Summary
Board gameshave become a growing hobby in recent years, with hundreds of new games hitting the market each year that go far beyond the traditional thoughts of chess andMonopoly. Modern games cover a variety of themes and playstyles, so there is something for anyone to enjoy. Many games require groups of four or more people to play, however, which can sometimes be difficult to coordinate. Thankfully, there are also manygames that work wonderfully with only two players.
Looking at the shelves in a board game store, it is easy to see that the majority ofgames are designed for partiesor at least larger groups. Often, couples may be looking for something that they can play for a date night, or two friends want to enjoy a game but can’t get others to join. Whether people are looking for quick 15-minute games that require little strategy, or a complicated hours-long tactical journey, there are plenty of games that can accommodate that.Additionally, many games designed for large groups have special two-player instructions available online, sometimes fan-made, that can be used if someone is willing to search for them.
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10Patchwork Offers Calming Puzzles For Quick Games
Two-Player Only, 15–30 Minutes
Patchworkis one of those games that iseasy to pick up and play a quick game, and does not involve convoluted instructions to learn. This quilt-themed game is designed only for two players, with those players competing to create the best patchwork quilt on their own 9x9 board. Using buttons as currency, players purchase patches to lay on their board, with no pieces overlapping. The puzzle mechanic can get complicated as more patches are added and players must figure out how to best cover a 7x7 area of the board.
OnBoard Game Geek,Patchworkis listed with an average player rating of 7.6 and a complexity rating of 1.6/5, with lower numbers meaning it is not very difficult to understand how to play. To make things even more fun, there are several holiday-themed versions of the game available, includingPatchwork Halloween Edition,Patchwork Christmas Edition, and evenPatchwork Americana Edition.
9Be A Detective Playing Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders And Other Cases
1–8 Players, 60–120 Minutes
There are several collections available in the series of gamesSherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, with the first,The Thames Murders & Other Cases,having originally been released in 1982.Each of these collections has multiple mysteries for players to solveby examining clues, looking at maps, and questioning people through carefully flipping to certain pages in the book. There are no dice, no cards, just a story to read with clues to follow. Because of the nature of the mysteries, it is perfect for one person to do by themselves or with virtually any size group in a cooperative manner.
These deductive challenges can be perfect for two people, with one manning the book and the other looking at the variety of other clues such as the map and fliers.Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Casesholds a 7.6 ranking onBoard Game Geek, with a complexity rating of 2.66/5. Even if players do not crack the case, they are in for a good time trying.
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87 Wonders Duel Can Focus On Military Or Science
Two-Player Only, 30 Minutes
In some cases, popular games release special two-player versions that are sold as separate games with their own rules and design. Such is the case with7 Wonders Duel, which is a head-to-head version of the original7 Wondersgame, with some distinct differences to make it better suited for two. Playing over three ages in the world,each player is trying to build up their military or scientific development to create a thriving civilizationthat completes the construction of wonders, with only seven wonders able to be built in the game.
Using their military, players could choose to focus more on wiping out their opponent by attempting to conquer the other person’s capital. No matter how someone wants to play it, there is a friendly, competitive nature to the strategies available.7 Wonders Duelhas aBGGrating of 8.1, with a midline complexity of 2.23/5.
7Funfair And Unfair Both Offer A Wild Ride Through Theme Parks
2–5 Players, 30–125 Minutes
For players who enjoy the bright colors and entertaining thrills of amusement parks,bothFunfairandUnfairoffer beautiful designs and creative park building and management. Perfect for two players, each person builds their own theme park with exciting roller coasters, food stands, attractions, and more by purchasing cards from the market. Trying to match up with set themes that are unique to each player and completing special blueprints, all while making the most money, is an exciting challenge.
Of the two,Funfairhas a higher rating onBGG, with a 7.4, and a lighter complexity rating of 2.14/5. Although both are fun games,Funfairfocuses more on positive player interactionsto make it more friendly, along with faster gameplay and lighter rules.Unfairfollows the same basic game mechanics while also allowing players to sabotage their opponents through vandalism, bribed safety inspectors, and more.
