The 10 best games for 2 players
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Santorini is the best game ever
I think my favorite two player games would have to be Hive (Pocket), Onitama, Santorini, Targi, Android: Netrunner, Gloomhaven, The Captain is Dead, and Spirit Island.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Seven Wonders Duel and It's a Wonderful World are my favourite games for 2 players
Wow, I did not expect your #1, but I heartily agree! Amazing game. I don't see myself ever tiring of it.
Wait, where's Chess?!
Thx boss!!!
Oh man, use the proper sized sleeves for your Star Wars Rebellion 😀
As for the war games that you have on your list, they are truly great games!
The "Fury of Dracula" is in a category all its own.
Great list. I'll add Santorini to my wishlist, it sounds simple enough my son would enjoy it (either now or in a few years, he's only 5.5yo, but he does enjoy canvas and even enjoys about 3/4 of architects of the west kingdom for about 30 minutes 😉
So this week I have not been well, so a few things were rushed on the video. mostly the audio, So apologies for that. Anyway, here is my list, hopefully you find some games on here you like the look of, or at least agree with my rationales. If not, let me know in the comments.
Shama lama ding dong
A bit more than a top 10! 😉
Also sorry for your loss
I know that this will be very uninspiring, boring and repetitive but….. Gloomhaven.
One of the best games ever, and truly shines with 2 players as a sweet spot between 3 players (possible, too long and messy) and Solo (please no!).
I’d be interested to know your thoughts on Narcos By Cmon games. I am brushing up on the rules so I can play a 2 player game of it soon. It’s a hidden movement game of sorts – the twist is Patrón hardly moves but is forced to gives clues about the location of his secret hideout whenever he instructs his henchmen (Sicarios) to do his bidding. Looks very interesting…
My favorite 2 player game is Roll for the Galaxy. It is fun with more than 2, but at 2 it is a head to head battle for who can get the best Developments first and win!
have you tried Capers:europe? Watergate is a good, plays fast and has a real tension. ( i love twilight struggle but only play it on the app now)
I think Spirit Island takes my top two-player spot, one spirit each. Android Netrunner would be a close second though, or maybe Gloomhaven.
Sorry for your loss. 🙁
Flash Point: Fire Rescue is a nice firefighting game ☺️
I play a lot of Hive on BGA. Also, Race for the Galaxy is superb at 2 players, with the 2-player rules being used.
My man, I've fallen madly in reciprocated love in the last few weeks (for the first time in my 30 years) and have been scrambling to find good 2 player games. This could not have come at a better time. Thank you for the great videos as always!
I mostly play coops 2 player these days – Spirit Island being a favourite or Arkham LCG. Another game would be A Feast for Odin which is very solitaire but it's nice to have someone else along for the ride. I played a fair bit of Sentinels of the Multiverse 2 player 2 characters each which does keep you more involved other games I tend to just play one character with 2.
Try Caper!
Sorry for your loss.
Delighted for this video, I keep buying two player games for my parents. This sorts out birthdays for a while!
Tainted Grail is also great at two players when it was a little slow and unwieldy at 4.
Also, and I hate to disagree with the patrons, but sherlock Holmes consulting detective is hella messy. The first couple of mysteries were really fun but after those they get opaque and rely too much on moon logic.
But yes, lovely to have this video. I play games with my wife and so I rely on them a load. We did clank legacy at the start of the pandemic, then gloomhaven Jaws of the lion, then some arkham horror tcg, then sherlock Holmes (urg) then aeons end and now tainted grail.
Great video! Kingdomino IMO is best with the 2P mode where all the tiles are used and players make a 7 × 7 grid.
1. Twilight Struggle
2. Fields of Arle
3. Colonial Twilight
4. Blitz Bowl Season 2
5. X-Odus
6. Targi
7. Hive
8. Star Realms
9. Legendary Encounters
Aliens
10.1066 Tears to many mothers
5.
I fully agree with you on TWOM shining at multiplayer, very much for sharing the stories, the moral dilemmas, the dark humour, the experience etc. For me the narrative is the heart of the game, not the mechanics, and what makes it so special (to the point it's not a game I'd feel comfortable tabling in the current situation). I've played at 5, and did notice one of the players zoning out, so yes I'd agree that it's pretty much the upper limit… though I could imagine a larger classroom group of ~ 16 year olds going through some accelerated scenarios as being a more innovative form of learning.
FWIW I'm not a fan of Santorini, but then I grew to dislike Chess from it becoming more like study than a game, so that's very much a personal thing. However I do agree that higher player counts are problematic, mostly for kingmaking issues. For 3+ players, The Estates handles that a little better, albeit doesn't eliminate the problem.
A few musings:
Netrunner can be played online, and is great that way at a table with a couple laptops, I'd link it but Youtube will delete my comment then.
I really should give Spirit Island another go – my wife loves it – but I'm not a fan of fire fighting games, even gave away my Flash Point copy to my nephews.
