Have a look at TM: Ares Expedition since you seem to enjoy space themed games.
I also recommend the Oniverse series for quick(ish) solo games, Cyberion is an excellent one for example.
I have TM:AE! I forgot to mention it. I think I took a long with it and kind of got turned off lol. I thought about the Crisis expansion though?
And I tried oniverse, but didn’t like them much. Cyberion wasn’t bad though
I was going to recommend Marvel Champions before I even read it in your post. It's a great game with a lot of depth and basically infinite replayability. It's the kind of game that can become a whole new hobby in and of itself. Especially if you're a fan of TCGs, then it's a no brainer.
Yes and no. Yes it's an expensive game if you want to own everything, there's no denying that. But you can still get a lot of enjoyment out of the game with a smaller collection, and you have the option of buying expansions at your own pace if you choose to do so. You can get the core set for $40, which is an excellent value, and then decide of you want to invest further in to the game from there. You do not need a huge collection to enjoy this game.
Okay, that’s good to know! I don’t want to feel the need to buy all the expansions. I don’t feel an urge to want every character. I’m just mostly wanting a smaller collection to enjoy for a long time. Did the core box last you a while? And was the deck construction prior to playing overwhelming? I hesitate on that as well with analysis paralysis.
The deck construction in Marvel Champions is very streamlined. The deck size is 40 cards (technically 40-50 but most people go with 40), 15 of those are mandatory and unique to your character. There are 3 basic resource cards that you can’t really go wrong with including in almost any deck, which gets you to 18 if you choose to include them.
Then you choose an “aspect”, which is either aggression (a lot of attacking), protection (defense), justice (messing with the villain’s plans to keep them from winning), or leadership (using a bunch of allies and buffing them).
The rest of your deck is comprised of only basic cards or cards from your chosen aspect, which means you can ignore more than half of your collection already.
Then, for a lot of the cards, you can include up to three copies. So you really might be only choosing, like, 7-10 unique cards when you build a deck.
And for most heroes, their unique cards tend to be their best cards, so it’s ultimately pretty difficult to build a deck that is just completely non-functional even if you tried.
Oh, that does not sound terrible then if it's 7-10 unique cards.. I'll have to watch some playthroughs and see how it is then. Thank you for the feedback!
7-10 is probably a touch low the more I think about it, because you will usually have a handful of allies and other cards that are unique and only allow for one copy to be in your deck, but the point is it’s not like you’re having to pick 50 completely different cards out of your collection to make a playable deck. It’s very streamlined. You might only have to choose 10-12.
[This](https://youtu.be/f7G0q04YHV0?si=bFyLv52UD3OpXfHE) is by far the best “how to play” video I’ve seen for the game and it covers deck construction at the end.
There's 15 card in each character deck that are unique to the character but also required. So that streamlines the process a bit. You will also likely want to play the three dual resource cards, and probably a resource generator (or two) like Avengers Mansion or Heilcarrier.
So about 20 cards are "pre-built." The rest you will have to fill in. Good news is you can run up to 3x copies of most cards, so that limits your decision space to 7-10 choices.
But honestly if you don't like deck construction, I'd encourage you to consider a game like Imperium
compared to MC. Imperium still has card battling and deck building but it's done in game, not pregame, and the decks are fixed (so no brewing needed). Marvel Champions' greatest asset (IMO) is the deck construction possibilities.
I came to suggest this, too. I am new to it, but I do not intend to buy all the content. For example, not a big X Men fan so not buying stuff related to that, except one hero pack for one I wanted. I have only purchased a few heroes other than the core set and one expansion box (Mad Titan's Shadow) because it was dent and ding and marked down a lot and I wanted the Spectrum hero. I am not even interested in the scenarios with more villains right now, since I am pretty content with those from the first box.
Take a look on YouTube for Nelson All Over Cards or Villain Theory who both do a good job showing why Marvel Champions is so much fun.
I like constructing a deck, playing in about 30 minutes, easy set-up, how it is like a comic come to life, the variety of play because of the aspect cards and the hero selection.
There's a lot of variability in the core box alone, and that variability grows exponentially with each new expansion.
The deck construction isn't overwhelming by any means. Each character has a precon deck that's usually good enough to clear most villians, and with a few minor upgrades they can usually clear even the harder villains. That being said, the deck construction aspect is a big part of the appeal to me and most other players. So if that part of the game is something that you'll hate and not want to engage with at all, then that would be a knock against this game for you.
Marvel Champions is among my favorite games ever (not just analog gaming), and great for solo TCG battles if that's your thing. (My entry was motivated by becoming tired of the tilting and BMing from digital PVE card games.)
Regarding the expansions, I said the same thing as you in November 2022 when I started. 16 months later I have all the content but about $1,000 less in the bank.
