Good For Two

27 Mar 2020 in Blog / Gaming on Covid-19, Two, Two-players, Two-people, Recommendations, Pandemic, Flash-point, Villagers, Thunder-and-lightning, The-fox-in-the-forest, Fog-of-love, And-then-we-held-hands, Stop-thief, Patchwork, Mr-jack-pocket, Love-letter, Z-man-games, The-lost-expedition, Lost-cities, Patchwork-doodle, Judge-dredd, Cursed-earth, Hit-z-road 2023-08-02

What are some games that work well for two players?

Earlier today, I was asked if I could share

Ideas for boardgames which work well for two people…

so I put on my thinking-cap and came up with a few ideas

Co-Operative Games

If you’re not wanting to go head-to-head with the second player you might want to consider adding some co-operative games to your repertoire

Pandemic

This one’s a timeless classic and seems very thematic at the time of writing.

2-4 players work together to conquer virulent diseases that have broken out all over the world.

With two players you can send two specialists round the world fighting the diseases, or maybe you want to control two specialists each to add more special abilities in your fight to save the world.

Flash Point: Fire Rescue

Maybe you’d prefer to test your life-saving skills on a more localised level. Why not try your hand at firefighting? Work together trying to save enough people, or pets, before the building collapses around you.

The game has numerous expansions but if you only get one, make sure to check out Tragic Events. In our opinion this is a must have addition to the base game.

Two Player Games

You could of course point your wallet towards some games designed specifically for two players. Often these will be competetive, so watch out!

And Then We Held Hands

This is an abstract game where two players co-operate to try to find balance, complete objectives, and reach the centre of the board.

Without any verbal communication, players take turns trying to complete the current shared emotional objective.

Use your cards, or your partner’s, but beware, if either of you are unable to move the game ends and both players lose.

Fog of Love

Fog of Love is a tricky game to describe. Is it a game? Is it role-playing? Is it story-telling? We think it’s a blend of all three.

In the game two players will create two characters (one each) and play through a number of scenarios, aiming to balance both the needs of your character, and the relationship both characters are having in the game.

You’re never quite sure how things will turn out, but the journey is often full of laughs, and sometimes shocks, as you play out the lives of these two fictional characters.

The Fox In The Forest

This is a small card game where each player is trying to use normal ranked and suited cards to win tricks, but also using special powers of the characters on the cards to bend the rules in your favour.

Try to win more tricks than your opponent, but don’t win too many! Getting greedy and winning too many tricks will lower you score for the round!

You may also be interested in a co-operative version of the game - The Fox in the Forest Duet where you both work together to play tricks and move through the forest.

Thunder & Lightning

Play a mythical showdown between Thor and Loki in this card game. Players build up 4 rows of cards representing their armies and defences on the battlefield. Defeat the other player, or find Odin’s Crown/Ring to win the game.

Star Realms

Star Realms if a deck-building game where each player attempts to reduce the other player’s Authority (score) to zero.

Combine cards in your play area to trigger special actions, more combat strength, or more purchasing power.

If you are at all interested in this, there’s a free-to-play (with in-app purchases for add-ons and expansions) digital version available for Steam, MacOS, iOS and Android.

Lost Cities - The Card Game

Another card game, this time you are competing with the other player to try to mount the most profitable expeditions to the different sites represented by the five different card suits.

On a players turn they must play one card, either to an expedition, or to the appropriate discard pile; then draw one card, either from the deck, or the top of one of the discard piles.

Cards played to expeditions must be in ascending order, but not necessarily consecutive.

Feeling lucky before you start an expedition? Up the ante by playing multipliers for your score on that suit.

Highest score over three matches wins the game.

Patchwork

Using pieces that resemble a game of Tetris, you are both competing to build the most aesthetic quilt.

On your turn, purchase a piece and add it to your growing patchwork quilt. One placed, the piece may not be moved. Can you fit them all together and make the best use of space before (virtual) time runs out?

Best score wins, but don’t be surprised if your first game leaves you with negative scores!

Similar to this, you might also enjoy Patchwork Doodle where you draw your shapes onto a grid on a piece of paper. If you go this route, you should definitely invest in some coloured highlighters!

Mr Jack Pocket

On a small grid of nine street cards your role is to either evade “capture” as Mr Jack, or to use Holmes, Watson and a dog (!) to eliminate other suspects and estblish the real identity of the killer.

This game is a mixture of puzzle and hide’n’seek. It’s quite good fun, but might not be for those with a dislike of logical reasoning and puzzle solving.

There’s also a digital version of the game availiable for iOS and Android.

Games That Work Well With 2-Players

Villagers

The game supports two to five players. The game plays really well at all player counts, so it’s a nice one to have in the collection for when you have more people available to play.

In the game players will be drafting cards to later build into their village, with the aim of being the most prosperous at the end of the game.

Some cards chain together, leading to a high scoring villager at the top of the chain. Other cards might allow you to draft more cards, or build more in your village.

If you go this route try to either but the Kickstarter Bundle (Zatu sell this), or grab the base game and expansion pack separately. It’s roughly £10 more, but well worth it.

Find the best prices for Villagers: Kickstarter Expansion Pack on BoardGamePrices

Stop Thief!

This is a logical deduction game for 2-4 players. An invisible suspect has committed a crime and it’s up to you to track them down based on the sounds they make as they move around the board.

The suspect is managed by a (free) app, and players compete to claim the most rewards.

Silver

Everyone starts the game with 5 face-down cards, and no knowledge of any cards around the table. Before the round starts each player is allowed to look at two of their own cards.

Of a player’s turn, they draw a card and either discard it to use its power, or exchange it with one (or more) cards in their village.

Call for a vote when you think you have the fewest werewolves (points) in your village. Lowest score wins the round.

Lowest total score after four rounds wins the game.

Chisel isn’t going to win any awards for his memory when it applies to components and information in games. We’re still not sure why Chisel chose to buy this game, and even more surprised that he enjoyed it enough to purchase the followup, Silver Bullet.

Love Letter

Each player starts the game with one card in hand, and on their turn they “draw one, play one”. When you play (discard) a card you must resolve the special power of the card.

Elimate the other player(s) or have the highest value card when the draw deck runs out, and earn a favour token. Earn enough favour tokens, and win the game.

Hit Z Road

One to four players embark on a road trip along a zombie-infested Route 66. Bid resources to determine who’s going to get first choice on the encounters revealed over 8 rounds.

Grab supplies, pick up “useful items” and but watch out for those zombies!

Be the last player left alive, or score the most victory points to win.

Currently available at the incredible low price of £10.89 at Amazon!

The Lost Expedition

Work together controlling a group of explorers working their way through perilous environments, making best use of their resources, in an attempt to reach the final destination - El Dorado.

This is a good co-operative venture, trying to make the best choices in bad situations.

If you’re not in the mood to co-operate there’s a head-to-head variation where players compete to be the first to reach the lost city.

If you like the idea, but prefer a different theme, the game has also been released as Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth. There are some minor changes, but both games are essentially the same gameplay, with different themes.

Good For Two