Sometimes your favourite puzzling partners are off the radar, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! The best single player board games for adults are perfect for those moments when you fancy a solo challenge, want to sharpen your brain, or just unwind in peace. Finding the right game can turn a quiet evening into a brilliant brain-teasing adventure.
At Happy Puzzle, we love games that flex your thinking muscles, whether it’s part of family game night, a detective-style whodunnit with friends, or a satisfying solo mission. In this blog, we’ll spotlight 6 fantastic solo games that are perfect for grown-up gamers who love a good brain teaser.
6 Best Single Player Board Games for Adults
At The Happy Puzzle Company, we know fun inside out, whether it’s for little ones, tweens, teens (who maybe won’t admit it, but secretly love our games!), or the grown-ups. And sometimes, grown-ups want the kind of fun that comes with a bit of peace and quiet. That’s why we’ve handpicked our top 6 solo board games just for you!
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The Genius Star
The Genius Star is an excellent game packed with 165,888 possible puzzles - each one a brilliant brain workout! Your mission? Complete the star using 11 coloured shapes, after placing seven blockers based on your dice roll.
It sounds simple... until it isn’t. There’s always at least one solution, but finding it is where the fun begins!
For an extra twist, aim to keep the special Golden Star shape in one piece. Only 57.4% of puzzles make this possible, so it’s a bold move. Think fast, stay cool, and earn your gold star status with this exciting solo game! Fans of other games in The Genius Collection will love this.
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Quixagons
Quixagon is an excellent game to play solo with 136 puzzles across four difficulty levels, perfect for building your brainpower one clever move at a time.
Each challenge starts with a few clues. From there, it’s all down to you! Your goal is to surround the central coloured shape(s) using Quixagons, making sure that every touching edge perfectly matches in both pattern and colour.
This ingenious puzzle is full of satisfying “aha!” moments and will have you sneaking off for some well-earned puzzle time!
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IQ Jigsaw
IQ Jigsaw is a great game packed with 120 multi-level obstacles, each designed to stretch your brain in the best way.
Pick a puzzle, set it up as shown, and try to fit all nine jigsaw-style pieces into a neat 6x6 square. It might seem like a simple decision at first, but with pieces that flip and rotate, you’ll soon find your logic being put to the test.
Each puzzle has just one solution, making every win feel seriously satisfying!
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Beat the Sequence
Beat The Sequence is a game most people will have a taste for… and although this is more of a brain-teasing pie, it’ll still give you a lot to chew on!
With 400 challenges, your goal is to place 12 colourful ‘pie’ pieces into the frame so each of the five rings shows colours spaced in perfect intervals. It includes 32 pieces and a new combo each time, so your logic skills will be working overtime.
Think fast, stay sharp, and see if you can beat the sequence!
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Cubeslinger
Cubeslinger is a fast-paced logic game that’s perfect for solo players, or for racing a worthy opponent.
Each of the 120 multi-level puzzles gives you a set of clues and colour-based rules. Your task is to use four cubes to complete the grid so that each row and column matches the colour count shown. It may seem easy, but with only one correct solution and plenty of visual trickery, it’s a brilliant brain teaser.
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Combinations
Combinations is a colourful, brain-teasing puzzle where logic meets a little bit of lateral thinking.
With 72 multi-level obstacles, your goal is to place each pair of coloured shapes onto the grid, one showing two numbers or symbols through square holes, the other revealing a result through a circular hole. The twist? All combinations must work at the same time for every colour on the board.
You might need to add, subtract, mix colours, or just think a little differently. Combinations is clever, addictive, and full of satisfying moments for those who thrive on beating their highest scores.
Benefits of Solo Board Games
Tackling a game solo can be just as rewarding - and just as fun - as any game played with family or friends! It has become a popular way to enjoy the thrill of board games without needing anyone else around. In fact, many use it as a way to enjoy their alone time.
Whether you're puzzling after work or filling a quiet afternoon, there are loads of benefits to going solo:
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Sharpen your brain: Boost strategic thinking, problem-solving, and critical thinking with every move.
