The best two player board games for date night
Feature photo: Anna Wu photography
Here at Rules of Play, we like to think of ourselves as the 'tabletop cupid', matching couples with the perfect two player board game for them, delivering an awesome evening in the process.
To help you plan an amazing date night, we've listed the best couples games for all moods and preferences, so whether it's strategy you're after or something lighter & sillier, your evening is sorted.
Two player adventure board games
If you can't afford a couples holiday just yet, the next best thing is a two player board game that allows you to explore the world together...
Hit Z Road
Zombies meets vintage kitsch - this is like, so, my aesthetic! In Hit Z Road, players embark on the road trip of a life time along Route 66. Unfortunately, it's infested by zombies... One of our more gorgeous and unusual board games for date night!
Time Stories
As geeky games for game night go, Time Stories is a winner! In this board game, players become agents protecting humanity who must jump between different realities to complete objectives and save the world. Mess up? Go back in time until you get it right...
Fun, light strategy board games for competitive couples
If competition is what makes you both feel alive, then competitive two player board games are for you!
Jaipur
This exotic two player strategy card game whisks you away to another land; one of camels, trading, and being sneaky! Jaipur is one of our most popular games for couples that love to argue...
Lost Cities
An ancient but super simple board game for couples, Lost Cities is particularly useful if your partner is new to the whole gaming thing. The cards you collect during the game represent various archaeological expeditions - the aim is to collect numbers in ascending order to score the most points!
Targi
In Targi, you become the leader of the Tuareg tribe, trading goods to obtain gold, enlarge your tribe, and win as many victory points as you can. There's no game board, so if you're looking for board games to play with a partner who doesn't play many games, this is easy to get into and won't scare them off...
7 Wonders: Duel
The essential two player 7 Wonders variant, 7 Wonders Duel sees players become leaders of one of the 7 great cities of the Ancient World, gathering resources and building your city. A lightweight strategy game for two players that maintains the brilliance of the original 7 Wonders!
See more about 7 Wonders: Duel
Patchwork
The perfect board game for a quiet and snuggly date night, Patchwork literally requires that you knit a quilt. Cuddles galore!
Hero Realms
A strategy deck building game for two players, Hero Realms is a competitive fantasy-based adventure where you battle it out as opponents, using actions and effects bought from a shared marketplace.
Different & unusual two player board games
If you and your partner aren't convinced by fantasy, strategy or adventure, try a different type of two player board game for a gentler experience...
Kana Gawa
A great board game for creative couples, Kana Gawa is all about improving your artistry and painting various subjects in accordance to the changing seasons outside. A good choice if you want a 'gentler' game that isn't all about smashing and fighting.
Lanterns: The Harvest Festival
Only by decorating the lake with the most coloured lanterns can you become an honoured artisan of your craft! The light but unusual little two player strategy game Lanterns is as visually beautiful as it is fun.
Silly board games for a fun couples 'night in'
Alternatively, you can opt for a light-hearted night in with the TV switched off and the wine flowing freely. All you need are some silly and fun two player board games!
Rainbow Rage
In Rainbow Rage, players race against each other to put rainbows back together by grabbing the colours that have swapped around - every correct 'grab' is another step closer to building your own rainbow. A fun & faintly ridiculous two player board game for beginner couples.
Loony Quest
Creative two player board games don't get much weirder than the video-game-inspired Loony Quest... Players must try to draw 'paths' through various levels, avoiding obstacles while hitting good targets to gain XP points.
Dr Eureka
Dr Eureka isn't just a brilliant family board game - it's a silly, easy & beginner board game for couples, too! In this fast-paced lab experiment, players must transfer their molecules between test tubes quicker than the other scientists without using their hands!
Cortex Challenge
If you're a couple who lives for quiz nights and brain teasers, Cortex Challenge is right up your alley. This two player quiz game tests memory, cognition, and more, by challenging players to remember objects, decipher maze routes, and endure several other tests of your intelligence...
See more about Cortex Challenge
The 'single & forever alone' bonus game
Fear not, friend! You may be single, but there's a perfect game for you too...
Bed, Wed, Dead: A Game of Dirty Decisions
Gather your single friends and set up a party! Bed, Wed, Dead is basically the card game version of 'snog, marry, avoid', but it gives you all the names so you barely even have to think! Helpful, especially when alcohol is being consumed... Who needs real love when you have rum?!
What are your favourite two player board games for date night? Let us know in the comments!
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