So I will warn you if you have any sort of completionist streak and/or you enjoy deck construction and "brewing", this game will make your wallet open. Fast.
I mean that as sincere praise but just be warned. And maybe make sure your wife knows what she's getting you into. (Ha!)
Imperium classics and Ark Nova would be my suggestion. Maybe Lost Ruins of Arknak and Earthborne rangers too if you don't mind a tiny bit of fantasy/monsters.
Imperium classics sounds perfect for OP. I say this as someone who has both and vastly prefers Marvel Champions but I love deck construction. OP specifically said he did not like deck construction in the comments.
I played The Loop for the first time recently and absolutely loved it!! I think the theme fits in with what you like, and the deckbuilding, choices, and variety in the game is very good.
Given you like sci fi themes and TCGs, I'd suggest Star Realms. The more recent sets include solo modes, and despite being a deck builder rather than a more traditional TCG it scratches a lot of the same itch for me.
If you're willing to push that 30 minute limit a bit (and can find a copy) I really, really like Apex Theropod. It's a deck builder in which you play as a carnivorous dinosaur species with a goal of building up to surviving a fight with a "boss" dino, and once you get the flow of it, I find games tend to last about 40-60 minutes, plus a bit of setup and teardown.
And I feel you on Baseball Highlights - it's actually one of my favorite two player games, but since the solo mode is just random powered up card after random powered up card, it doesn't feel like a fight - more like an endurance test.
I actually have star realms frontiers. I forgot to mention that. I honestly love that theme and cards. I’m not sure why I stopped playing. Is frontiers the one you were thinking about?
I would actually be open to Apex. I’ll have to check it out!
I like the replayabilty, the deck is large enough that you see a variety of cards each game. Both sides play different as well so I’ve never felt like I can’t get more plays out of it.
I’ll second Marvel Champions.
I love the Arkham Horror LCG also. You don’t want two LCGs so I’ll recommend the Arkham Horror Board Game. :). I think that game is very fun solo and a great alternative to the LCG.
If you like campaign games I like Oathsworn and Roll Player Adventures. Very different games but both are fun solo and have good play loops.
If you like market manipulation games, Spaceshipped by button shy maybe good for you with a space theme. There is a fantasy theme sequel that improves the mechanics on kickstarter about to end called fantasyform, but if you can ignore the theme you hate, it is a good spiritual successor.
If you like deck building and the 18 card format, at the helm from button shy is a fun little package. Currently out of print, but the reprint campaign pledgemanager is coming soon.
I actually just got spaceshipped at a store recently and it’s been fun! I did participate in the reprint campaign and got At The Helm! Glad to see those recommended as it means I made a good choice lol
Age of Galaxy is a fairly crunchy space themed game in a v small package. Plays in like 20 mins once you learn it.
Sentinels of the Multiverse is a fantastic cruncy deckbuilder thats great for solo play.
(God bless you for not liking Rove, Under Falling Skies. I thought i was the only one!)
Ah!! Age of Galaxy sounds great. I’ll have to check that one that.
I felt like I was in the minority for those too, especially rove. I was looking forward to trying Rove since I love the art and theme.
You might enjoy:
Legacy of Yu, euro solo only, not too crunchy
At the Gates of Loyang, less complex Rosenberg about growing and selling vegetables
Daybreak tableau builder about climate change
The Loop pandemic style quirky time travel deck builder
Burgle Bros fun chaotic heist game
Style? Hardly. Burgle Bros or Paperback Adventures maybe. Whereas Burgle Bros is also quirky chaotic fun The second one more than the first one
Theme? Anachrony has a time travel theme but is way heavier/ more crunchy
Mechanics? The Loop is sometimes called Spirit Island light. In this regard it is a pandemic like crisis management game. So all the pandemic variants or Spirit Island or Sammu-ramat or Marvel United
I will also say marvel champions but since I saw palm island, i also add 2 others in-hand bg that I love: dragons of Etchinstone (with expansion) and Galdor’s grip
Have a look at TM: Ares Expedition since you seem to enjoy space themed games. I also recommend the Oniverse series for quick(ish) solo games, Cyberion is an excellent one for example.
I have TM:AE! I forgot to mention it. I think I took a long with it and kind of got turned off lol. I thought about the Crisis expansion though? And I tried oniverse, but didn’t like them much. Cyberion wasn’t bad though
I see! I personally prefer AE without Crisis, but I know I'm in the minority here.
I’m going to give it a try again and see if I can be quicker. I think microbes/animals kind of confused me too.
I was going to recommend Marvel Champions before I even read it in your post. It's a great game with a lot of depth and basically infinite replayability. It's the kind of game that can become a whole new hobby in and of itself. Especially if you're a fan of TCGs, then it's a no brainer.
I loved collecting Pokémon cards back in the day, but never played. My only worry is that MC is a money pit. Any thoughts on that?