We have Hunt for the Ring, which is a hidden movement game better at 2 than as a large group, but we find that it's too easy for the Ringbearers, so we need to play with the suggestion to have less Fellowship tokens for them.
War of the Ring and Rebellion are so epic, but I just purchased Battle of the Five Armies so hopefully we can get a game done in an afternoon rather than it being a whole day affair for us (we're slow our first few games through).
I love Santorini but my wife wasn't a fan, so gifted that to the nephews as well. I like the comment that suggests Roll for the Galaxy – although a friend owns it so unlikely we'll purchase it.
We're playing Everdell base mostly these days, either on table or online. Although we're working Dune in, and still have to get Argent to the table!
Love your content! I love it so much most of my collection are games you've recommended that friends don't own yet!
Edit: Would love to see you tackle the Hasbro The Queen's Gambit on the Phantom Menace end battle if you could ever find a copy! That would be an epic 2 player game!
Brilliant!
We do like Jaws, my son and I play head to head and he loves to play the shark! Thunderbirds, Pandemic Iberia and Robinson Crusoe are a lot of fun to play as co op 2 person. Just picked up Sleeping Gods, looking forward to playing it with my son so we can enjoy the story together.
I found that Santorini fell into the same gaming space as Hive aka a quick to start/easy to learn game that can be very deep and thinky. However, I enjoy Hive so much more.
Another great video, keep up the good work!
I agree theres something a bit special with just two players. Race for the Galaxy was the first game that really made me think about player count and what count suits what game. I liked it at 3 and 4 but the first time I played it at 2 with the selecting two roles each rules was when I fell in love with it.
Current world events have made me look at Twilight Struggle, and indeed all my war games, quite differently. I almost feel like selling off a few of them now. We abstract suffering easily when it’s somewhere back in the murkiness of history. I wonder if in 20 years time some one will make something in the vein of TS to cover the past 30 years. It usually takes about that long for emotions to die down. That said, your review of “this war of mine” was probably the most compelling for me to get it. All of the other reviews have turned me off, and the computer/iPad versions are a solo experience which is a downer. But the whole idea of experiencing a narrative with so,done else is very appealing. Thanks for adding it in.
I been thinking in getting this war of mine, but I don't know what how long a session would take. My freetime got a little crowded lately 🙁
My son (10) likes cooperative games, so we play forbidden desert, the Game, and fire of eidolon. I play outfoxed with my daughter (6) now, and sometimes my son will hop in.
With the big boys and gals, we’ll play Marvel Champions, Hero Realms, pauper MtG, 7 Wonders Duel, Lost Cities, and I always love me a game of Terraforming Mars, either version.
Very sorry for your loss, btw. I actually have Netrunner and have never played it. Been sitting in the shelf for around 5 years now. I’m sure I would enjoy it, but most of my buddies stick to MtG and Warhammer 🤦🏻♂️. What I wouldn’t give for them to branch out into different/board games!
Subastral / Akrotiri / Undaunted NA / Blitzkrieg! / Air Land and Sea / Trickshot / Battle Line / Trickerion Dueling Magicians — Then I personally like the 2p variant of Hansa, 5tribes, and Ankh
Sorry for your loss, hugs from here 😔
Gotta agree with some like Santorini and Rebellion! We have to play Santorini on BGA together one day =)
Great to see you continue to introduce people around the world to Māori counting. I came for the games and left seeing a bit of someone else's culture. Thank you.
A two player game that really blew me away the first time I played, was Watergate. Mostly because it’s a tight/tense/experience and quite fast too.
The theme didn’t initial grab me – but it’s done very well.
Carcassonne didn’t even get an honorable mention? Dang.
Personally I really need a 2p game to be easy setup and cleanup, with fun but to too complex gameplay. I'm experimenting with a few…
Agility and Patchwork are doing well so far. I did get Watergate but, and I knew it'll be head to head but, find it too confrontational. Still, going to put it though it's paces a little more before deciding to keep or sell it.
Great list! I love Twilight Struggle too but have to be in the mood for a 4 hour tense-fest! Others that I think are fantastic are:
Inis
Cyclades +/- Hades Expansion
Brass Lancashire
Space Empires 4x
A War of Whispers
Castles of Burgundy
Viticulture EE Tuscany
Tigris & Euphrates
Summoner Wars
Race for the Galaxy
Ra
Battle Line
No spirit island? But its the best 2 player game! And also the best 3,4 and 1 player game 😀😀
I played a lot of tabletop war games when I was younger. When I found X-Wing, I was hooked. I loved how critical movement and firing arcs are which were usually overlooked in older tabletop games. I'm a sucker for the IP, and the theme really shines. But it's a black hole for money.
Great list! I've always found Takenoko makes a fantasic two-player game (and at every other player count).
Can’t believe you called them “firefighting co-op” games and didn’t show Flashpoint, where you actually fight fires. 🙂