Check Out This List of 2-Player Games and Get a Couple for That One Person You Want to Game With!
As our girls start attending college fairs and get closer to graduating high school, Scott and I weigh all the things that will be different without them. Like… we’ll be able to enjoy sushi at home without breaking the bank and be able to travel during the school year. Heck, we’ve already talked about breaking out the house-hunting checklist and looking for something in a warmer climate. But more than anything, we have noticed the need for more 2-player games. This holiday gift guide it dedicated to providing some diverse ideas for 2-player games because the number of available people around shouldn’t impact whether someone can play a game or not!
You may be excited to hear that most of these will be included in this year’s mega giveaway, too! In fact, you may even see one show up later today! Guess you’ll have to stop back by and check! In the meantime, we hope you’ll utilize this guide to help you check some recipients off your shopping list. We encourage you to start by reading any that we’ve written about in more detail. You’ll do that by clicking the logo to be taken to our prior game overview with images of the games and an overview of how to play. For anything without the logo, read over the description and see if the theme or style resonates.
Skulk Hollow
Pencil First Games
Skulk Hollow is a 2-player, asymmetric, combat game between the legendary Guardians and the Foxen clans of Børe. Fast tactical play and epic meeples!
Imhotep: The Duel
Thames & Kosmos
The competition of the builders continues in Imhotep: The Duel! In this game, players take on the roles of Nefertiti and Akhenaten, one of ancient Egypt’s most famous royal couples. Game pieces must be cleverly placed so that players can unload the most valuable tiles from the six boats. While this is happening, each player builds their own four monuments in order to gain as many points as possible.
Precious Cargo
Winning Moves Games
For hundreds of years, merchants sailed to faraway lands in search of untold wealth, bringing Precious Cargo that was worth a fortune – if they could find the right port at which to sell it. In Precious Cargo you start with a single ship and one sail. By making clever choices about what goods to trade, which ports to visit and colonize, and when to invest in improving your fleet, you could build an empire and make a fortune!
Exceed: Street Fighter
Level 99 Games
Exceed is a fast paced, head-to-head battle of strategy. Season 3 features the classic characters from Capcom’s Street Fighter. It has twelve characters to choose from so there is a lot of replayability potential. With each character bringing their unique strengths to the table, there is a character for everyone!
King Me!
Ravensburger
The Crimson Kingdom and the Onyx Empire face off in this head-to-head battle inspired by the ancient game of Checkers! Hop your pieces across the game board to capture the powerful crowns of fantastical realms. Beware, your fate can change as exciting event cards come into play! Use strategy to outmaneuver your opponent and seize victory!
Deblockle
Project Genius
Deblockle is a casual strategy game of tips and turns for two players. Take turns tipping your blocks into adjacent squares and then moving them across the board. Be the first player to successfully remove all of your blocks by maneuvering them onto the final square on the board, and you win!
Air, Land & Sea
Arcane Wonders
In Air, Land, & Sea, two players battle for control over each “theater” of war by playing Battle cards and strategically utilizing their special abilities to gain the advantage. Whoever controls the most theaters, claims victory points, and the player who scores 12 victory points first wins the war!
Unmatched: Robin Hood vs. Bigfoot
Restoration Games
“In battle, there are no equals.” Unmatched is a miniature fighting game for two players. Robin Hood and his outlaws excel at ranged attacks and robbing from their opponents. Bigfoot and his pal, the Jackalope, crash through the forest for quick attacks before disappearing like a figment of the mind. You can mix and match this set with other Unmatched sets for more exciting match-ups.
Shobu
Smirk & Laughter
SHOBU is a beautifully crafted abstract strategy game for two players.
Made of beautiful, natural elements, wood boards, a cotton rope divider and tumbled river stones as playing pieces, it has incredible table appeal.
Instantly familiar, yet wholly unique unto its own, SHOBU feels like a game that has stood the test of time. The rules are amazingly simple and can be learned in moments, yet halfway through your first game, you realize the game has incredible depth.
Lost Cities – The Card Game
Thames & Kosmos
Who will discover the ancient civilizations? Two explorers embark on research journeys to remote corners of the world: the Himalayan mountains, the Central American rainforest, the Egyptian desert, a mysterious volcano, and the bottom of the sea. As the cards are played, the expedition routes take shape and the explorers earn points. The most daring adventurers make bets on the success of their expeditions. The explorer with the highest score after three rounds of expeditions wins. The rules of the game are simple, but beware: The lost cities hold many unseen mysteries!
Kozo
Winning Moves Games
This 3 dimensional wooden stacking game first gained popularity in Asia. Players take turns adding a wooden polycube and balance cube to the structure. Polycubes must stay in the confines of the structure and cannot overlap the center “chimney” area. It sounds a lot easier than it really is. It takes a steady hand as balance is the key. Players score for each piece placed. Contains: 12 Wooden Polycubes, 12 Wooden Scoring Tiles, 12 Small Wooden Balance Cubes, 1 Wooden Base and illustrated instructions.
Ages: 8+; Players: 2 or Teams
Hopefully something on this works for your gift recipients. We also encourage you to check out our other gift guides which include STEAM gift ideas, suggestions for family games and more for family game night, tips for home and electronics enthusiasts, games for large groups and games for teens and adults. The days are numbered… Good luck with your shopping!
Imhotep: The Duel
Thames & Kosmos
I think both Imhotep and Lost Cities are really great 🙂
Deblockle looks like a lot of FUN!!!
King Me is my favorite.
I think Kozo looks different and like a lot of fun!
I THINK Shobu WOULD BE INTERESTING.
Wow…these all look like fun but the one that really speaks to me is Kozo…so exotic looking!
imhotep is fun, id love to do duel
King Me! from Ravensburger looks great
King Me is my favorite.
King Me! from Ravensburger looks like it would be fun
KOZO looks like a lot of and reminds me of Tetris.
I really want to try Imhotep Duel as I really enjoyed the original. PWH is one of my favorite designers.
Skulk is one of my favorite 2 player games.
Would like to try Imhotep Duel as I like the normal one D=.
Unmatched!
The game KOZO looks like fun. It reminds me of Jenga & I really like that game!
I like the Precious Cargo one
I would like to play king me
Lost cities looks fun
I like King Me!
KING ME IS MY FAVORITE TODAY…..TOMORROW IT COULD BE DIFFERENT.
My grandkids received a Precious Cargo game at Christmas . I am waiting for them to come over so I can learn how to play too.
I always tell them that they are my precious cargo ❤️
I like Lost Cities.
Imhotep..the Duel
KOZO
Imhotep: The Duel by Thames & Kosmos looks interesting
I like the game Shobu
Lost Cities looks very fun!