15 Fun Two-Player Board and Card Games to Play at Home

We’re all spending a lot more time at home these days. And while watching TV, browsing social media, and playing video games are all perfectly acceptable ways to pass the time, sometimes you need to bust out the board games to get your brain working. Throwing a competitive element into the mix can shake things up with a group of roommates—but what if you don't have enough players for the game? Luckily, there are several excellent titles you can pick up right now that only need two players to get going, ranging from intense storytelling contests to simple pass-and-go card games. One of the 15 two-player games below should be a perfect fit for you.

1. The Fox in the Forest Card Game; $15

Great for ages 10 and up, this family-friendly card set blends fantasy with gaming in a way that’s uniquely imaginative. Within the deck, you’ll see fairy tale characters with special abilities. To earn a victory, you’ll need to outfox your opponent, literally, as you score more points with every “trick” you win.

Buy it: Amazon

2. Battleship; $15

It’s an oldie but a goodie, and whether they're 8 or 88, people can’t get enough of calling out “You sunk my battleship!” This classic pits two players against each other in a bid to offer some seriously fun naval combat. Search for the enemy fleet and mark your pings on a grid-based plastic board. When you've pinpointed the enemy's ships, start destroying them with direct hits one by one. It's the perfect game of deduction, and you get two travel-ready kits that close up and store away once you're done.

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3. UNO Mario Kart Card Game; $6

Does your kiddo love playing Mario Kart, but you want to find a way to cut back on their screen time? Consider this classic UNO card game, which integrates elements of the go-kart racing game. Normal UNO rules still apply, except each card shows off one of Mario Kart’s iconic characters.

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4. Codenames: Duet; $16

Codenames: Duet is the two-person version of the popular game (which typically works better with a larger group). This set offers 400 new words and can be ideal for exploring new types of cooperative gameplay. Best of all, you can use it with the original game, in case you ever want to host a full-scale game night and bring in more players.

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5. Trivial Pursuit: 2000s Edition; $35

How well do you know the 2000s? This special edition of Trivial Pursuit lets players test their knowledge of the 2000s up to today, with 1800 questions divided into six categories, all covering topics from the new millennium and beyond. It comes with a game board, a die, the classic Trivial Pursuit wedges, and everything you need for two to four players to jump in and have a blast. You'll be looking back fondly on Segways and Angry Birds in no time.

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6. Patchwork; $31

Patchwork isn't a game so much as it is a collaborative work of art, like your favorite quilt or blanket. Work together to create a gorgeous quilt by selecting the best pieces of fabric and cobbling them together with buttons to make a beautiful patchwork creation. The most aesthetically pleasing and high-scoring quilt wins; you can wrap up a game in about 15 minutes.

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7. 7 Wonders - Duel; $27

The original 7 Wonders is an award-winning strategy game, but it's much more complex than this offshoot, requiring additional players. 7 Wonders - Duel is built specifically for two players for a series of head-to-head battles while you work to build civilizations that will annihilate the competition. Choose the Wonders you plan to build and lead your civilization to victory. In 30 minutes or so, you'll be well on your way to seeing your people's wildest dreams come true and your opponent shot down.

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8. Sushi Go!; $18

Sushi is more than just a delicious snack—it's also a card game, which happens to be perfect for two to five players. Everyone chooses a card at once, passes hands to the left, and then works to score the most possible points using cards emblazoned with tasty sushi, from sashimi to wasabi and even pudding. It's simple to learn, and games are short and quick. Plus, who doesn't love staring at sushi?

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9. Monopoly Deal; $6

Monopoly is one of those games that can drag on forever if you want it to. This card game is exactly the opposite; it’s designed to only last about 15 minutes per round. The deck includes property, red, house, and hotel cards, along with money and action cards, so all the elements of the original are still here, just annotated, so to speak.

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10. Incohearent; $20

How often do you have to strain to hear what your friend or loved one said? And how often do you actually hear what they're saying correctly? Incohearent is a hilarious, adult-centric game for two or more players where you sound out a seemingly nonsense phrase and guess at its hidden meaning: "lits gat diss burr rad" turns into "let's get this bread" and "men nog gummy" is "monogamy." Who can guess the most phrases? You'll have to put your hearing and creativity to the test here.

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11. Fluxx; $16

You've never played a card game quite like Fluxx. It's for two to five players, and that's one rule that won't change—but nearly everything else will. You start off by drawing and playing a card, but as you progress, new rules continually come into play. Nothing is safe, not even the object of the game. You never know just what you'll get with Fluxx, and for that, it's an excellent game to play when you need something to lighten things up a bit.

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12. The Hygge Game; $20

Hygge (pronounced as hoo-gah) is all about comfort, so it should be no surprise that this game inspired by the Danish concept for coziness feels so sweet and welcoming to play. Inside this set, you’ll find more than 300 prompts, intended to spark warm, meaningful conversations between you and the other player.

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13. Carcassonne Board Game; $35

This world-building game is designed with two players in mind and allows you to create a medieval fortress city, one tile at a time. You’ll take on different identities as you navigate the game—players can serve as monks, farmers, even thieves based on the tile they’re on), and because of how diverse the building process can be, there are tons of different ways to play this, so you’re sure to stay engaged for years to come.

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14. Hive: A Game Crawling With Possibilities; $30

While the basic objective of this game—to surround your opponent’s queen bee while fending off attacks against your own—is simple, the flow of it is deceptively complex. Ideal for those looking for strategy games, Hive draws from elements of chess but is more portable, so it could be fun to take on road trips and other travel adventures.

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15. Arkham Horror: The Card Game; $23

Delve into the fictional spooky town of Arkham, Massachusetts, and unfurl the mysteries surrounding it with this role-playing card game. Designed for two players, it puts you and your co-player on a campaign to uncover secrets, go toe-to-toe with the supernatural, and have a great time in the process.

Buy it: Amazon

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This article originally ran in 2021; it has been updated for 2022.