Being in relationships can be difficult and one of the toughest aspects of being in a relationship is keeping things fresh and interesting. Not to mention having the ability to get out of the house and do something together at all if you’ve got kids! Couples that have been together for a while may feel like they’ve done everything and seen everything together many times over and want to shake things up a bit now and then. One of the best options for couples in this situation is to try couples board games!
Board games come in all shapes and sizes nowadays and are so interesting and diverse, there’s something out there for everyone. Having a board game night means you don’t have to leave the house or hire a babysitter, spend ridiculous amounts of money on food and drink, you can relax in comfortable clothes, and if you do have a little too much to drink, at least you don’t have far to go to fall into bed! Below is a selection of the best games for couples, all with different play times and levels of complexity, that we would recommend playing to create the perfect night in!
What are the Best Board Games For Couples?
Below is a selection of board games for couples, all with different play times and levels of complexity, that we would recommend playing to create the perfect night!
Fog of Love
By: Hush Hush Projects Ages: 17+ Players: 2 Time: 60-120 mins
As interesting as your relationship might be, have you ever wondered how you’d fare if you were living in a romantic comedy? ‘Fog of Love’ is a couples board game that enhances love and intimacy through interactive and playful experiences. Experiencing unusual challenges, awkward situations, lots of laughs and difficult compromises is all part of this emotional rollercoaster of a board game!
How to Play
In Fog of Love, players will choose one of the love stories within the game to play through, all with their own chapters, scenes, and special events. They will also create their own character with different traits and attributes and of course an occupation. There will also be objective cards both players will receive that are kept hidden from each other.
Once characters are created, players will work through the scenario they’ve chosen by playing chapter cards that represent an event, like, an argument at dinner or getting a photo taken together. A choice must then be made by one or both players about how to resolve the event, but some actions can result in changes to a player’s personality or happiness.
Roleplay is critical during these scenarios. Without it, the game would be flat and boring, but getting into character and acting like them only helps ramp up the experience. As the chapters progress, new events will occur which will further affect how a player’s character changes over time by moving their personality scores.
At the end of the game, players compare their objectives with their personality scores to determine the outcome of their relationship and whether they’ve won the game or not. Even with win conditions, it’s much more about the experience you go through with the other person and how much you immerse yourself and become your character that will determine how much you get out of the game. The more you and your partner share in creating the narrative, the more you’ll enjoy it!
Fog of Love is the perfect game if you and your partner enjoy rom-coms as it is chock full of tropes from the genre. Not being shy and getting involved in a bit of roleplay is crucial and will only enhance the experience!
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Azul: Master Chocolatier
By: Next Move Games Ages: 8+ Players: 2-4 Players Time: 30-45 minutes
In this twist to the original game, players use their tiles, representing different chocolates, to create the most desired chocolate selection ever. As one of the most fun games for couples, ‘Azul: Master Chocolatier’ offers a relaxed and enjoyable experience
How to Play
To start the game, several factory display tokens are placed in a circle around the center of the playing area. The number of factories depends on the number of players, and after they’re set up, 4 randomly selected tiles are taken from the bag in which they’re kept and placed on each of the factory displays. Players then choose matching sets of tiles from the factory displays to place on the ‘pattern line’ section of the game board where they can. This is five rows high, with one space at the top and five at the bottom.
Players should try and complete as many lines as possible with matching chocolates. If they can’t do this the chocolates fall to the floor on their ‘foundry line’ track. If any remaining tiles are left on a display, these go in the center of the play area and players are free to choose these tiles on their turn if they wish. Once all tiles are gone, players then move tiles from their pattern line to their chocolate box. These tiles must mirror the free tiles in the opposite section of the board and must be from complete lines.
Players will score points for gradually making horizontal or vertical lines with the chocolates when placed in the box, longer lines equal bigger points, but points are deducted for chocolates that made their way to the foundry line. Players will repeat the above steps and replenish the factories with chocolates until one player manages to line up five chocolates horizontally when moving them to the box from the pattern line. This signifies the end of the game and points are totalled up with the player scoring highest being declared the winner.
Tile-laying games are always nice and relaxing and a good option to play as they’re generally stress-free. Azul: Master Chocolatier is a great game to play with your partner as not only is it fun and enjoyable, but what better aesthetic could you ask for than chocolates?
