At some point over the past several years, I started playing a lot more solo games. Life’s different than it used to be. I’ve got two young kids now, which means less gaming time and far fewer opportunities to get people together for my “normal” games.
I’ve soloed some of the big stuff — games like Nemo’s War, The 7th Continent, and even Robinson Crusoe. I enjoyed the challenge, but those experiences also made something pretty clear: big, sprawling solo games don’t always fit well into my current stage of life. Stepping away from a carefully arranged table of components when a three-year-old is nearby is… stressful.
Relax
These days, smaller solo games just make more sense. I want something that sets up quickly, takes up very little space, and doesn’t require me to re-learn the rules every time I sit down. I still want meaningful decisions — I just want them in a tighter, more manageable package.
That’s what led me to A Nice Cuppa, a small solo card game from Button Shy Games that I printed this winter. I was able to get it to the table quickly — and I’ve been quietly delighted ever since.
A Nice Cuppa is a small solo card game with an equally small footprint. Setup is fast, teardown is painless, and it fits comfortably into those in-between moments — waiting for a kid to fall asleep, killing time during downtime at an event, or just stealing a few minutes for yourself when the house finally settles down.
The core system is simple, but satisfying. You have a top row of Tea Cards, which are numbered and give you the sequential steps of making a lovely cup of tea. Below these are a row of face down Worry Cards that feature actions that you must take. Each turn, you’ll flip over one of the Worry Cards, then take all of the faceup actions, going from left to right. These actions generally have you rearranging your cards according to various rules, like only swapping odd numbers, or moving a pair of cards to one end of the row.
What, Me Worry?
You’ll end each turn by flipping over your Tea Cards that are above any Worry Cards, and then discarding any Worry Cards that are above a Tea Card on its “focused” side. This approach to structuring your turns gives you a strong sense of control over what’s coming, while at the same time providing a bit of surprise each turn. You may not know what action lies on the other side of that Worry Card you’re about to flip, but you can use what you know about your other actions to somewhat minimize its effect.
Of course, knowing what will happen and knowing when to act are two very different things. I’m still very much learning that rhythm. The end goal is to have as many of your Tea Cards as possible in numerical order and have them on their focused side at the end of the last turn. More than once, I’ve lined everything up beautifully… one turn too early. Then I’m forced to resolve an action sequence I wasn’t quite ready for, and the whole thing unravels into a much lower score than I was hoping for. It’s frustrating, but in a good way. I usually shuffle up and try again right away.
What really stands out to me, though, is the tone of the experience. A Nice Cuppa is challenging without being a brain burner. It asks you to think, but it never feels punishing or stressful. There’s a laid-back, almost meditative quality to the gameplay that genuinely pairs well with the theme. This is a game that feels right to play with an actual cup of tea nearby.
There were a few rare cases where I had to make a judgment call on how a rule should resolve, but they were never disruptive. And since I’m only playing against myself, it never felt like a big deal. The game flows well enough that those moments don’t ruin the experience.
Final Thoughts
I’ve long been a fan of Button Shy Games, and A Nice Cuppa sits comfortably among their better offerings. I own quite a few of their titles, and while the ultra-small format sometimes works against certain designs, this is a case where it feels like a perfect fit. Everything the game needs is right there — no wasted space, no unnecessary systems.
I’ve barely scratched the surface of the available expansions, and I already feel like this is the kind of game I’ll cycle back to again and again. Play it several times over a week or two, set it aside, then rediscover it months later and enjoy it just as much as before.
Honestly, even writing this has made me want to get it back on the table. Let me go turn my kettle on…
A Nice Cuppa realeases in May 2026 from Button Shy Games. Visit their webstore today.
Highs
- Doesn’t take up much space
- Great balance of control and unpredictability
- Excellent design for a small card count
Lows
- A little bit of confusion with some rules
Complexity
Time Commitment
Replayability
