2024's top single-player video games

Which single-player games are the best?While playing together to accomplish a shared objective or competitively is enjoyable sometimes, many of us have fond memories of playing alone as children. In order to honor those heydays and the greatest single-player games of the current period, we've put up this list. All you have to do is choose which game to start with.

View the top solitary games on our list if you like sports but don't want to play on a team. The following games are available: baseball, football, basketball, and cricket. Check out our top picks for car games, plane games, and train games, if you're in the mood to start the engine.

These are the top2024's single-player video games:

Screenshot from Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with fellow Hyrulians for best single-player games guide

On the Nintendo Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Our Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review has a rationale. is an outstanding 10/10. Simply said, the Switch offers no greater single-player gaming experience than this one. Hyrule is a place full of adventure, from the sky islands to the depths below, and you may explore it anyway you like thanks to Link's inventive ultrahand skill. Not only is this one of the greatest single-player games on the Switch and mobile devices, but it may be the greatest game ever made due to its expansive scale, which seems like the culmination of thirty years of Link's adventures.

Even better, with our guides to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shrines, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom koroks, and , we can assist you with your hop, skip, and leap into Hyrule.Zelda: , Tears of the Kingdom armorThe geoglyphs of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the map of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and . Screenshot of splitting corridors from the Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe for best single-player games guide Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom amiibo

The Stanley Parable: Nintendo Switch - Ultra Deluxe

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is the video game equivalent of a Charlie Kaufman movie—a masterwork of meta-commentary that challenges your preconceived notions about games, game design, and sometimes even life itself.

Luckily, a good dose of British witticisms from an unidentified narrator offsets a lot of the existential contemplation, creating what is essentially the closest thing to a dark comedy gaming classic. That's sort of the point—there isn't a big mission here. Rather, this game forces you to think—and think hard. Perhaps avoid doing this one too late at night.Single-player games - Mario playing the guitar with music notes appearing at his side

Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch

(Unless you ask Kayleigh, but we won't discuss her Mario being boring feature) Nobody does single-player games quite like Mario. Super Mario Odyssey is the pinnacle of solo platformers when it comes to packing as much pleasure as possible into a game. The Mario franchise has never seemed more vibrant, and that's saying something, with vibrant worlds just waiting for Mario and Cappy to discover. There isn't much that Nintendo could improve this game, from navigating the Mushroom Kingdom to battling a dragon that wouldn't seem out of place in Dark Souls. Would you kindly give us a sequel now?

Why not use our Mario Lego, Mario figure, and Mario Kart Hot Wheels tips to put Nintendo's mustachioed mascot on your desk if you're a huge fan? Alternatively, peruse our compilation of the top Mario games on Switch to see what thrilling experiences you haven't yet had.

Screenshot of March 7th taking a selfie in Honkai Star Rail for best single-player games guide

Mobile Honkai Star Rail

As you can see from our Honkai Star Rail review, we adore Honkai Star Rail, even though it is set in the year 2023. It feels, in some strange way, just like one of those old-school RPG single-player games from the PS2-era, with plenty of quests to keep you occupied as the Astral Express blasts through the universe.

Star Rail is an excellent free-to-play game with many hours of captivating action. Its roguelike experience of the simulated universe, grinding Calyx trials, and thrilling core storyline are just a few of its many intriguing aspects. Therefore, don't be put off by the gacha mechanisms; there's much of fun to be gained here.

Naturally, a guide is going to be necessary if this is your first time on the Astral Express. Therefore, don't forget to check out our tier list and codes, in addition to our specific build guides for Himeko, March 7th, Honkai Star Rail’s Gepard, and Honkai Star Rail’s Herta.

Screenshot of the ride at the beginning of Skyrim for best single-player games guide

Nintendo Switch - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Skyrim exists for more than just nostalgic sake. It remains one of the greatest solo role-playing games available, even after all these years of release. Like Tears of the Kingdom, Skyrim has a plenty of things to explore, from the dragon-infested coastlands to the northern tundras. You may spend hours exploring a few caverns, fighting off trolls, and looting away. Better better, you may fully immerse yourself in The Elder Scrolls universe since all of the DLC features are accessible via the Anniversary Edition (plus, there's fishing!).

Check out our guides to Skyrim races, Skyrim marriage, Skyrim Dark Brotherhood, Skyrim enchanting, Skyrim houses, and Skyrim maps to get a head start when you return to this vast area. Try our list of the top games similar to Skyrim if you're in the mood for something fresh that yet feels like an Elder Scrolls game.

Screenshot from the beginning of Getting Over It with the man in the cauldron for best single-player games guide

Moving Past It – smartphones

In the gaming world, Bennett Foddy is something of a cult figure since, over the last ten years, his quirky solo projects have provided some intriguing gaming experiences. Of them all, Getting Over It is the most captivating. It's a physics game in which you have to use a rock hammer to navigate an obstacle course while trapped within a massive cauldron.

You did really hear correctly. As the game's narrator, Foddy bemoans the nature of failure throughout all of this. Although it may seem a little odd, there is a large community of speedrunners who make it their life's work to Get Over It, so why not share in the excitement?