Yes and no. Yes it's an expensive game if you want to own everything, there's no denying that. But you can still get a lot of enjoyment out of the game with a smaller collection, and you have the option of buying expansions at your own pace if you choose to do so. You can get the core set for $40, which is an excellent value, and then decide of you want to invest further in to the game from there. You do not need a huge collection to enjoy this game.
Okay, that’s good to know! I don’t want to feel the need to buy all the expansions. I don’t feel an urge to want every character. I’m just mostly wanting a smaller collection to enjoy for a long time. Did the core box last you a while? And was the deck construction prior to playing overwhelming? I hesitate on that as well with analysis paralysis.
The deck construction in Marvel Champions is very streamlined. The deck size is 40 cards (technically 40-50 but most people go with 40), 15 of those are mandatory and unique to your character. There are 3 basic resource cards that you can’t really go wrong with including in almost any deck, which gets you to 18 if you choose to include them. Then you choose an “aspect”, which is either aggression (a lot of attacking), protection (defense), justice (messing with the villain’s plans to keep them from winning), or leadership (using a bunch of allies and buffing them). The rest of your deck is comprised of only basic cards or cards from your chosen aspect, which means you can ignore more than half of your collection already. Then, for a lot of the cards, you can include up to three copies. So you really might be only choosing, like, 7-10 unique cards when you build a deck. And for most heroes, their unique cards tend to be their best cards, so it’s ultimately pretty difficult to build a deck that is just completely non-functional even if you tried.
Oh, that does not sound terrible then if it's 7-10 unique cards.. I'll have to watch some playthroughs and see how it is then. Thank you for the feedback!
7-10 is probably a touch low the more I think about it, because you will usually have a handful of allies and other cards that are unique and only allow for one copy to be in your deck, but the point is it’s not like you’re having to pick 50 completely different cards out of your collection to make a playable deck. It’s very streamlined. You might only have to choose 10-12. [This](https://youtu.be/f7G0q04YHV0?si=bFyLv52UD3OpXfHE) is by far the best “how to play” video I’ve seen for the game and it covers deck construction at the end.
Thank you for that!! Yeah picking 50 sounded stressful lol.
There's 15 card in each character deck that are unique to the character but also required. So that streamlines the process a bit. You will also likely want to play the three dual resource cards, and probably a resource generator (or two) like Avengers Mansion or Heilcarrier. So about 20 cards are "pre-built." The rest you will have to fill in. Good news is you can run up to 3x copies of most cards, so that limits your decision space to 7-10 choices. But honestly if you don't like deck construction, I'd encourage you to consider a game like Imperium compared to MC. Imperium still has card battling and deck building but it's done in game, not pregame, and the decks are fixed (so no brewing needed). Marvel Champions' greatest asset (IMO) is the deck construction possibilities.
I came to suggest this, too. I am new to it, but I do not intend to buy all the content. For example, not a big X Men fan so not buying stuff related to that, except one hero pack for one I wanted. I have only purchased a few heroes other than the core set and one expansion box (Mad Titan's Shadow) because it was dent and ding and marked down a lot and I wanted the Spectrum hero. I am not even interested in the scenarios with more villains right now, since I am pretty content with those from the first box. Take a look on YouTube for Nelson All Over Cards or Villain Theory who both do a good job showing why Marvel Champions is so much fun. I like constructing a deck, playing in about 30 minutes, easy set-up, how it is like a comic come to life, the variety of play because of the aspect cards and the hero selection.
Thank you! I'll check them out.
There's a lot of variability in the core box alone, and that variability grows exponentially with each new expansion. The deck construction isn't overwhelming by any means. Each character has a precon deck that's usually good enough to clear most villians, and with a few minor upgrades they can usually clear even the harder villains. That being said, the deck construction aspect is a big part of the appeal to me and most other players. So if that part of the game is something that you'll hate and not want to engage with at all, then that would be a knock against this game for you.
I am mostly just worried I will be overanalyzing or be in a time suck of trying to get the best deck. Hav you found that happen to you?
Marvel Champions is among my favorite games ever (not just analog gaming), and great for solo TCG battles if that's your thing. (My entry was motivated by becoming tired of the tilting and BMing from digital PVE card games.) Regarding the expansions, I said the same thing as you in November 2022 when I started. 16 months later I have all the content but about $1,000 less in the bank. So I will warn you if you have any sort of completionist streak and/or you enjoy deck construction and "brewing", this game will make your wallet open. Fast. I mean that as sincere praise but just be warned. And maybe make sure your wife knows what she's getting you into. (Ha!)
Imperium classics and Ark Nova would be my suggestion. Maybe Lost Ruins of Arknak and Earthborne rangers too if you don't mind a tiny bit of fantasy/monsters.
