Join Cody as he reveals his top ten one-player games of all time! Cody Carlson, PhD: / @codycarlsonph.d.5591 Facebook: / thediscriminatinggamer Twitter: / codyk76 Galaxy of Games: galaxyof.games/
Thanks! I am sending this small amount because I want to give you some support for this channel, which I find to be one of the most informative and interesting ones on the topics of both wargames and other types of boardgames.
So many great solo games. Mr. President is certainly high on my list as well, even in its infancy of release. Some ones I would have on my list: 1.) Enemy Coast Ahead: Doolittle Raid 2.) Nemo's War 3.) Hiplomachus Victorum 4.) Imperium Classics/Legends (even though it's not purely solo only, it's my favorite way to play it) 5.) Fields of Fire
Great list of solo games! I am into my 2nd playthrough of Mr. President and I think it will become a classic one. I've also played Castle Itter, which was nice and fast. My favourite solos are mainly John Butterfield's designs (Enemy Action: Ardennes & Kharkov, D-Day at Omaha Beach and RAF: The Battle for Britain) and the older ones Peloponnesian War and Mosby's Raiders. I would love to get Advance to the Volga and Cruel Necessity but my budget won't allow it!
And, remind yourself that when the power goes out in your town, you won't be able to play your P.C. games... unless you own a power generator, that is.
A funny thing happens when you embrace solo tabletop: The setup becomes part of a beloved ritual. The first one-note string trill of excitement starts to build in the background. Time slows, becomes fractal. A single decision becomes a tactile and emotional kaleidoscope whose scent slowly unpacks, as if the first waft from a fine bottle. Like the Dr. said, it's a categorically different experience. You trade convenience and pace for richness. It's magic.
Great video! Some of those look fun but right now the G.I.JOE Deckbuilder is my favorite One-Player game. It's the almost perfect mix of G.I. JOE an' that AIN'T easy. It's rules are *unforgivably* bad especially when it comes to integrating the new stuff, and It DOES eat rooms, so i am wary of adding the U.S.S. Flagg to it, but as is it's my favorite game right now followed rather closely by it's sibling: G.I. JOE Mission Critical. i think Mission Critical may be able to overtake it but i need to get more expansions for it. The Ninja will be a HUGE help. *notices it's "Slice and Dice* o.O Eeeer....i take that back. So what about Eldritch Horror, MageKnight, Galaxy Defenders, Legendary and others? Those are all still great games. They just ain't G.I. freakin' JOE! xD
Again, this list is one-player games. Not multi-player games that can be played solo. I love GI Joe DBG and MC as well, and love to play them solo, but they are not appropriate for this list.
1) You seemed to like 'Final Girl' when you reviewed it. Whereabouts does it fall among all your honorable mentions? 2) Several above have mentioned 'Nemo's War'.... if "strictly solitaire' games pique your interest even a bit, NW is one of those "Mecca" games for solo-only players. 3) Others above have also mentioned John Butterfield's games... as a solo-only player for the past few decades, his designs are cream of the crop, for sure. 4) Finally, I'm sure that if you have tried the more popular titles from DVG's "Air Leader" series, at least one of them would make your list... for instance, 'Thunderbolt Apache Leader', and/or 'B-17 Flying Fortress Leader'. Too bad there's not enough time in a year to try out all these great suggestions you're getting in this comments section!
My top solo games: The Mission: Early Christianity (WDG) Don't Tread on Me (WDG) Nemo's war (VPG) Keen to try their other games (when reprinted) Pavlov's house (DVG) Castle Itter (DVG) Phantom Fury (Nuts) Freedom: The underground railroad (Academy) Keen to try Mr President (GMT), Kandahar Spec ops (DG), Cruel Necessity (Worthington), Target for Tonight (Legion); Skies above the Reich (GMT); Interceptor/Nightfighter Ace (Compass); B-17 Flying Fortress leader (DVG); Atlantic Chase (GMT); Peloponnesian War (GMT). There are other multiplayer games that I've not tried solo but which could work well: John Company and the Pax series; Feast for Odin; Fields of Arle; Space Corp 2025-2300; Carnegie; COIN series; Florenza; Gaia Project; Maracaibo; Scythe; Rurik; Troyes; Terraforming Mars; Ark Nova; Viticulture, Concordia, Mage knight?
These are the two solo games I have placed the most. Nemo's War 414 BC Seige of Syracuse I like Nemo's War the best so far. I have a copy of Mr.President, and like you, I want to play it but don't know when that can happen. Thanks for the list as I may have to try some of these...the Batman game has my attention.
