Travel Games: 8 board games for on the go

There are two of you. Most boxes in the store say "3 to 5 players," and the games that can be played with two often feel like a stripped-down version of the real game. That's the annoying thing about being two: you can participate in everything, but rarely are you playing the game as it was intended.

The six below are specifically designed for two, or they are at their best with two. They are listed from cheapest to most expensive, with my least favorite aspect of each game, as that usually makes the decision.

Drakenstad — €11,95

A card game where you place cards of the same motif on the board to claim the point cards already there.

This is the game for those who don't yet know if they'll get into board games. For twelve euros, you get twenty minutes of confrontation with just enough choices to keep you thinking, and it's suitable from age 6, so you can play it with a child. It's a re-release of Rüdiger Dorn's Dragonheart, with new illustrations and two extra variants in the box.

It is still a small game. If you're looking for something to get lost in for an entire evening, this isn't it.

Labyrinth: GO — €17,49 (1 to 4 players)

Four dice show which treasures you need to reach, and you quickly connect them with your stack of path tiles.

Strictly speaking, not a two-player game, but it's at its best with two: you see each other's boards, you see the other person sweat, and the rounds last two minutes. Everyone plays simultaneously, so no one is waiting. Also great if the ages at the table vary widely.

It relies on speed and insight, not strategy. Anyone who likes to think long and hard about a move will get frustrated here.

Targi — €19,95

You lead a Tuareg tribe, placing meeples along the edge of a 5×5 grid, and the intersections of your meeples determine which cards you receive.

This is the classic of the genre and the reason many people started taking the two-player genre seriously. The board is small, the rules fit on one sheet, yet it offers an hour of solid planning. For twenty euros, you get the most game per euro on this entire list.

It's not pretty. The illustrations are functional, and the box doesn't look new, because it isn't.

The White Castle of Himeji: The Duel — €22,95

You place colored lanterns on action spaces, even on top of each other, and the color of the lantern underneath determines the effect you get.

This is a new arrival and the title I'm most curious about this summer. Two rounds of six turns, so you only have twelve moves in the entire game – this makes every placement feel significant without you having to agonize for an hour. Stacking lanterns creates combinations you need to foresee two turns ahead.

The first game is a bit of a learning curve: expect ten minutes of explanation and one game where you still haven't quite grasped it.

Sky Team — €24,95

You are pilot and co-pilot and must land a plane together, placing dice on cockpit functions. Discussion is not allowed.

This is the game I use to surprise most people who say they don't like board games. It's cooperative, so you play together against the game, and the silence creates a tension few other games achieve. Twenty minutes per landing, and then you immediately want to tackle the next airport. It won the Spiel des Jahres in 2024, and for once, that's not an exaggeration.

It is, however, strictly for two players. If there are sometimes three of you, one person will be watching.

Everdell Duo — €36,95 (1 to 2 players)

You build a forest community with workers and cards, where sun and moon tiles determine which cards from the meadow are available.

The most expensive of the six, and the only one you can play both competitively and cooperatively. The latter is why it's on this list: if one half of the duo likes to win and the other likes to cooperate, this is the box that solves that. There's also a solo mode, so it's never idle.

The cards are quite text-heavy and you need to read them. If you're easily distracted by text, you might prefer The White Castle.

At a glance

Drakenstad, Labyrinth: GO and The White Castle can be played completely language-independently. Targi, Sky Team, and Everdell Duo have Dutch text on the cards.

Still can't decide?

Just send me a message. Tell me how many of you there are, how much time you usually have, and which games you've liked and disliked, and I'll be happy to help. Even if the answer is that none of these are right for you, because a box that just sits on the shelf doesn't help anyone.

Don't feel like reading or writing? There's also a Selection Guide on the website that walks you through the same questions.

Furthermore, there's a practical note: I'm on holiday from August 14th to 31st. Orders can still be placed, but packages will only be shipped from September 1st. If you want one of these six this month, please order by Thursday, August 13th at the latest.

Have fun!

Sven