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Play on your schedule: No need to round up a group - solo games are ready when you are!
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Explore new worlds: Get immersed in rich stories, mysteries, and challenges made just for one.
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Relax and unwind: Enjoy some calming screen-free time while keeping your mind engaged.
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Replayable and rewarding: Tweak your strategy and try again. There’ll be no talk of sore losers wanting a rematch!
More Ways to Enjoy Games Alone
Solo gaming is a brilliant way to relax, reset, and give your brain a workout. If you enjoy strategic card play, a solo deck building game can offer deep replay value and evolving challenges, just like our favourite brain teasers!
We’ve put together collections including our best strategy games, 3D puzzles, and travel-sized teasers to make your solo play time even more rewarding:
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Brain Teaser Puzzles: Think you’ve cracked the best board games already? These mind-bending puzzles say otherwise. This collection is perfect for those who enjoy strategic depth and tricky rules without needing an entire team. If you’re in the mood for a little history, take a whack at our great solo game, Churchill's Cigar and Whiskey Bottle Puzzle, or if you think you’re a bright spark, try our set of Metal Wire Puzzles to challenge yourself.
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Unusual Fidget Toys: While solo mode generally means taking it slow, we get that sometimes keeping your mind quiet means keeping your hands busy. One of our bestsellers, the Plug and Play Puzzler, has 48 multi-levels, and will keep you busy for as long as you want. This collection blends tactile satisfaction with clever mechanics, perfect for fans of not sitting completely still… After all, fidgeting can be fun too!
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Pocket Money Puzzles: As a grownup, you rarely get to enjoy the privilege of receiving ‘pocket money’ but there’s no age limit to enjoying these puzzles! A big challenge in a small package, this collection is proof that you don’t need a base game with hundreds of components to enjoy the best solo games. Whether it’s our Set of Eight 3D Puzzles or reusable Pocket Logic Games, these are ideal for travel, commutes, or whenever you’ve got five minutes to spare between adulting, these puzzles pack serious strategy into a pocket-sized format.
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Unlock Short Stories: Ready to step into a world of mini mysteries and puzzling plots? Our Unlock Short Stories are bite-sized adventures you can play solo, each theme also included in our wildly popular Escape Room Games collection. From curious cats to time-twisting tales, every story has its own difficulty level and a clever twist to crack. There’s a free app included to guide your journey and bring each game to life.
Ready Player One
If solo play is your kind of fun - no interruptions, no need to explain the rules five times, and definitely no shouting over who lost the dice - then we hope you’ll try one of our top picks for the best single player board games for adults. From logic puzzles to board games with a twist, Happy Puzzle has the best selection of games designed to give you that satisfying "aha!" moment.
Many of our games offer brilliant replay value, multiple levels of difficulty and clever ways to earn more points, whether you're chasing a personal best or just enjoying the quiet thrill of going head-to-head with the puzzle itself.
So if you've heard about the joy of solo gaming but never tried it, now’s the time!
Frequently Asked Questions
What tabletop games can be played alone without other players needed to complete the whole thing?
The best game for this may be The Genius Square XL. The Genius Star and IQ Jigsaw from our list above are also both great tabletop games to complete on your own.
Is there a solo mode card game based on real-world figures and objects?
Yes! Fans of clever codebreaking can play solo as iconic characters like Sherlock Holmes and James Bond in our punchcard computer game, Turing Machine, based on Alan Turing’s famous machine. Also another option if you want to play in teams.
What are the top three strategy games to play solo and in a team?
Most games in our collections let you play solo or in a team, with the maximum number of players shown on the packaging and each product page. For the best solo or team games, try any from The Genius Collection and also from Brain Teaser Puzzles collection like Grecian Computer, as well as any of the Unlock Mystery Adventures.
Where are the rules located for Happy Puzzle games?
The rules for Happy Puzzle games are included inside the box - clear, easy, and ready to play! Lost yours? Many can be found on the product pages at Happy Puzzle.