The 13 Most Anticipated Solo Board Games of PAX Unplugged 2024

Introduction

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It’s almost that time of year again, fellow solo board gamers! The leaves are falling, there’s a chill in the air, and that can only mean one thing: PAX Unplugged is right around the corner! I’ve been poring over the list of new and upcoming releases looking for juicy board games for us solo board gamers. This year, I’m particularly excited about the slew of new solo games that will be making their debut or will be available to play at the show. So without further ado, here are the 13 most anticipated solo board games I can’t wait to check out at PAX Unplugged 2024!

Witchcraft!

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This is from the same design team that brought us Resist! and Undaunted and now they’re bringing us a card-driven game about leading a coven of witches. This has been making its way around on social media during the spooky season and I’ve honestly slept on it. PAX Unplugged seems like a good chance to check it out. I’m intrigued by the hidden/revealed mechanic–having to choose when to use magic at the risk of exposing yourself feels deliciously tense. Plus, the fact that you’re building your coven from different witch families, each with their own specialties, suggests the kind of deep strategic decision-making I love. The 56 possible mission combinations means I’ll be able to milk this one for months of solo sessions.

Revenant

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Oh my goodness, another Ian O’Toole masterpiece! His art and graphic design in games like Voidfall and Speakeasy soothes my soul. This one has me intrigued because it’s taking worker placement–my jam!–and applies it within the Voidfall universe.

How to Save a World

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Three different paths to save a planet from an asteroid each with a slim chance of success? Can I call Bruce Willis to join my team? This is exactly the kind of narrative-driven worker placement game I live for. The time pressure of the approaching asteroid combined with the split focus of the different projects sounds like it could create some genuinely nail-biting moments. What really interests me is how the three different approaches (laser, shield, or evacuation) might require completely different strategies.

Black Forest

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Look, when Uwe Rosenberg creates a worker placement game, I’m legally obligated to be excited. The combination of tile laying and resource management is right in my wheelhouse, and I’m fascinated by how the building types will interact with each other. Given Uwe’s track record with games like A Feast for Odin and Hallertau, I’m betting the solo mode is rock solid.

Terraria: The Board Game

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As someone who has sunk embarrassingly many hours into the video game, I’m cautiously optimistic about this adaptation. I passed on the Kickstarter, but it looks like there’s still a chance to late pledge. I’m particularly interested in how they’ll translate the day/night cycle and the exploration aspects into tabletop form. The boss fights especially sound like they could create some really exciting moments. Plus, the modular board should give it tons of replayability.

Great Western Trail: El Paso

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Alexander Pfister. Need I say more? Okay, I will–because this standalone version of Great Western Trail promising a faster setup and shorter playtime while maintaining the depth has me intrigued. A more streamlined version that keeps the deck-building and track movement mechanics sounds perfect for weeknight gaming. I’m really curious about how they’ve condensed the experience while keeping what makes Great Western Trail special. The fact that it’s focused on El Paso as a railway hub adds a fresh twist to the familiar formula.

Defenders of the Realm: Legends Edition

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A cooperative fantasy game with unique hero decks and variable player powers? That’s speaking my language. The tension between playing cards and giving resources to the enemy sounds like the kind of interesting decision space I love in solo games.

Endeavor: Deep Sea

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This modern-day reimagining of Endeavor: Age of Sail brought to us by the same team has me seriously excited! The focus on conservation and marine research feels fresh and timely. I’m particularly interested in this game because for the first time ever we now have an Endeavor solo mode.

Gems of Iridescia

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The combination of worker placement and push-your-luck mechanics has my full attention. The dice manipulation aspect sounds particularly interesting. I love games that let you mitigate luck in clever ways. The idea of using gems both as a resource and for scoring through relic restoration suggests some juicy decision-making. I also find the cartoony art-style particularly fun.

Knitting Circle

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Okay, hear me out–I know a knitting theme might not seem exciting, but this follow-up to Calico has me genuinely intrigued and this is likely to be the coziest game in the list. Actually, we’ll see about that…The combination of pattern building, tile placement, and rondel mechanics sounds deliciously crunchy. I love how they’ve incorporated a helper cat into the mechanics–it’s thematic and cute while serving a strategic purpose. The variable scoring goals suggests strong replayability for solo play. Beth Sobel’s art is always gorgeous too. I’m betting this will be a feast for the eyes.

Pathfinder Quest

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There’s very little information on this one still, but maybe we’ll get something at PAX Unplugged. An evolution of Pathfinder Adventure Card Game would make me so happy, but the fact that you get to experience 8 out of 12 possible adventures in each playthrough makes me think it’s more of a campaign game. The character customization options sound robust though so it’s definitely on my watchlist.

Diatoms

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This is probably the most unique theme I’ve seen in a while–Victorian-era microscopic art with diatoms. The combination of tile placement and pattern building sounds perfect for meditative solo play. I’m really interested in how the “guest judge” cards will create varying objectives for different playthroughs. The fact that the solo variant has specific mosaic commission prompts suggests they’ve put real thought into the solitaire experience.

A Place for All My Books

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If you made it this far, I present to you the coziest game in the list beating out Knitting Circle. As someone whose house is literally overflowing with board games and books and as an introverted solo board gamer, this theme speaks to me on a spiritual level. I laughed out loud at the thought of organizing books and being rewarded with renewed energy to venture out of the house to buy new board games–err…books.

Conclusion

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Wow, what a lineup! I hope this list got you excited and maybe even highlighted some games you hadn’t heard about yet. What games are you most excited about? Did I miss any solo-playable titles you’re looking forward to? Reach out to me on BGG, social media, or email and let me know!

Until next time, happy gaming!