Two-player board games: the best games for two

Two kinds of games for two

BoardGameDrop has two lists that look alike but are not the same:

• Two-player games: games made for two players only. Everything in the game is about the duel: you keep reacting to what the other just did.
• For 2 players: every game the box says you can play with two, even if it was made for more players. Many family games are in this list.

If you want a game for the two of you, start with the first list. The second helps when you want a game you can also play with more people at a party.

Short and quick: games for a weeknight

You learn these in a few minutes and can easily play twice in a row:

• Patchwork by Uwe Rosenberg: you take turns sewing patches into your own quilt, with buttons as money. A calm puzzle game, good for anyone who does not like a fierce fight.
• Jaipur by Sébastien Pauchon: a card game about trading at the market. You sell goods and collect camels, and keep choosing between selling now or waiting for more.
• Lost Cities by Reiner Knizia: you start expeditions by laying cards in order. Start too many and they cost you points.
• Schotten Totten, also by Knizia: a card game in which you fight over nine border stones with the best sets of three cards.
• Hive by John Yianni: a game without a board. You place insect tiles and try to surround the other player’s queen bee. It feels a little like chess, but you learn it much faster.

More depth: two-player versions of big games

Some well-known games have their own version for two. It keeps the idea of the big game, but is built entirely around the duel.

• 7 Wonders Duel by Antoine Bauza and Bruno Cathala: the two-player version of 7 Wonders. You build a civilisation and can win in three ways: on points, with your army or with science.
• Splendor Duel by Marc André and Bruno Cathala: the two-player version of Splendor, with gems, cards and more ways to get in each other’s way.
• Azul Duel: the two-player version of Azul, the tile game.
• Targi by Andreas Steiger: a game about trade in the desert, for two only. The publisher gives about 60 minutes, ages 12 and up. It asks for more planning ahead than the games above.

Together against the game

Not everyone enjoys beating their partner. In a co-operative game you win or lose together. Some co-operative games are made for exactly two players:

• Sky Team by Luc Rémond: you are pilot and co-pilot and must land a plane together without talking it through too much. Sky Team won the 2024 Kennerspiel des Jahres, the German award for games for experienced players.
• Codenames Duet: the co-operative version of the word game Codenames. You give each other one-word clues to find the right agents.
• The Fox in the Forest Duet: a trick-taking game in which you travel through the forest as a team. A good fit for card game fans.

Bigger games that also work well with two

Some games for more players work fine with two. You play them at your own pace, and they still work when more people join later. Well-known examples are Carcassonne (2 to 5 players), Cascadia (1 to 4 players) and Harmonies (1 to 4 players). On a game’s page, check the player count and playing time. They come from the box.

How to choose

Also check the language on the box. Many games come in a Dutch, German and English edition, often at different prices. A game’s page shows which shops sell each edition.