20 Board Games for 2 or More People

Whatever your living situation may look like, staying at home and social distancing can be a challenge. My husband and I love outdoors activities and traveling, we have had to get creative to find new indoor hobbies (we recently put together a 1,000 piece puzzle). We often would get together with friends to play board games, but we didn’t realize until recently, just how many of those board games can be played with only 2 players!

Here is a list of 20 great board games that can be played with JUST 2 players! If you like these, you may also like my blog of games that need multiple players! Read on to get some great board game ideas for a date night in or a fun activity with the whole family!

1. Jungle Speed Playing Time: About 20 minutes Group Size: 2 to 10 players Ideal Ages: 5+ Object of the Game: This is a matching and speed game. When two players match cards, the first one to get the object in the middle gives their cards away. The first person with no cards wins. 2. Farkel Playing Time: About 20 minutes Group Size: 2 or more Ideal Ages: 5+ Object of the Game: This is a dice rolling game, some strategy in when to keep dice and when to reroll. Different combinations of the die are worth different points, the person with the most points at the end wins. You need 6 dice to play. 3. Monopoly Deal Playing Time: 30 minutes Group Size: 2 to 5 Ideal Ages: 8+ Object of the Game: Similar object to the Monopoly board game, but quicker and less complicated. 4. Lost Cities Playing Time: 15 Minutes Group Size: 2 Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: Similar to solitary, two players are trying to collect all of one “suite” in order. Mostly strategy, this game makes you decide, when to give up cards to your opponent, when to lay down cards and when to save them in your hand. 5. Bohnanza Playing Time: 45 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 7 Ideal Ages: 8+ Object of the Game: A card game involving both luck and strategy. Collect bean cards to trade in for coins. The person with the most at the end of the game wins. 6. Patchwork Playing Time: 20 Minutes Group Size: 2 Ideal Ages: 8+ Object of the Game: The goal of the game is to earn points by collecting buttons and quilt pieces to fill up your board. Both strategy and luck are involved in this game. 7. King of Tokyo Playing Time: 30 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 6 Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: The object of the game is to be the first player to earn 20 victory points (by collecting cards and points through dice rolls) or being the last monster standing (not losing all 10 life points during monster battles). This game has some luck and some strategy involved. 8. Liar's Dice Playing Time: 30 Minutes Group Size: 2 or More Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: You need 5 dice for each player for this game. This game involves strategy and luck. You win by being the last player with a dice. Each player rolls their die in a cup. They then make a guess about how many of a given number the entire group has based on the probability of what they see in their cup. 9. Coup Playing Time: 30 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 6 Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: This game involves strategy more than luck. Similar to mafia it is a game of deception and deduction. Each player must perform different actions based on the role cards they have laying face down on the table. They can be truthful about their roles, or they can be bluffing. Players call each other's bluffs and lose character cards. The last person with a character card wins the game. 10. Exploding Kittens Playing Time: 10 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 5 Ideal Ages: 5+ Object of the Game: The players go through a deck of cards. If you draw an exploding kitten card you’re out of the game. All the other cards are protection cards, attack cards or cards to avoid drawing. The game is mostly luck, your success depends on the cards you draw. 11. Uno Playing Time: 10 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 10 Ideal Ages: 5+ Object of the Game: The player to discard all their cards first wins the game. In order to discard cards, you must either match the color or number of the previous card. 12. Dominion Playing Time: 30 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 4 Ideal Ages: 8+ Object of the Game: The goal of the game is to get the most victory points, you do this by collecting cards to build a deck that allows you to collect coins and eventually victory points. There are lots of different cards and you can change which ones you use each game so that the game is always different from the last time you played it. This game is mostly strategy based. 13. Mysterium Playing Time: 45 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 4 Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: There is a ghost who gives clues and the players must use those clues to determine who is the murderer, where the murder took place and what object the murderer used to kill them. If they can determine that information within the given amount of turns, the players beat the game. This game is strategy-based and is mostly about players' ability to communicate with each other. 14. Pandemic Playing Time: 45 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 4 Ideal Ages: Object of the Game: The game involves different players with roles. The players play against the game to try and eradicate the disease before it spreads throughout the world. 15. Five Crowns Playing Time: 1 hour + Group Size: 1 to 7 Ideal Ages: 8+ Object of the Game: The object of the game is to get the least amount of points. This is done by collecting cards in sets and runs over 11 rounds. 16. Jaipur Playing Time: 25 Minutes Group Size: 2 Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: The game is about collecting cards that then get traded in for money. Both luck and strategy are involved. 17. Camel Up Playing Time: 30 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 8 Ideal Ages: 12+ Object of the Game: The object of the game is to win the most money betting on which camel wins the race around the pyramid. The race is determined through rolls of a dice. 18. Azul Playing Time: 30 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 4 Ideal Ages: 10+ Object of the Game: You win if you earn the most points. You earn points by collecting patterned tiles in a specific order. 19. Ticket to Ride Playing Time: 1 Hour Group Size: 2 to 5 Players Ideal Ages: 12+ Object of the Game: Earn Points by building train routes across the United States. The player at the end of the game with the most points wins. 20. Tsuro Playing Time: 15 Minutes Group Size: 2 to 8 Ideal Ages: 8+ Object of the Game: In the game each player has tiles that create a maze throughout the board. The goal is to create a path that keeps your piece on a path that does NOT lead off the board. The player whose piece stays on the board the longest wins.

Related Questions

What are the best two-player card games? There are many great card games that can be played with just two people. Some of the most fun ones include; Egyptian Rat Screw, War, Poker, Golf, Slap Jack, Speed, Nerts and Crazy Eights. There are so many great games you can play with two people and a deck of cards. Card games are great because it is easy to travel with a deck of cards and there are so many games that you can play. What are some good indoor games to play with teens? Having teens who are stuck at home for months can be a real challenge. Teens are typically busy with social activities, sports, work, and school. How do you keep your teenager engaged and happy during a time of social isolation? These games can be great for teens, but you may also like my blog 15 activities for children and teens to try games that don’t involve buying a board game.