The 12 Best 2 Player Board Games (And Where to Buy Them)
Two-player board games are some of the best and most rewarding board games for players. Many two-player board games will fit into a backpack and be set up easily. That makes two-player board games handy if you're looking for something to take with you on vacation. Open up the board game start the first round.
If you are looking for board games that you can play with one other person, below is a quick guide to some of the best tabletop games - new and old - around. Start with one or two and build your collection of the best board games to keep the fun going.
1. Ni No Kuni 2
Recommended Age: 14+
Difficulty: Hard
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
Ni no Kuni II: The Board Game is a fun, cooperative kingdom-building game. You must work together to go on quests, defeat monsters, and grow your kingdom before the forces of evil can overcome you. You will need smart choices and a little luck to build the brightest kingdom possible to stand as a symbol of unity against evil. Can you build your kingdom well enough to overcome the darkness?
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Ni No Kuni 2 board game is constant fun and keeps both players engaged. Its combat theme is multi-layered excitement and accented by various systems that let you fine-tune your play style. The coming-of-age story can be a bit cheesy, according to expert players. However, the story is interesting, with a twist at the end of the game.
2. Hey! That's My Fish!
Recommended Age: 8+
Difficulty: Easy
Game Length: 20 minutes
Board Game Description
In the Hey, That's My Fish! board game, players want to catch as many fish as possible with their waddle of penguins. Each turn, a player moves one penguin in a straight line over hex-shaped ice tiles with 1, 2, or 3 fish on them. The player then collects the hex from where the penguin started its movement from the table, creating a gap that penguins can't cross on future turns. When a penguin can't move, it's removed from play with its owner, claiming the tile on which it stands. The player who collects the most fish wins.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Hey, That's My Fish is a board game that two players can enjoy. Younger kids will love moving their penguins around, collecting fish tiles, and watching the playing area of ice flows shrink. Older kids will enjoy figuring out how to ensure that they collect the most fish. There can be some serious battling for fish when you sit a group of adults down at the game.
3. Godtear
Recommended Age: 14+
Difficulty: Moderate
Game Length: 60 minutes
Board Game Description
Godtear is a scenario-driven board game. Each scenario has its own rules, but common rules form the basis of all scenarios. Each scenario uses the scoring system below and its unique scenario rules. During each turn of Godtear, players compete to influence the momentum of battle, allowing them to gain the upper hand. This is represented by moving the turn token on the battle ladder closer to that player's Warband token.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Similar to tabletop arena board games, GodTear is very streamlined and intuitive. The core rules are very simple, and you never feel overwhelmed with choices. It's also very hard to forget an ability or a buff and debuff. Everything is there in front of you, and there are few (if any) opportunities to react mid-turn, so the game is never subject to breaks in the usual flow of the rules. As strategy board games go, you will find that it's easy to set up and get started. You can pause the board game any time and pick it back up when you're ready to resume.
3. Forbidden Island
Recommended Age: 10+
Difficulty: Moderate
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
Players take turns moving their pawns around the island, which is built by arranging the many beautifully screen-printed tiles before play begins. As the game progresses, more and more island tiles sink, becoming unavailable, and the pace increases. Players use strategies to keep the island from sinking while collecting treasures and items. As the water level rises, it gets more difficult- you must make sacrifices.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
This is a beautifully balanced game. You will win, and you will lose, but it will always be close. If you have a super competitive family that needs taming, board games like Forbidden Island are perfect. If you have that bad loser or worse, a bad winner in your household, a cooperative game will probably be a very good solution.
4. Tacocat Spelled Backward
Recommended Age: 7+
Difficulty: Moderate
Game Length: 15 minutes
Board Game Description
Board games like Tacocat spelled Backward are easy to play and perfect for two players. You win duels by playing matching or higher value cards to defend your hand or sacrifice your lowest card. When you're on your final card, the lowest card wins the round bringing Tacocat closer to their side.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
The developers of Tacocat Spelled Backwards created a game that is appealing to both children and adults alike through their engaging tone of voice, fun game, and beautiful design. The animated online tutorial makes learning simple, with both players able to watch simultaneously without the reader having to explain to the companion how to play. It's easy to set up, easy to learn, moves quickly. It is an incredibly fun board game.
5. Bananagrams
Recommended Age: 7+
Difficulty: Hard
Game Length: 20 minutes
Board Game Description
The object of Bananagrams is to be the first to use all your letters. Players and their opponents aim to use all of their letters to build a word grid in a race to the finish. The first player to use all of their tiles is crowned "Top Banana"! Any player calls out "SPLIT!" Everyone simultaneously turns their tiles faceup and races to arrange them in their intersecting word grid. Words must read left to right horizontally or top to bottom vertically. You may rearrange your grid at any time and as often as you like.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Simplicity is the name of the game with Bananagrams. It is a fast and fun word game that requires no pencil, paper, or board, and the tiles come in a fabric banana-shaped carrying pouch. You can play one hand in as little as five minutes. Plus, the winner can change at any time, so it keeps people engaged. It is ideal for people who like board games but don't want a complicated setup or rules. Lastly, this game can fit on any size board game table!
