Which board game for 2 players? Six tips for your duo-table

When I'm at a fair, one of the questions I get most often is "Do you have anything for two players?". It seems to be more and more of a trend: instead of watching TV, a game often comes to the table. I can only applaud that! But then, of course, the question follows: which game can we play? You want to avoid buying a game that is not intended for two players, which might lead to spending too much money on something that won't achieve its purpose. As you know, I'm happy to help, so below is a short list of potential games for your duo table. But also be sure to check out the Good for 2 collection, with the complete range! Drakenstad — €11.95 A card game where you play cards of the same motif onto the board to claim the point cards already there. This is a perfect game to try out two-player games. For twelve euros, you get twenty minutes of confrontation with just enough choices to keep you thinking. Plus, you can play it from age 6, so kids are welcome. It's a re-issue of Dragonheart by Rüdiger Dorn, with new illustrations and two extra variants in the box. Take advantage of the temporary discount: I was able to pick up a few cheap ones, and I'm happy to share them with you! Normally this one goes for 19.95 euros, but this way you can test it out cheaper. Labyrinth: GO — €17.49 (1 to 4 players) Four dice show which treasures you need to reach, and with your own stack of path tiles, you quickly create a connection. Strictly speaking not a duo game, but it's at its best with two: you see each other's board, you see the other person sweat, and the rounds last two minutes, so stress is guaranteed. Everyone plays simultaneously, so no one has to wait. Also great if the ages at the table are far apart. It relies on speed and insight, not strategy. Those who like to think long 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 get. This is the classic in the genre and the reason many people started taking the duo genre seriously. The board is small, the rules fit on one page, and yet there's an hour of solid planning involved. For twenty euros, you get the most game per euro from the entire list here. Not the prettiest game, the illustrations are functional and the box doesn't look like anything new – but on the other hand, it has a very high score on BoardGameGeek to convince you. The White Castle of Himeji: The Duel — €22.95 You place colored lanterns on action spaces, even stacking them, and the color of the lantern underneath determines the effect you get. This is new 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 important enough without having to think for an hour. Stacking lanterns creates combinations, requiring you to plan ahead quite a bit. Reviews indicate that this game takes some time to understand at first. Consider the first game a practice run and keep the manual close by. 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 against the game together, and the silence makes it exciting in a way few other games achieve. Twenty minutes per landing, and then you immediately want to go to the next airport. The game won the Spiel des Jahres in 2024, and that is absolutely well-deserved. Everdell Duo — €36.95 (1 to 2 players) You build a forest community with workers and cards, with sun and moon tiles determining which cards are available from the meadow. 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 game has the perfect solution. And if you can't agree, it can even be played solo ;-). The cards do contain some text. If you're easily distracted by too much reading, you might prefer The White Castle. At a glance Game Players Playtime Age Price Drakenstad 2 20 min from 6 €11.95 Labyrinth: GO 1–4 15 min from 7 €17.49 Targi 2 60 min from 10 €19.95 The White Castle: The Duel 2 30–45 min from 10 €22.95 Sky Team 2 20 min from 10 €24.95 Everdell Duo 1–2 30 min from 10 €36.95 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. View the entire Good for 2 collection And if you still can't decide? Just send me a message. Tell me how many of you there are, how much time you usually have, which game you already enjoyed and which you didn't, and I'll be happy to help. Even if the answer is that there's nothing for you here, because a box that stays on the shelf is no good to anyone. Don't feel like reading or writing? There's also a Selection Aid on the site that guides you through the same questions. Have fun! Sven

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Which board game for 2 players? Six tips for your duo-table

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