Gaming hobbies21
Gaming hobbies and strategy games, solo or round a table: chess, board games, tabletop RPGs, video games, puzzles. 21 of them here, each with what it costs to start and how steep the learning curve is.
Browse and filter all 21
Invent the rules, balance them, and watch strangers play your game.
Board Games$78
Gather a few people around a table for an evening of strategy and stakes.Chess$51
Outthink one opponent across sixty-four squares with no luck involved.Compose chess problems and studies with one elegant, hidden solution.
Solve and set crosswords where every clue hides a little wordplay riddle.
Deckbuilding$60
Design and tune trading-card decks and cubes for sharper play.Freeze a tiny scene in time, built detail by patient detail.
Escape Rooms$53
Immerse in themed challenges and solve puzzles against the clock.Go (Game)$59
Surround territory on a simple grid that hides bottomless depth.Assemble intricate sets or design original builds, brick by brick.
Lock Picking$39
Feel the pins set and open a lock without the key.Build and paint a miniature army, then march it into battle on the tabletop.
All games & strategy hobbies
About gaming hobbies
Games and strategy hobbies cover the full spectrum from solitary puzzles to boisterous social events. Chess sharpens decision-making under pressure with infinite depth; tabletop RPGs build collaborative storytelling and friendships across years of campaigns; board games offer something for every group size and attention span. These hobbies are among the most accessible to start: a good game costs less than a dinner out.
Common questions
- What are gaming hobbies?
- Structured play: chess, board games, tabletop RPG, video games, puzzles. On HobbyStack that covers Chess, Video Gaming, Board Games and Escape Rooms, among 21 of them.
- How many gaming hobbies are there?
- 21 on HobbyStack right now, each with a starter-cost estimate, a learning-curve rating and a first project to try. The list grows as we publish new ones.
- Which gaming hobbies are cheapest to start?
- 2 of them cost nothing to begin, including Chess Composition and Cryptic Crosswords. Of the rest, the typical starter kit is about $59, and the priciest runs to about $225. Every card on this page shows its own figure.
- How do I pick one?
- Sort this page by what matters to you: cheapest to start, easiest to learn, or most popular. If you would rather be asked, the free quiz at hobbystack.net/finder ranks all of them against your time, budget and how you like to spend a weekend.
- Can I do gaming hobbies on my own?
- Most of them, yes. Filter this page by Company to see only the ones done alone, or only the ones that want a partner or a group. Each hobby's own page says which it is before you commit to anything.