10 Small Solo Board Game Recommendations! | The Gifting Garden

[@Ineedyourloveforever]

The fact that Kingdom Legacy has AI art is a real deal breaker for me... I really wish they had gone the extra mile to find a flesh-and-blood artist to draw the art for the game, because then I would really like to try it! Thanks for the list, Jenna! 🥰 Really liked these suggestions!

[@noemipomerleau8219]

Ugh, gross, thank you for the heads up. I wish it wasn't legal to use AI art.

[@MrBurgerhead]

AI art allowed this game to exist. The designer explained that a realistic price point could not have been achieved otherwise, which makes absolute sense looking at the amount of art compared to the size of the game, and ultimately its disposable/legacy nature. Personally I'm grateful for that - I like the art, and I can't wait to try the game (arriving today!). If the AI art is what's stopping you though, I can wholeheartedly recommend Palm Island for solo, which this was clearly inspired by. I'm yet to play Joe Klipfel's games, such as Dragons of Erchinstone and Behold: Rome, but they're mechanically similar as well and look awesome. 🙂 As an aside, I cannot understand why AI art has been so vilified in board gaming, and why the issue is treated as completely binary - it's far more nuanced than I hear anyone discuss. The manner in which AI generates art is different, but it's no less derivative than much of what humans produce. As for artists being replaced, I see no reason for them not to be able to coexist? Also . . . not the first time technology has done the job of a human, and it won't be the last. I don't see why creatives are a special case in that regard. I'm a trained technical editor and LLMs are coming for us as well! The material moral issue is how the AI was trained. Was it through appropriately licensed content (therefore was the artist appropriately compensated), or less honest means? The latter would be stealing. I think the future of ethical AI is likely going to involve certification of ethical training, in the same vein as fair trade for coffee, FSC for wood, etc. At the moment it's difficult for us to know if an AI has been ethically trained, because regulation has been outpaced by technology. But I don't accept that AI art in games is blanket wrong or bad. Sorry, yours was just the comment that finally prompted me to shout into the void. 😂 Anyhoo, we're so lucky that there are always plenty of other games to enjoy! Thanks for the video by the way Jenna. What a cracking list. I want them all! 😁

[@noemipomerleau8219]

@MrBurgerhead There's two reasons that AI art is an absolute no for me: The first is obviously the one that you mention - AI art programs are often trained on stolen artwork, used without permission. It is no surprise that it's cheaper to produce products using stolen goods than legally acquired ones, but if you can't produce your products without stealing, your product should not exist. Secondly, AI is absolutely devastating to the environment, and AI art is particularly so. The amount of fresh water and power required to process a single image is monumental. The power demands from AI singlehandedly make it impossible for us to meet our emissions goals, and AI is rapidly accelerating a water crisis. Again - this should not be allowed. As much as Terraforming Mars is ugly as sin, they did things properly - rights free images exist and are easy to acquire in bulk. If your game can't exist without cheap art and pictures, you should be using that, and hiring artists for your second edition. AI art is not ethical on any level, and if your game isn't ethically made I don't want it.

[@MrBurgerhead]

​@@noemipomerleau8219Fair points, and of course each to their own! Certainly nobody has to support any product if they have their own reasons not to. I agree with the principles of ethical training and environmental impact, but respectfully I disagree with the absolutism. Just because some AI is trained on stolen artwork, that isn't necessarily the case for the AI used in this, or any game? And on the environmental point, I would imagine international shipping is environmentally disastrous, but nobody is complaining about that because it's the norm? I take your point about energy and water usage though - not ideal! However, what environmental benefits might AI have in the future? All of this experimentation and learning in complex application of AI could lead to it being used to create more efficient chip designs, cleaner industrial processes, cleaner fertilisers, etc. Theoretically the environmental benefit could be huge, but it's just not been realised yet? I dunno, maybe I'm being overly optimistic. I just don't think it's black and white and I'm not ready to boycott publishers for using a useful tool that's available to them. In many industries I expect not being an early adopter will mean going out of business. Hopefully I'm not too biased by really wanting to play this game! 😂

[@One_Stale_Donut]

Very solid recommendations, thank you! Please don't be afraid to label chapters with actual game names instead of numbers. I know it's there to keep people watching but channels that are confident will get people regardless, just look at SU&SD. And people that want to skip straight to it will still skip straight to it, a bit presumptuous of me but I'd want to see this channel grow and improve.

[@ryangrace8576]

Gentle Rain and Parks: Roll and Hike are probably my two most played solo games this year, for my first full year of tabletop gaming. ❤

[@grahamtnash79]

“Shall we” you always know its time for a great video when you hear those two words from Jenna! Thank you for all the recommendations Jenna :)

[@JymmiF]

My small box solo game that I pick up a lot is Town 77 from Oink. It's Sudoku like and it's just arranging a grid of tiles and I think it is relaxing and fun.