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Castles of Burgundy
By: Alea Ages: 12+ Players: 2-4 Time: 30-90 minutes
Adventure and strategy meld together in the pastoral valleys of medieval France in Castles of Burgundy. Players take on the roles of aristocrats competing to build the most impressive estates in the land. Through strategic tile placement, players cultivate tracts of land, construct powerful castles, and establish bustling market towns. As an abstract strategy game, Castles of Burgundy requires deeper tactical thinking and strategic planning to outmaneuver opponents.
How to Play
Gameplay involves players selecting tiles from a central board and placing them onto their personal estate boards to construct various types of buildings, each offering different benefits. The game is played over five phases, each broken down into five rounds. In each round, players use two dice to determine their actions, such as taking new tiles, placing tiles onto their board, or selling goods. Strategic planning is key, as the placement of tiles can trigger combinations leading to more powerful actions or greater point accumulation.
Victory points are awarded for various achievements, including completing regions of your estate, selling goods, and constructing buildings. The player with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner. What makes Castles of Burgundy especially engaging is the balance of strategy and chance. Players must adapt their strategies based on the roll of the dice and the actions of their opponents, ensuring a unique and challenging experience with each play.
Castles of Burgundy offers a rich, strategic experience wrapped in a theme of medieval estate building. It’s perfect for couples or groups looking for a moderately complex game that rewards planning, adaptability, and a bit of luck.
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Codenames Duet
By: Czech Games Edition Age: 11+ Players: 2 Time: 15-30 mins
Communicating through coded messages, two spies must avoid enemy assassins and innocent bystanders while trying to find friendly agents. Time is short though and choosing the right words to use is critical as one slip-up can mean game over!
How to Play
In Codenames Duet, players work together to try and uncover fifteen keywords from a board of twenty-five over the space of nine turns. Cards are placed in a 5×5 grid next to nine timer tokens, along with agent and assassin cards and a double-sided key card. This is slotted landscape into a plastic stand and highlights several things: where nine green agents are placed, three assassins marked in black that will end the game, and innocent bystanders that make up the rest of the cards.
To start the game, a player gives a word and number as a clue to try and help the other player identify at least one card representing an agent. The clue cannot have part of the word in it (i.e. If the card is ‘rainbow’, you cannot use ‘rain’ as a clue) and, of course, not be a word present on the grid.
After a clue is given, the other player makes a guess by touching a card. If this card shows as green on the key card, it gets covered with an agent card and the players are a step closer to victory. Another guess can be made or play swaps to the next player. If it’s a black card, this is an assassin and the game is over. The other spaces represent bystanders, which also act as timer tokens.
The difference between Codenames Duet and the original is that both players are working off of the same key card, but each side has a different guide. Your assassin could be one of your partner’s good guys, and one of your bystanders could be your partner’s assassin.
When a turn ends a timer token is used and if all tokens are used before all agents are found the game ends. Players can make as many guesses as they wish before handing over to the other player though, and there can be up to eleven timer tokens to make the game slightly easier.
Codenames Duet. like its original counterpart, is a mixture of smarts and silliness where players need to think both logically and outside the box to help others guess the correct words. Its insta-death rule creates an air of constant tension which only increases as time ticks on, but it’s certainly something that will make players come back to the game often to try and get better and better each time. We wager you’ll like the two-player version even more than the original game.
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Jaipur
By: GameWorks Age: 12+ Players: 2 Time: 30 mins
Jaipur, a game of trades and treasures, transports players to the vibrant markets of ancient India where they take on the roles of powerful merchants. The game’s essence lies in its simplicity and depth, making it both easy to learn and strategically rich. Each player must carefully trade goods and camels, aiming to acquire two ‘Seals of Excellence’ and become the Maharaja’s personal trader.
How to Play
During gameplay, players can choose to take market cards or sell goods for points, but the timing and strategy behind these decisions are crucial. The market contains a mix of goods cards and camels, which are both valuable in different ways. Goods such as gold, silver, and cloth are sold for points, with bonuses for selling three, four, or five goods at once. Camels, on the other hand, are not sold but are crucial for winning trades and ensuring a player has the best selection of goods to sell.