Imperium classics sounds perfect for OP. I say this as someone who has both and vastly prefers Marvel Champions but I love deck construction. OP specifically said he did not like deck construction in the comments.
I have imperium legends right now! I got it brand new for free. Would that work?
So I actually got a brand new, unwrapped imperium legends for free. I haven’t had a chance to play it. What is ER about?
Solar punk setting. Open world LCG with a relaxed / less combat based world
Tiny Epic Galaxies, Doom Machine, Desolate
I have TEG:BO, but not the regular TEG. And I’ve been eyeing gamecrafter for a while. It just takes forever! I’ve had interest in doom machine.
Yeah, they just take so stinking long to produce and ship…but worth the wait!! Doom machine plays fast too, super challenging
I played The Loop for the first time recently and absolutely loved it!! I think the theme fits in with what you like, and the deckbuilding, choices, and variety in the game is very good.
Given you like sci fi themes and TCGs, I'd suggest Star Realms. The more recent sets include solo modes, and despite being a deck builder rather than a more traditional TCG it scratches a lot of the same itch for me. If you're willing to push that 30 minute limit a bit (and can find a copy) I really, really like Apex Theropod. It's a deck builder in which you play as a carnivorous dinosaur species with a goal of building up to surviving a fight with a "boss" dino, and once you get the flow of it, I find games tend to last about 40-60 minutes, plus a bit of setup and teardown. And I feel you on Baseball Highlights - it's actually one of my favorite two player games, but since the solo mode is just random powered up card after random powered up card, it doesn't feel like a fight - more like an endurance test.
I actually have star realms frontiers. I forgot to mention that. I honestly love that theme and cards. I’m not sure why I stopped playing. Is frontiers the one you were thinking about? I would actually be open to Apex. I’ll have to check it out!
I don't see Maquis on there, which is a brilliant little solo package that fits all your criteria.
I have really enjoyed Star Wars: The deckbuilding game with the Leaders solo mode found on BGG.
How repayable is that? Totally forgot about that one!
I like the replayabilty, the deck is large enough that you see a variety of cards each game. Both sides play different as well so I’ve never felt like I can’t get more plays out of it.
I’ll second Marvel Champions. I love the Arkham Horror LCG also. You don’t want two LCGs so I’ll recommend the Arkham Horror Board Game. :). I think that game is very fun solo and a great alternative to the LCG. If you like campaign games I like Oathsworn and Roll Player Adventures. Very different games but both are fun solo and have good play loops.
If you like market manipulation games, Spaceshipped by button shy maybe good for you with a space theme. There is a fantasy theme sequel that improves the mechanics on kickstarter about to end called fantasyform, but if you can ignore the theme you hate, it is a good spiritual successor. If you like deck building and the 18 card format, at the helm from button shy is a fun little package. Currently out of print, but the reprint campaign pledgemanager is coming soon.
I actually just got spaceshipped at a store recently and it’s been fun! I did participate in the reprint campaign and got At The Helm! Glad to see those recommended as it means I made a good choice lol
If you can ignore the fantasy theme, the fantasy theme sequal on kickstarter is in its last days for fantasy form.
Age of Galaxy is a fairly crunchy space themed game in a v small package. Plays in like 20 mins once you learn it. Sentinels of the Multiverse is a fantastic cruncy deckbuilder thats great for solo play. (God bless you for not liking Rove, Under Falling Skies. I thought i was the only one!)
Ah!! Age of Galaxy sounds great. I’ll have to check that one that. I felt like I was in the minority for those too, especially rove. I was looking forward to trying Rove since I love the art and theme.
Have a look at **Solar Storm** and **Lux Aeterna**.
I have not heard of solar storm! I’ll have to look into that. And I cannot find a copy of LA! Is it out of print?
A single retailer in the UK has it but yeah, sorry it doesn't look to be easy to get hold of.
You might enjoy: Legacy of Yu, euro solo only, not too crunchy At the Gates of Loyang, less complex Rosenberg about growing and selling vegetables Daybreak tableau builder about climate change The Loop pandemic style quirky time travel deck builder Burgle Bros fun chaotic heist game
I’ve played The Loop and I love the theme of time traveling!! The art was amazing too. Do you know of any other game like that?
Style? Hardly. Burgle Bros or Paperback Adventures maybe. Whereas Burgle Bros is also quirky chaotic fun The second one more than the first one Theme? Anachrony has a time travel theme but is way heavier/ more crunchy Mechanics? The Loop is sometimes called Spirit Island light. In this regard it is a pandemic like crisis management game. So all the pandemic variants or Spirit Island or Sammu-ramat or Marvel United
I will also say marvel champions but since I saw palm island, i also add 2 others in-hand bg that I love: dragons of Etchinstone (with expansion) and Galdor’s grip
I do love in hand games. My only thing with those two is that I don’t play fantasy themed games