty much the same with one player or five but I’ve done solo auctions in a game like POWER GRID, again making logical decisions based on each hand’s position and strategy, and emerged with my sanity intact. If you’re looking for a decent puzzle experience, try CARCASSONNE with two hands and shoot for a high score- it’s not a bad time-killer.

Solitaire gaming can be a pretty fun and even useful part of the hobby if you approach it with the right expectations and goals in mind and are willing to compromise in terms of the more interactive and social elements of board gaming.

Questions or comments for Michael? Send them along to gameshark.feedback@yahoo.com .