A horse charging in a race from Solitaire Grand Harvest for best single-player games guide

Mobile and Nintendo Switch versions of Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!The original single-player game is solitaire, but Game Freak's rendition is quite different. With its unique blend of resource management, racing, and the traditional card game, Pocket Card Jockey devours your free time like a ravenous pony devouring raw carrots.Even if those three ideas seem strange together, I promise you that if you spend twenty minutes researching a few different races, you will become engrossed. See our Pocket Card Jocket: Ride On! review if you need further persuasion.Screenshot of standing outside the community centre in Stardew Valley for best single-player games guide

Stardew Valley – mobile and Nintendo Switch

Few people are as equipped as me to explain why Stardew Valley is among the greatest single-player games available—I've played it for over 300 hours. It just has everything. I could gush about this game's superb language, amazing mechanics, and captivating game loop for hours on end. It is much more than just a farming game, so don't think of it that way. It's a live simulation with no boring moments.We can assist you if you do need some assistance orienting yourself. See our guides to Stardew Valley characters and Stardew Valley fish.Check out our 10/10 Stardew Valley review after that. If you are familiar with Pelican Town, consider branching out with our selection of the top games that are similar to Stardew Valley.An early battle in the first stage of Hades for best single-player games guide

Hades - mobile and Nintendo Switch

Let me go on to another game that I have played much too much of my life. One of the greatest roguelikes available is Hades, which has amazing combat gameplay and an engrossing story that keeps you coming back for more plays. It's all about getting out of hell, but as you soon discover, it's not as simple as all the myths make it (and it's not exactly a stroll in the park either). You can't go wrong with a little Hades if you want quick top-down action.For more of our opinions, be sure to read our Hades review. However, if you already know every detail about Hades, use our Hades 2 release date guide to see how the sequel is coming along, or use our recommendations for the top games that are comparable to Hades to discover something else entirely.Screenshot of a busy Vampire Survivors screen with a whip attack for best single-player games guide

Nintendo Switch and smartphone versions of Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors, a late-2022-surprise sensation, is another game on our list that can captivate you for hours on end in single-player mode. The gameplay loop of Vampire Survivors has a mysterious quality that encourages you to keep playing.It is the closest thing to the legendary videotape in David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest that I have ever seen in a video game. When you glance at the clock, you see that it is eight o'clock at night. When you look up again, you see that it is three a.m. Simply surrender to the game. Anyhow, who needs to sleep? Not so with vampires. That's for certain.Check out our guides to Vampire Survivors characters, Vampire Survivors DLC, and Vampire Survivors weapons. to get an advantage over the monsters in-store. If you want to broaden your experience, we also have a Vampire Survivors: Legacy of the Moonspell DLC mobile review.Screenshot of Samus using a digital interface for Metroid Prime Remastered entry in single-player games guide

Remastered Metroid Prime for the Nintendo Switch

While Samus's two-dimensional escapades are legendary, Nintendo's space-faring franchise only gets better in three dimensions. We were among the hordes of fans who have been waiting impatiently for this game to launch on the Switch since the console's arrival in 2017, as you can probably tell from our 10/10 Metroid Prime Remastered review. It's unquestionably one of the greatest solo experiences available on the system.This planetary adventure's boss encounters are legendary, proving that Nintendo can provide exciting gun battles when it wants to. When you mix those enormous bads with some challenging riddles and satisfying exploration, you get an immersive experience that gives you the impression that you are alone in the depths of space.Screenshot of Peach and a magical character in Princess Peach: Showtime! for best single player games guide

Princess Peach: Nintendo Switch

- Time for Show!Nintendo's excellent single-player title Princess Peach: Showtime! features the royal monarch of Mushroom Kingdom in an action-packed spin-off. Join Princess Peach as she assumes the roles of a swordfighter, cowgirl, and more in an attempt to save Sparkle Theater from the grasp of an enigmatic adversary. For Mario's darling, it's all in a day's work.Though entertaining for players of all ages, this one is especially well-liked by children and, for those who seek it out, a great way to get started with single-player games. See our Princess Peach: Showtime! review for more information.Screenshot of Amy from Sonic Dream Team for best single player games guide

Sonic Dream Team - mobileIf you grew up playing Sonic Adventure over and over again, as I did, Sonic Dream Team is a great way to relive your childhood while trying something new. our is one of our favorite Sonic games in a long time and is definitely deserving of its spot on our list since it has a cast of beloved series characters, such as Sonic, Tales, Knuckles, and more, a vibrant and colorful in-game environment to explore, and some very intense boss fights.Even if you've previously looked at this, it's definitely worth coming back to after the most recent content release in February 2024. Future upgrades are on the horizon, and we're excited to see how the game's creator, Hardlight, builds on an already very captivating Sonic experience.Balatro - Nintendo Switch Screenshot of playing a hand in Balatro for best single player games guide I've spent so many hours playing Balatro that I can't even count. One of the most captivating roguelike games is this one. With a gameplay loop that entices you to return and continuing creating larger and bigger poker hands, it's the best I've ever laid hands on. Although it seems like it may age quickly, it doesn't, I promise.Although Balatro first seems like a poker game, it's not truly. In this high-score chasing game, joker cards that increase multipliers are used to increase your point total with each hand. If you haven't tried it yet, you should definitely give it a go since it's swiftly emerging as one of the biggest independent hits of 2024.These are our selections for the top single-player Switch and smartphone games. Check out our selections of the top party games for when you do host guests. Featuring the top Jackbox games . For those who like fighting, you may also refer to our guide on the Mortal Kombat 1 characters.

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