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I know, I know. Tis the season to be gushy..Fa la la bleugh! Everywhere you look there are crepe paper hearts, bottles of pop, and boxes of choccies full of soft-centred desperation. Ha ha, okay, so the cynic in me isn’t a big fan of commercialising affection. If you love someone, why wait until an arbitrary day to remind them of how lucky they are to be with you, right? Well have no fear, my solo-soldiers. For those not buying into the “it takes two, baby” Sonny and Cher philosophy, here are 5 top games to keep you far too busy to bother with all that faux-mance! What better way to do so than by playing solo games for valentines day?
It's A Wonderful World
Nothing says I’m okay with the real world going bonkers over being in love like playing a game set in a fictional dystopian future! And this one will get your heart pumping as it’s brilliant. Drafting cards that will produce the resources you need to construct buildings is the key-efficiency goal in It’s a Wonderful World. But the very buildings you want might erected need to be recycled to get your materials engine cranking. And whilst it plays up to 5, the solo mode is chuffing champion. Indeed, it has an advantageous flying-solo effect; you get to cycle through loads more cards than you would in a regular game – double dystopia from which to choose! Solo mode is a classic case of easy to learn, mind meltingly difficult to master. Plus there are a bunch of expansions to keep you busy every Feb 14 henceforth!
Cascadia
Okay so not everybody wants to dive into drafting a world full of mines, nuclear power plants, and oil rigs when they are side-swerving international “overpriced roses day”, if their solo games for valentines day doesn't already consist of this. If you would prefer to commune with nature over your neighbour, Cascadia is one for you. This gorgeous, abstract tile laying, placement optimisation puzzle game is set in the Pacific Northwest USA. It’s about creating an ecosystem that will support the indigenous wildlife. 5 terrain types offering majority bonuses, and 5 animal species with different spatial and territorial requirements makes for a superb drafting game. And the mechanic is simple – each turn you pick from pairs of wildlife tokens and tri-hex habitat tiles and add them to your growing ecosystem. The solo mode is a very simple conveyor-belt affair; after you take your tile and token, you discard the furthest pair on the right and everything else shuffles along before restocking the pool! That’s it. And with different sets of scoring objectives and a full solo campaign to work through, you’ll be playing long after the bears come out of hibernation!
Hadrian's Wall
If the smell of desperation from petrol station petals is getting you worked up, however, here’s a flipping fantastic suggestion; Hadrian’s Wall! . If I say it’s a flip and fill, don’t be fooled. This is a full on big box game in a….well, actually the box is quite big. And heavy! But it’s in the pen and paper genre that’s now legitimately tapping on the shoulder of its traditionally weighty cardboard cousins! In this “two-sheets are plenty” VP point salad, you are using different workers across various sections of your Roman outpost. Each one will either trigger something else immediately or be part of a bigger reward that pays out when the requirements have been achieved. This game is all about cascading bonuses. And boy, when you crack into one that has you crossing off boxes like it’s free bingo night at the WMC, it’s way more satisfying than a dinner date. And with a solo campaign to work through, romance will be the last thing on your mind!
Spirit Island
Co-operative games wouldn’t be the obvious choice for someone looking to escape the endless displays of TMI that Valentine’s Day inspires. But bear with me! This is a hunk-a-chunk of strategic and thematic hand management gameplay that needs no partner. And it is likely to whisk your imagination away to a far off place for a considerable portion of the “big night”. In the game, you play island spirits defending your home against colonial invaders. And in solo mode you do the same thing. But this time you have a single board, can ramp up your own powers, and can even play multiple asymmetrical ephemeral beings at once. With each one having variable strengths and weaknesses, combining them will make every game totally different and a rocking hard challenge! Planning your turns ahead of time and staying organised are where solo victory lies. And if you have a programmer’s mind, you’ll forget you ever needed another warm body at your table when playing a game of Spirit Island!
Wingspan
If I were to tell you I am in love with a game series, don’t back away in fear. I haven’t gone all pro-cupid firing feathery fletchers at you. But Wingspan captured a part of my heart. It was indeed love at first flight! And so, in this final recommendation, I am proposing that you let Stonemaier Games’ Automa Factory take care of you when playing this card drafting, tableau building, engine revving, hand management game. With a purpose made solo deck that prescribes what your imaginary opponent will do (and take) each turn, you can focus on yourself. What birds will bring you joy? And when I say joy of course I mean points! This is a beauty to behold and a joy to play. When you have birdies as varied and as interesting as those on display in Wingspan, you’ll never lust after another species again!
Well, heart-breakers, I hope these have inspired you to go forth and ignore the pappy, sappy, silliness that is 14 February! You don’t need a partner to have a good time. You just need some banging solo board games for valentines day!