[@katywall1898]

Really enjoying Hadrian's Wall solo lately

[@girlmeetsmeeple5415]

Great list! If I were to add anything, it would be Forage (or orchard/grove but forage is the newest.) little micro puzzle game. You use nine cards to overlap fruit trying to fill your basket. You can also use recipe cards for extra points but they also change the point target. Very satisfying. I tend to switch between a gentle rain and forage when I want a relaxing solo game.

[@shikacaca]

Second solo gift guide where Kingdom Legacy was recommended. I put it on my Christmas list and hope to get it!

[@Melz_Bellz]

Kingdom Legacy is such a blast! They have lofty plans for many expansion packs and other full boxes in the series. I can’t wait :)

[@samirjafri191]

Hi Jenna, That was a great list. About half of them were new to me, so I will have to check them out. Your recs are always so good!! Here are a few more: - Regicide (can be played with a regualar deck of cards and rules you can find online, so it's basically free) - 20 Strong - Orchard/Grove/Forage - any of the Oniverse games - Dr. Steve Finn pocket games (Herbaceous, Floriferous, Snowfall over the Mountains, Sunset over the Water, etc.) - Cascadia Rolling Rivers/Hills - Doppelt So Clever - Maquis - On BGG free PnP, 2023 in-hand game design winner Fungi of the Phalages Forest by Roshni Patel who has done other good games (including several for Button Shy) - Black Sonata might be on this list if the KS ever fulfills and I get to play it (the PnP is too complicated to build for me).

[@tamiadeloatch256]

Thanks so much Jenna! I didn't really consider playing solo games (or solo versions of multiplayer games) until I found your channel... I'm such a happier board gamer now! Love the complication of many small options. Personally, I keep going back to Cascadia's solo version... I just need to beat my highscore😅

[@NadiaStar-q7q]

I really like whatnot cabinet and confusing lands solo recently. They are short and sweet!

[@jedfromyourlocallibrary]

I hope you’re feeling better by the time this came out!

[@corynardin]

I love ROVE! And the whole idea of button shy games is awesome. I like to print and play and they are so cheap and simple to do. I also did the PNP version of For Northwood and recommend.

[@randito2387]

Wow, so many interesting finds in your recommendations. Signed, someone who obsessively watches recommendations and know all of them. Also, Kingdom Legacy has some home-brew stickers you can make if you want to replay it. Another recent discovery.. Confusing Lands. It's 18+ cards but packs a lot of game in that. And also Castle Combo. Lots of game in a small box.

[@Brian51560]

I’m surprised I never see any talk about the game “regicide” when it comes to solo games. It’s a great game at 2 as well but it’s a great solo package in a tight package. You should check it out !

[@Board_Halfling]

Great recommendations I now have more games to go check out. I just picked up a small solo adventure game called The Crows of Coppershell Bay by Paul Stapleton it is a big adventure game in a small tin

[@AeronwyD]

Kinfire Delve is high on my list to get in 2025. Plus a bunch more ButtonShy games. I hadn't heard of Kingdom Legacy before. Definitely need to check it out. And A Gentle Rain is my most played game by almost THREE times the next closest game. Love this one!

[@moosescorner]

everyone keeps recommending for northwood for gifting but the game has been out of stock for literally a year or so now. I check constantly and nobody has any stock, been wanting it for ages myself

[@Sygness]

Got it about a month ago from the publisher's website, Side Room Games.

[@Irish_eliZAG]

I got it when there was a kickstarter for their other game. You could get it as add on

[@diane68801]

I’m new to board gaming and I’m confused on how to flip the card in which direction for washed ashore.

[@Melz_Bellz]

Welcome :) I haven’t played that game, but I’ve found the best resources for questions are on the board game geek website for the game or a tutorial video for the game on KZbin.

[@talkingshelfspace]

Regarding Kingdom Legacy: their current concept is to have the base box be 1-time play and then the expansions allow you to continue playing with the same deck. Two booster-pack expansions currently exists and then designer has teased a big (~140 cards) expansion coming up. So it likely won't become a series of different titles but more like a continuation of the same game. For the original Tranquility: I strongly recommend playing with the variant to remove a number of random cards during setup and adding the cliff to lock a row each turn. That really adds to the thrill 😀

[@elenamuller7388]

Hi, In Essen he told me that in addition to what you mentioned he plans to release other settings as well. Guess thats what she meant :)

[@jonathanfryxelius2390]

@@elenamuller7388 Yes, we will release both expansions for Feudal Kingdom, but there are also more kingdoms to come, for example a Northern Kingdom (Viking theme) and Desert Kingdom.

[@mikintosh6111]

Not exactly small box, but for solo gaming i go to Final Girl, Arkham Horror LCG, or Kinfire Delve.

[@ShuffleUpandDeal32]

Hi there Jenna

[@sshim950]

Ty : )

[@richardfisher8016]

Woohoo 🎉

[@SunSailandSand]

Title should say 10 solo *CARD* games

[@Irish_eliZAG]

Yeah, railroad ink has loads of cards