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Tabletop gaming is a very social hobby by nature based on the fact that you need 3-4 people to get a game going. In my teens and into my mid 20’s this wasn’t difficult. In fact I was gaming 3 or more days a week with my friends and I didn’t find it difficult to find time to put aside each week to game.
Then life happened and multiple gaming sessions a week turned into once every other week and it all went 'downhill' from there.
My solution to this was finding board game meetups like we host at the store, which is a great way to meet new people who have like minded interests. I also found a passion for single player games which I know, to a lot of people sounds like a very anti social thing, but sometimes there is no one around when you want to game. In some ways you aren’t playing the game you are playing the game designer since they are the ones who designed the single player mode.
Over the course of the last few years I have noticed more games coming out with single player modes such as Azul, which won The Game of the Year at Essen (one of the largest Board Game conventions in the world). Almost all co-op games can be made into a single player game. My friends and I have all done this with some of our favorite games, Pandemic, Sentinels of the Multiverse, and Forbidden Desert just to name a few.
Now maybe you don’t know of any single player games or games with single player modes. Don’t fret. That is where people like me come in. I’ve been table top gaming for almost 20 years and love giving recommendations, especially for those people trying to find single player games. If you're thinking about trying out some solo gaming here is a short list for you to try.
Friday - This was the first ever single player board game. You are Guy Friday trying to train Robinson
Crusoe how to survive and get off your island.
Hostage Negotiator - You are the hostage negotiator trying to de-escalate a hostage situation and save the hostages.
Fuse – Aliens have invaded your ship and planted bombs. Can you defuse them all before time runs out?
There are many great single player games out there and once you embrace this growing aspect of the gaming scene you will get more games to your table which is all we as gamers, can ask for.
--Saul--