The duel between players is subtle yet intense, as they vie for the best goods, manipulate the market, and strategically decide when to sell. The game ends when three goods piles are depleted, or the cards run out, leading to a final tally of points. The player with the most points is awarded a ‘Seal of Excellence’. The game is played in a best-of-three format, adding to its competitive and addictive nature.
Jaipur stands out as a fast-paced, beautifully designed card game that rewards risk-taking and strategy. It’s perfect for couples or friends seeking a quick yet engaging board game experience that balances luck and strategy in equal measure.
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Patchwork
By: Lookout games Age: 8+ Players: 2 Time: 30 minutes
A cozy, relaxing game for two with the goal of creating the biggest, and best quilt whilst also collecting as many valuable buttons as possible to be declared the winner.
How to Play
In Patchwork, players will take turns selecting tiles of all different shapes and sizes to create the prettiest quilt possible. During a player’s turn they’ll take one of two actions: buy a patch to lay on their personal board or move their token around the main game board. Buttons are used to purchase tiles and players get to choose between a small selection of three each turn.
When a tile is chosen and placed on the player’s board, they then move their token around the main board a number of spaces indicated on the tile they just played. When moving a token on the main game board, players can move as many spaces as they wish and can collect just as many buttons. Only when a player’s token is in the first place does the play switch to the other player. If done correctly, players will be able to strategize and move and collect tiles several times before play changes hands.
After a while, the game can feel like you’re playing a colorful version of Tetris. Players will need to utilize the space on their board and cover as much of it as possible as points are decided by adding up the number of buttons a player has, and subtracting a point for each space left on their board. The player with the most points wins.
Patchwork is a simple, short, but fun game that never causes stress or tense situations. With the vast array of tiles available, it makes every new playthrough feel fresh and unique. It’s a perfect game for date night.
Check out our full review of Patchwork here.
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Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small
By: Z-Man Games Age: 13+ Players: 2 Time: 30-45 mins
Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small distills the essence of the critically acclaimed strategy game Agricola into a streamlined, two-player experience. Set in the world of farming and livestock, players are tasked with the careful management of their farmstead to become the most prosperous farmer.
How to Play
In this game, players begin with a modest farmyard and a couple of pens. Over the course of the game, they will have the opportunity to build additional structures, acquire more livestock, and expand their farming operations. Each turn, players choose actions that allow them to build fences, buy animals, or improve their farms in various ways. The choices are strategic, with a focus on optimizing farm space and ensuring the right mix of animals to score points.
The game is played over a series of rounds, with players alternating turns to take action. It ends after a fixed number of rounds, and the player with the most points, earned through a variety of means such as having different types of animals and buildings, is declared the winner.
Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small offers a deep but accessible strategic experience, capturing the challenge of farm management with a playtime that fits neatly into an evening. It’s perfect for players looking for a competitive yet intimate board game experience.
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Point Salad
By: AEG Age: 8+ Players: 2-6 Time: 15-30 mins
Point Salad is a fast and fun card drafting game that’s all about building the perfect salad. With a simple yet engaging gameplay mechanic, it’s a great board game, that can be enjoyed by families and gamers alike. The term “Point Salad” is a board game jargon for a game where points can be earned in many different ways, and this game embodies that concept to the fullest.
How to Play
The game is comprised of a deck of cards, each of which has two sides. One side displays one of six different types of vegetables, and the other side shows a scoring method—for example, points for having the most carrots or points for each pair of tomatoes and lettuce. On their turn, players will decide whether to take vegetables to add to their salad or select a scoring card to define how they’ll earn points at the game’s end.
Strategic decision-making is key, as players must balance between picking the best vegetables for their current scoring cards and denying their opponents the cards they need. With a dynamic play area that changes with every turn and the challenge of adapting to an evolving scoring strategy, Point Salad offers a fresh experience every time it’s played.
The game ends once all the cards have been drafted. Players then calculate their scores based on their collected vegetables and the scoring methods they’ve chosen. The player with the highest score wins, successfully creating the most delicious and point-rich salad.
Point Salad stands out for its simplicity, quick playtime, and the depth of strategy it offers. It is perfect for gamers of all ages looking for a light, engaging, and competitive experience.
