Summary
- Variety of board games cater to different preferences for 2 players.
- Patchwork, Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, & 7 Wonders Duel offer engaging experiences.
- Codenames: Duet, Kingdomino, & Jaipur are quick, strategic options for 2 players.
Board games have 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 and Monopoly. 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 many games that work wonderfully with only two players.
Looking at the shelves in a board game store, it is easy to see that the majority of games are designed for parties or 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 . 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.
10 Best Board Games Without Dice To Play In 2024
Dice can inject an element of randomness into board games that don’t need it. Here are some of the best board games without dice as of 2024.
10 Patchwork Offers Calming Puzzles For Quick Games
Two-Player Only, 15–30 Minutes
Patchwork is one of those games that is easy 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.
On Board Game Geek, Patchwork is 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, including Patchwork Halloween Edition, Patchwork Christmas Edition, and even Patchwork Americana Edition.
9 Be 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 games Sherlock 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 solve by 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 Cases holds a 7.6 ranking on Board 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.
Disney Lorcana Gateway Review: A Great Introduction To Trading Card Games
Disney Lorcana Gateway is an effective way to learn how to play the trading card game, and is especially great for TCG newcomers and kids.
8 7 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 with 7 Wonders Duel, which is a head-to-head version of the original 7 Wonders game, 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 civilization that 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 Duel has a BGG rating of 8.1, with a midline complexity of 2.23/5.
7 Funfair 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, both Funfair and Unfair offer 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, Funfair has a higher rating on BGG, with a 7.4, and a lighter complexity rating of 2.14/5. Although both are fun games, Funfair focuses more on positive player interactions to make it more friendly, along with faster gameplay and lighter rules. Unfair follows the same basic game mechanics while also allowing players to sabotage their opponents through vandalism, bribed safety inspectors, and more.
6 The Quacks Of Quedlinburg Brew Secret Potions
2–4 Players, 45 Minutes
Although it was originally disappointing to discover that The Quacks of Quedlinburg had nothing to do with ducks, the game is a hilarious favorite as players 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 Quedlinburg does play best with four players, but it is still very fun when there are only two, which makes it a great versatile game to keep around. On BGG, the game is rated 7.8, with a simple complexity rating of 1.95/5.
Board Games That Are Over $50 That Are Worth Every Penny
Board games are no longer cheap and some are valued over 50$. But games like Star Wars: Outer Rim, Star Trek Catan and more are worth it.
5 Work Together To Find Secret Agents In Codenames: Duet
2 Player Only, 15–30 Minutes
A familiar favorite for many in the board game community is Codenames, but many do not know that the game also features a special variant designed for only two people, called Codenames: 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. For Codenames: 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: Duet has a BGG score of 7.4, with a complexity rating of 1.35.
4 Kingdomino Transforms The Idea Of Dominoes Into Royalty
2–4 Players, 15–25 Minutes
The traditional game of Dominoes is not played much these days, but Kingdomino takes 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. BGG lists Kingdomino with an average rating of 7.3, with a complexity of 1.23/5.
3 Everdell Tasks Players With Helping The Woodland Critters
1–4 Players, 40–80 Minutes
One of the most beautiful games, Everdell even 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 on BGG.
In this worker 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.
2 Become The Best Merchant In Jaipur
2 Player Only, 30 Minutes
Technically speaking, Jaipur is 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, Jaipur is a popular game with a 7.5 on BGG and a complexity rating of only 1.46/5.
10 Best Board Games Based on Comics
Comic worlds have incredibly varied characters and deep lore, so it makes sense that they'd adapt into board games so well - here are the 10 best.
1 Carcassonne 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, Carcassonne is 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. On Board Game Geek, Carcassonne has 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 loved board games for two players.