6The Quacks Of Quedlinburg Brew Secret Potions
2–4 Players, 45 Minutes
Although it was originally disappointing to discover thatThe Quacks of Quedlinburghad nothing to do with ducks, the game is a hilarious favorite asplayers take on the role of “quack” doctors who are brewing secret concoctions. Each player draws ingredient chips from their bags and adds them to their bubbling cauldrons, with each chip adding to how much the potion will be worth. The threat is that if someone pushes too far to make their potion the most valuable, it could very well explode instead.
The Quacks of Quedlinburgdoes play best with four players, but it is still very fun when there are only two, which makes ita great versatile game to keep around. OnBGG, the game is rated 7.8, with a simple complexity rating of 1.95/5.
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5Work Together To Find Secret Agents In Codenames: Duet
2 Player Only, 15–30 Minutes
A familiar favorite for many in the board game community isCodenames, but many do not know that the game also features a special variant designed for only two people, calledCodenames: Duet. This version of the game is very similar to the original, with one player giving one-word clues to help the other player discover which of the cards on the board are secret agents. ForCodenames:Duet, players work together, rather than competing against one another.
Fifteen agents are hidden under 25-word cards in a 5x5 grid, along with several assassins and innocent bystanders. Players give each other one-word clues to pick out the right cards without selecting any of the assassins. A fairly quick game with simple rules,Codenames: Duethas a BGG score of 7.4, with a complexity rating of 1.35.
4Kingdomino Transforms The Idea Of Dominoes Into Royalty
2–4 Players, 15–25 Minutes
The traditional game ofDominoesis not played much these days, butKingdominotakes the same essential idea and upgrades it into a beautiful game of kingdoms and royalty. The game is played using tiles that, like the common domino, features two sections on each. These sections may have the same or different types of terrain on them, as well as some symbols that distinguish what is most valuable to have in the kingdom.
Each player has a board and selects a domino to place in their kingdom, with the rule that terrain types must match the domino it is set next to, creating a fun puzzle dynamic.BGGlistsKingdominowith an average rating of 7.3, with a complexity of 1.23/5.
3Everdell Tasks Players With Helping The Woodland Critters
1–4 Players, 40–80 Minutes
One of the most beautiful games,Everdelleven includes a 3-dimensional tree as part of the game area. This is a slightly more complicated game than many on the list, but still easy enough to grasp with a complexity rating of 2.83/5 and a score of 8.0 onBGG.
In thisworker placement and building game, players are leading groups of woodland critters looking to help settle new territories. Each player uses workers to get resources or perform actions while drawing cards to use for getting new critters, building up the city, and more. It is played over the course of one year, after which the player who has built up the best city with the most points wins.
2Become The Best Merchant In Jaipur
2 Player Only, 30 Minutes
Technically speaking,Jaipuris a card game rather than a traditional board game, yet it is deserving of mention for its fast-paced play and fun gameplay mechanics.The game blends strategy and luck while players attempt to become the most powerful trading merchant in the city of Jaipur, hoping to then be invited to the Maharaja’s court. Each turn, players push their luck by either buying or selling. Buying consists of taking camels, a card from the market, or swapping cards with those they already have. Selling means selling one, and only one, type of good and getting chips in return.
Things change quickly in the game, adding to the risk and keeping players constantly on their toes if they hope to do better than their opponent. Designed specifically for only two people to play,Jaipuris a popular game with a 7.5 onBGGand a complexity rating of only 1.46/5.
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1Carcassonne Is A Must-Play Tile-Placement Game
2–5 Players, 30–45 Minutes
Despite being released in 2000, which is fairly recent compared to many games,Carcassonneis one of those games that many see as a classic. This tile placement game can be enjoyed with up to five players, but unlike many, it plays best with only two. Its rules are simple, but strategy can make it more complex, as players draw and place tiles to create a sprawling landscape, trying to connect cities to cities and roads to roads. Players then can put one of their precious meeples (character figures) on a tile to score points for the area.
Placing tiles can look like sabotaging what the other player is trying to do, or working on expanding an area to get more points. OnBoard Game Geek,Carcassonnehas an average score of 7.4 with a complexity rating of 1.89/5, and it has solidified its place as one of the most lovedboard gamesfor two players.