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7 Wonders Duel
By: Repos Production Age: 10+ Players: 2 Time: 30 mins
7 Wonders Duel, a game specifically designed for two players, distills the essence of its parent game, 7 Wonders, into a tight, fast-paced duel where players vie for military, scientific, or civilian victory. It presents a unique approach to civilization-building, emphasizing strategic depth and decision-making flexibility.
How to Play
In 7 Wonders Duel, players draft cards over three ages, each card representing a significant advancement or structure. The game board is set up with a pyramid of alternating face-up and face-down cards, allowing players to strategize based on partially hidden information. Players can pursue victory through military dominance, by pushing their military token to the opponent’s city; scientific advancement, by collecting a set of six different scientific symbols; or civilian dominance, by amassing victory points through various structures.
The drafting mechanism is a dance of decision-making where players must weigh the benefits of acquiring a card against the risk of leaving a crucial card accessible to their opponent. Additional layers of strategy are infused with the introduction of progress tokens, special abilities, and wonders that offer unique advantages.
7 Wonders Duel stands out for its depth and replayability, condensing the expansive experience of building civilizations into a concise, engaging game that keeps players coming back for more. This is a perfect game for those seeking a competitive yet nuanced board game experience that combines luck and strategy in a historically rich setting.
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Splendor Duel
By: Space Cowboys Age: 10+ Players: 2 Time: 30 mins
Splendor Duel is an engaging, fiercely competitive game designed specifically for two players, set in the Renaissance era of gem merchants. Adapting the highly successful mechanics of the original Splendor game, Splendor Duel adds new strategic layers, making it a compelling face-off for those who seek a rich tactical experience for only two players.
How to Play
In this game, players vie to acquire precious stones and use them to purchase development cards, which are worth points and provide bonuses. The unique twist in Splendor Duel is the introduction of a shared board for gem acquisition and the possibility of directly sabotaging your opponent’s strategy. Players must strategically decide when to focus on their own advancement and when to hinder their opponent’s progress.
Winning can be achieved in one of three ways, offering multiple paths to victory and requiring players to adapt their strategies dynamically. The duel ends when a player reaches a set number of points, completes a specific combination of developments, or achieves a unique strategic condition, making every game session unpredictable and exciting.
Splendor Duel stands as a testament to the idea that a good strategy game doesn’t need to be complex to be profoundly engaging. It’s a testament to the beauty of simplicity in game design, offering depth, replayability, and intense competitive interaction, ensuring that each match is as exciting as it is cerebral.
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Sky Team
By: Scorpion Masque Age: 12+ Players: 2 Time: 15 minutes
Take to the skies with this two-player-cooperative game and work together to land an airplane at different airports across the globe. Trying to balance everything from speed to landing gear and communication with the control tower is key, otherwise one wrong move and you could lose your pilot’s license…or your life!
How to Play
In Sky Team, players act as pilots and co-pilots and attempt to land a commercial airliner over the course of seven rounds. The game comes with a control panel that acts as a game board and displays lots of information such as braking, speed, lift, and drag. There are three phases to the game, the first of which involves a brief discussion around strategy and then rolling four dice each. Players are not allowed to let each other see their results and there is practically no talking allowed from here on out.
Players then assign their dice to various slots on the board. Some spaces can only be used by the pilot or co-pilot, and some require a specific value, so there is certainly a degree of planning during this phase. Placement will affect several things like the plane’s altitude, its axis, and its landing gear being deployed.
Once the dice rolls have been resolved, the altitude track moves by one or two to represent the plane’s descent, one thousand feet at a time. Once the altitude track shows a landed plane and the position track lands on an airport, that’s the end of the game. Various factors come into winning the game, such as all the switches showing as green, the speed totaling less than the brakes, and the axis disc being completely horizontal.
With so much to account for, the fact the plane could go into a nosedive at any time, and minimal communication is allowed, you’ll have to have your wits about you for sure. For couples who feel more confident with their ability, there are specific scenarios that can be played out as an alternative to the basic rules.
Sky Team is a fun game, and the concept and components are very unique and fun to use when playing (especially the tiny coffee cups representing concentration!). This is definitely an entertaining challenge that will see how couples fare when working together under stressful situations, and who is best at multi-tasking!
