Theboard gameindustry had a rise in popularity throughout 2020 and 2021 when lockdowns around the world made many people purchase more indoor entertainment. As expected, popularity has dipped now that most countries aren’t in lockdown today, though plenty of people discovered a new hobby withboard gamingand haven’t looked back since.
Related:Best Axis & Allies Board Games, Ranked
When people get into board gaming for the first time, a popular question is “what are somegreat games for couples?” Thankfully, there are a ton of excellent two-player games on the market, with some letting couples team up and others pitting them against one another.
8Disney Villainous
Given theDisneytheme,Disney Villainousis a fantastic game for introducing someone to more complex board games than traditional household names likeMonopolyandScrabble. As the name suggests, it flips the script by letting playerscontrol a villainand try to complete an evil act specific to their character.
Although the game is suitable for up to 6 players, it flows much better with fewer, making it ideal for couples who want to go head-to-head to see who is the best villain. For those who aren’t a fan of classic Disney characters, thenMarvel Villainousor the upcomingStar Wars Villainousmay be a better choice.
7Splendor
Splendorwas designed by Marc André and published in 2014. The game puts players in the shoes of a Renaissance gem maker and tasks them with accumulating the most prestige points by developing transportation, mines, and shops. The game has become a hit for its excellent balance of skill and luck, along with its interesting theme and superb components.
Related:Best Lovecraftian Board Games
Splendorwon a plethora of rewards after its release, includingBoard Game of the Year from Golden GeekandBest Family Game from the Dice Tower Gaming Awards.
67 Wonders Duel
7 Wonders Duelwas released in 2015 and is a two-player version of the popular 2010 release7 Wonders. The game is reminiscent of the popular video game seriesCivilization, with building wonders being a key component of the game and players being able to win via either science, military domination, or points.
LikeSplendor,7 Wonders Duelwon a multitude of awards upon release, includingBest 2-Player Board Game from Golden Geek.
5Spot It!
Spot it!(also known asDobble)is perfect for those who think building a civilization in7 Wonders Duelor being a Renaissance gem maker inSplendorsounds likefar too much mental effort.
Spot it!is a pattern recognition game that tasks players with finding match symbols on cards. This may sound like an easy task, though it’s deceivingly difficult due to how many symbols are on each card and how often their size changes.
4Codenames: Duet
Like7 Wonders Duel,Codenames: Duetis a 2-player version of an older game,Codenames. The game lets couples team up andtests their wordplay skills and synonym knowledge.
Related:Great Co-Op Board Games For Beginners
With numerous word cards laid out, one player will say a single word that will act as a hint to help the other player guess as many cards as possible. Players need to be careful with their hints, however, as there are dangerous cards to avoid, such as the assassin card that immediately ends the game if it’s selected.
3Dominion
Dominionwas designed by Donald Vaccarino and, likeDisney Villainous, is a great option for those who are just getting started with complex, designer board games.
Dominionfirst hit stores in 2008 and is considered to be one of board gaming’s most influential modern releases, as it was the first-ever deck-building game, a style similar tocollectible card gaming. The goal ofDominionis to earn the most victory points, which is achieved by gradually accumulating the strongest deck through smart purchases and attacks on opponents.
2Jaipur
Jaipurlets players try their hand at being a Rajasthan trader and attempt to earn an invitation to Maharaja’s court, an esteemed honor. 2009’sJaipur, likeSplendor, has a nice blend of skill and luck as players take, trade, and sell cards for valuable goods.
Players need to act fast though, as the value of each good is constantly decreasing, giving players no time to rest on their laurels.
1Mastermind
Mastermindis a unique game in the sense that it only requires one player to give it their full attention, which is handy if one person is a bit too busy to commit to a full game. There are many different variations of the game, though generally speaking, one player will be the “codemaker” and puts four colored pegs in any order that they choose into a shielded area.
The “codebreaker” then needs to guess what color and order the pegs are in by placing their own pegs down and obtaining information from the codemaker, such as which how many of their pegs are the right color and how many are in the correct spot.