6. Hocus Pocus
Recommended Age: 8+
Difficulty: Hard
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
The aim of Hocus Pocus is to work alongside your fellow players to protect Salem's children from the wicked Sanderson sisters before sunrise by stopping them from creating their potion. Binx is on hand to help, and you'll be playing potion ingredient cards and using tricks to defeat the witches. The game ends with a winning player when the sun icon reaches the top space, which essentially is after three rounds.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
The only downside to Hocus Pocus is that the instructions are confusing. However, you and your opponent will be up and running once you figure it out. Like other two-player board games, Hocus Pocus is highly engaging and fast-paced - just like the movie. You'll also find that there are lots of laughs. It's great for kids and adults.
7. Descent: Legends of the Dark
Recommended Age: 14+
Difficulty: Hard
Game Length: 2+ hours
Board Game Description
Legends of the Dark is one of the definitive dungeon-crawling cooperative two-player board games. Players become heroes of the realm who oppose evil throughout an expansive campaign, improving their abilities, slaying foes, exploring Terrinoth, and forging their legend. Legends of the Dark board game, one player must download the free Descent: Legends of the Dark app on a compatible device. This companion app determines the setup of each quest, tracks your party's inventory, skills, progress, and resolves combat while telling a narrative story.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Descent: Legends of the Dark creates a fun tabletop adventure and sets a new level for two-player board games. It creates an experience with all the tactical and narrative depth of an RPG while relying on an app to keep things moving. The result is a rich, seamless experience and one of the very best two-player board games for dungeon-crawling enthusiasts.
8. Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Recommended Age: 13+
Difficulty: Hard
Game Length: 60+ minutes
Board Game Description
In Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, your goal is to solve a crime as accurately as possible and as quickly as possible. There are ten in the box, which are ordered by date. The series of two-player games comes with a series of props that act as tools for your investigations. Every case in the box is contained in one of ten books that introduce the mystery, the questions you'll need to answer to earn points at the end of the game, and a full explanation of how Holmes himself managed to crack it.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
If you're a fan of escape rooms, you'll probably enjoy playing Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective two-player board game. The cases are mysteries rather than escape room-style puzzles; don't go into it expecting padlocks and conundrums. Instead, you'll need to use deductive reasoning skills to find the solutions, search for evidence, and piece together the truth as you investigate.
9. King of Tokyo
Recommended Age: 8+
Difficulty: Easy
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
The King of Tokyo two-player board game is very easy. Each player gets their own monster whose sole purpose is to destroy Tokyo. You gain energy to upgrade your monster through dice rolls, heal your monster, launch them into an attack, or score victory points. On your turn you roll the die and keep what you want after three rolls. The key to winning using any strategy is to choose which one you're going to follow and stick to it.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
The King of Tokyo two-player board game is fun to play. It is an exercise in how a theme can translate a basic game into something fresh, exciting, and enjoyable to play. If you're looking for a family board game that catches the eye but can also be played with folks who may not have much board game experience, King of Tokyo is a solid option. King of Tokyo works perfectly as a 2 player family board game.
10. 7 Wonders Duel
Recommended Age: 10+
Difficulty: Moderate
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
The objective of 7 Wonders Duel is to ensure that your civilization triumphs over your opponent. If the resource management game runs to its full conclusion, this will be decided based on points shown on the civilization and wonder cards that you can build and on the tokens gathered for science and military victories. Each time you acquire a military card, you advance the military marker toward your opponent's capital, giving you a bonus at certain positions. If you reach the opponent's capital, you win the game immediately.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
If you love challenging games, 7 Wonders: Duel is well-worth its $30 price tag. Since it's designed specifically for two players, it's also ideal for those who live with a strategy-loving roommate or partner. Like many board games, it is a healthy mixture of luck and strategy, making it one of the best board games for almost any occasion. It's not like most party games that require several players. 7 Wonders Duel is a great game if you'll be regularly playing with two people.
11. Pandemic: Hot Zone - North America
Recommended Age: 8+
Difficulty: Hard
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
Pandemic: Hot Zone – North America is a completely cooperative game where players win or lose and go head to head as a team with other teams. As members of an elite disease-control unit, you must work together to discover cures for three deadly diseases threatening the continent. Easy to get your head around but tricky to beat, the Pandemic board game pits you against outbreaks around the world.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Pandemic Hot Zone is a great game and perfect for two players. The original game can get out of hand too quickly for two players to adequately control. It is easy to learn and provides a level of complexity and variability that makes this board game a lot of fun and will have you back for more. While it is possible to go head to head, players can also work together, making it among the top cooperative games.
12. Jaipur
Recommended Age: 10+
Difficulty: Easy
Game Length: 30 minutes
Board Game Description
Jaipur is a card game for two players. It was created by Sébastien Pauchon in 2009 and published by Asmodee. Players assume the roles of powerful merchants in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. The aim is to receive two "seals of excellence" and be invited to the court of the Maharaja. Jaipur is a fast-paced card game, a blend of tactics, risk, and luck. On your turn, you can either take or sell cards. If you take cards, you have to choose between taking all the camels, taking one card from the market, or swapping 2-5 cards between the market and your cards.
Why It's a Fun Board Game
Jaipur is the perfect game for two players – easy to learn but full of interesting decisions and exciting reveals. Jaipur is for board gamers who like to capture its theme's essence with breathtaking simplification. You play as merchants, trying to corner the market in various goods. For a simple, quick, lighthearted trading type game, Jaipur is the ideal two-player game.
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