Very interesting list. My favorite one-player game is The Peloponnesian War (old Victory Games version). It really shines as a solo game and, in my opinion, works best that way. I only once played it as a two-player game and didn't enjoy it as much. I haven't tried the updated GMT version so I can't comment on that version. How was The Roman Empire cut in half? With a pair of Caesars.
It's nice to see a list of solo games that didn't have Fallen Skies and Warp's Edge on it, because neither of those games really held my interest. Mr. President looks nuts, but I'm sure it's super expensive.
Love your channel. Just added Cruel Necessity to my wish List. Err. Just noticed that the Batman game is not a true 1 player game but who cares. I’ll add it to my list too, as my Son is a DC fan.
So great to see a top solo game list that actually has just solo games. It might be an unpopular opinion that I have, but multiplayer games with a solo variant is not the same thing as a solo player game. So many content creators don’t seem to understand that nuance.
I have the Waterloo Solitaire book game, which I have played, and MR. PRESIDENT, which I have not. It is interesting that your number 10 game was a self-contained book thar required no space, while your number one game 'MR. PRESIDENT' is a table hogging monster game. I do have a basement that I can use and am contemplating buying one or two folding tables from Costco to accommodate MR. PRESIDENT. I could either buy one large 72" x 30" table or two 48" x 24" tables. I also have a few old TV dinner tables where I could place both the rule and the scenario books. How much table area did you need to play this game? If you are able to do so, it would be interesting to see you do a playthrough, even a partial one of this game.
It is interesting that my choices run the gamut of sizes. I too know the imperative of using TV dinner tables for extra space. Alas, I recently moved and I currently do not have surface area to play Mr. President. Maybe someday.
Really a 2 player game but I play Solitare is THE CIVIL WAR game : Brother against Brother. Took me weeks to play as each turn represent a week of real time. The other problem with it is the size of the map(s) for it.
It's by Fresno GAming '91. Has over 12 square feet of map covering Texas to Pennsylvania. You can build up Armies from small ones (Army of Kentucky) into Major Ones with Corps (Army of Potomac). There are 15 off/def tactics to choose from in Battle. The only real draw back is the amount of time it takes to play the whole game. @@TheDiscriminatingGamer
I’m Canadian but have a big interest in the U.S. political system. Would you say that’s enough to pick up and learn The American Presidency or do you maybe need a bit more of a solid background in the topic (I.e. you live there and/or have studied it there in grade school etc)?
Stalingrad made the list! And it's only been out since the beginning of the year. Manila 1945 will be out in January or February 2024. Same system, map and counter art again by Avalon Hill's Charles Kibler. Note: *co-published* by Revolution Games and my own company, Take Aim Designs.
D-Day at Omaha Beach isn't on the list, even as an honorable mention. Have you ever tried it? It seems too heavy for my taste, but wondering what you think.
It is excellent, my favourite. The rule book is written brilliantly, gets you playing a relatively complex game quite easily. One of my few keepers - together with Stalingrad and Castle Itter.
Great list! My top few in no particular order… Hornet Leader Carrier Air Operations Mr. President Navajo Wars Empires in America: The French and Indian War II Jeff Davis: The Confederacy at War Peloponnesian War Second Season Pro Football
Also bought and find Mr President a fascinating looking game which I haven’t played because I don’t have the room to play it in yet.. do I kick out the oldest kid for their room, or buy a new house?? 🧐😄 Another game I’m enjoying now is Aces of Valor.. I get attached to my pilots too much and it’s such a emotional letdown when one gets shot down
@@TheDiscriminatingGamer Excellent. In speech class in college I gave a speech about Waterloo and how Nappy died from arsenic laced wall paper on Elba. The kids were actually interested and were asking questions which really shocked me. I heard a pretty girl tell the professor she didn't want to give a final speech and she got a "B"
I did manage to finish my first beginner game of Mr President but that was an auto-victory at the end of year 2. I should start again on standard difficulty. I would put Ambush!, D-Day at Omaha Beach and Fields of Fire on the list.
Banish the Snakes is not a specifically one-player game. There is a solo mode, but this list considers specifically one-player games. That said, Banish the Snakes is a great game that I really enjoyed.
The only game I own in your top 10 is the Batman I have the collectors edition it is amazing wargames in general kind of bother my brain and they can get too crunchy so try to stay away from TVG2 make some great games from what I’ve seen any recommendations on a fun solo light complex game
