Games for the solo business traveller

I'm away on business and sitting in my hotel room wandering how to occupy the time.

What are the top 5 solo games to pack in my suitcase to while away the long hotel evenings ? (They should be compact, playable in limited space - maybe on the bed - and be engaging enough to keep me out of the bar)

Comments

I can't really help, since solo gaming for me is only a way of learning rules. I can't really motivate myself to actually play a game.

But why aren't you using free hotel wireless to play board games online?

... unfortunately not all hotels in Europe have Wifi and are not always in the most salubrious of locations.

I totally agree with the Chrononauts.  Having a wife & child who do not share my enthusiasm, sometimes I gotta go solo and the single varient Chrononauts puzzle has never let me down.

 

I am inclined to reccomend bar games (cribbage, cosmic wimpout, guillotine, quiddler, farkle, treehouse)  while all are lightweight, most take a more outgoing person than myself in order to actually intice a stranger to play.   Having said all that.(okay I never said that.  I was trying to fit it in  it with the bar games....whether I was succesful or not ignore that statement.)  what I woudl strongly reccomend packing a treehouse set.  it's lightweight, easily packable, and opens tons of games.  and while there are not enough solitaire options, there is a relatively solid one called rotationary which provides a "klondike" like experience.   It's has a little more thought, but can get pretty simple with the basic set up.  once you randomize the set up of the pyramids, you have a puzzle that can be entertaining.  

There are  tons of other pyramid games  although few of them solo.  But the bonus is the treehouse I mentioned earlier.   It's a totally non-threatening game which can be plaid with anybody.  

 

summary:  buy treehouse or two  & a deck of cards  if you are as introverted as me.  if you get gregarious in the bar, expand with farkle/cosmic wimpout  and some simple iceous games which rather than linking again I will say exist at www.icehousegames.org  .   I am sure I am too late, but am never sad to share solo play ideas.

Race for the Galaxy - player interaction is not one of the game's strong suits (in my opinion), so you could easily play this one and have it feel like the regular game in most respects.

ChainSaw Warrior - classic Games Workshop bookshelf title. Actually designed from the get-go to be played solo. Very hack and slashy but loads of fun, too

Ricochet Robots - more puzzle than game perhaps, but can definitely be a brain buster

Chrononauts - time traveling card game  by the makers of Fluxx. Solo variant rules set up a challenging scenario.

St Petersburg - can be played just like the multi-play version -  try to get the highest score possible - a little cumbersome but you could use the box from this one to pack the components for the others.

Lord of the Rings - the co-op Knizia one. I've done this a few times and it is very difficult but a lot of fun trying to puzzle out the best decisions in each situation that arises.

If you can get a copy of B-17: Queen of the Skies, I'd recommend it. I travel a lot for business and I keep MEANING to put this in my bag... It's a lot of  fun.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/1032

I understand that the latest Race for the Galaxy expansion includes a one player option ? Any one played it ?

Great list - Chrononauts is on my wishlist at the moment. As a card game it has portability and as a concept it really appeals.

B17 sounds good - might look that up.

I've also seen there's a Wings of War edition which is 1-2 players. Anyone got experience of that (I hear lots of good things) ?

Lord of the Rings is waaaay too heavy to lunk around Europe with me !

 

Thanks all ^_^

With a little handiwork to make a fabric board that could roll up (or even better, bunch up and hold the tiles).  Ingenious has a 1-player option which I've tried, and enjoy a good bit.