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Hive Pocket
By: Gen42 Games Age: 9+ Players: 2 Time: 20 mins
Hive Pocket is the travel version of one of the highly acclaimed abstract strategy games, Hive, offering all the fun and strategic depth of the original in a travel-friendly form. This game pits two players against each other, each with a goal of completely surrounding their opponent’s queen bee while avoiding the same fate for their own.
How to Play
In Hive Pocket, each player starts with a set of beautifully crafted bakelite tiles, each representing different insect types with unique ways of moving across the Hive. The game starts without a board, and as the players alternately place their pieces, the playing area forms and changes dynamically. Players must use strategy to effectively use their ants, spiders, beetles, and other insects to outmaneuver and encircle the opposing queen bee, all while defending their own.
Strategic placement is key, as each insect has its own rules of movement – beetles can climb on top of other pieces, spiders move exactly three spaces, and ants can move to any point around the hive. The game ends as soon as one queen bee is completely surrounded on all sides by any mix of pieces, regardless of color, declaring the other player as the winner.
Hive Pocket’s appeal lies in its simplicity to learn but complexity to master, making it an endlessly replayable challenge for two players. The portable size means you can bring this engaging battle of wits anywhere, from coffee shop tables to camping trips, making it a favorite among travelers and strategy game enthusiasts alike.
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Hanamikoji
By: EmperorS4 Age: 10+ Players: 2 Time: 15-30 mins
In the heart of Kyoto lies Hanamikoji Street, where players find themselves competing to earn the favor of seven illustrious Geishas by presenting them with their most beloved items. Hanamikoji is an elegantly simple yet deeply strategic card game that captivates with its blend of tactics and luck.
How to Play
Players start with a hand of cards representing gifts, which they will use to win the affection of the Geishas. The game revolves around four actions, each of which must be used once per round. These actions allow players to secretly offer gifts, make a gift publicly, save a gift for the next turn, or compete directly by playing cards and offering a choice of gifts to the Geisha.
Victory in Hanamikoji is a delicate balance of knowing when to reveal your hand and when to bluff, as well as anticipating your opponent’s moves. The player who wins the favor of four Geishas or scores a total of 11 charm points first wins the game. Its quick pace and compact size make Hanamikoji a perfect choice for gamers looking for a brief but intense duel of minds.
With its beautiful artwork and intriguing mechanics, Hanamikoji invites players into a world where strategic depth and aesthetic beauty go hand in hand. This game proves that a profound experience doesn’t require a sprawling board or complex rules, making it an exquisite addition to the two-player game genre.
Cascadia
By: Flatout Games Age: 10+ Players: 1-4 Time: 30-45 mins
Cascadia takes players into the stunning, diverse landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, where they meticulously craft habitats to support a wide array of wildlife. The goal is to create the most harmonious ecosystem, balancing the needs of each species ranging from the majestic bald eagle to the stealthy fox.
How to Play
Employing a tile-laying mechanism, each player works on their own habitat map. A clever drafting system determines the tiles and wildlife tokens available each turn. Players must strategize to place their tiles in patterns that maximize their points, ensuring the various species thrive in their optimal environments.
The game stands out for its striking art and environmental theme, encouraging players to consider the balance of ecosystems. Scoring involves a variety of patterns and clusters of wildlife tokens, pushing players to think several moves ahead and adapt to the evolving landscape. It’s not only a testament to strategic depth but also an ode to the beauty of nature, making every playthrough a serene and contemplative experience.
Cascadia’s appeal lies in its accessibility to both casual gamers and those seeking deeper strategic engagement, offering a refreshingly calming yet engaging gameplay that resonates with a wide audience. Its educational aspect, coupled with the joy of creating a vibrant, thriving ecosystem, has garnered it acclaim in the board gaming community.
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Conclusion: a board game, or a card game, makes your next date night one to remember
These are just a few of the best board games for couples out there that should help to create an enjoyable night in. Two player games are essential for fostering connection and intimacy between partners. If you or your other half have any other games you both enjoy playing together we’d love to hear about them!
These are generally lighter games for date nights, but if you are looking for two player board games for couples that are heavier check out our review of Spirit Island or our list of the best two player board games, which includes Twilight Struggle. There is a wide variety of couples board games available that promote engagement and enjoyment in relationships.