What is a fun game for 2 players?

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1. A traditional game of Scrabble to test your word-making abilities. You'd better have a dictionary nearby because you're gonna need it.

Barnes & Noble

Get it from Amazon for $17.97 and Barnes & Noble for $14.95.

2. Or a Harry Potter Scrabble if that's more your cup of tea. It follows most of the rules as an old-school Scrabble game but spells, potion names, characters from the series, and wizarding locations all count as words.

Amazon

Promising review: "I'm the 'Potterhead' of the family, but even my kids were excited for this. My son asks daily if we can play (multiple times a day some days!). We've been playing with the classic rules for now, but the cards seem like they'll be a fun addition. It's very well made, as well." —Brittiny Hummell

Get it from Amazon for $28.21.

3. A retro Yahtzee — another traditional game that'll have you pulling out your lucky rabbit's foot before each roll.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Yahtzee is always a fun game for the family. Winning and losing is mostly a matter of luck, so no one has to walk away feeling stupid. Teens and even pre-teens can be big winners." —Jimmy J

Get it from Amazon for $9.62.

4. Mancala because I am about to crush you with colorful glass stones. I take Mancala very seriously if you couldn't tell.

Amazon

Promising review: "I love this game. I had it as a kid and bought it as a gift for my daughter for Christmas. I am always looking for things to do, just the two of us, so that we aren't glued to electronics all day. This is a fun and quick game we can play together. I also love how easy it is to fold back up into the box." —Michele

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

5. Monopoly Fortnite so you can boogie bomb the millennials or Gen Z'ers in this battle royale version of classic Monopoly. It has many of the same elements as the video game: Tilted Towers, loot chests, the storm, and even the battle bus. So, where we dropping boys?

Amazon

Promising review: "Great to get Fortnite fans to try this classic board game!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $39.90.

6. Patchwork to put your thinking skills to good use. Your task is to create a beautiful quilt. Seems easy right? Well, you also have keep track of your resources while trying to make a blanket that's more beautiful than your opponent's.

amazon.com

Promising review: "This is a great game for two players that want to get a game in under 60 minutes. Took us 45 minutes to play. The rules are simple yet you have to think a lot to fit your fabric into the quilt and balance money versus tiles versus filling all the spaces on the quilt. A lot of decisions to make. The rules are like four pages on a little trifold style pamphlet. It's Uwe Rosenberg but you don't have to worry about starving farmers every round!" —Hightray

Get it from Amazon for $32.25.

7. A folding magnetic chess set if you're getting ~board~ with other games. Also, you probably watched The Queen's Gambit like everyone else and their mother and you fancy yourself a chess whiz.

Amazon

Promising review: "This set is actually better than I expected. The pieces are finely finished, with nice felt bottoms, and a perfect travel size with the pawn about an inch tall. The magnetic hold is sufficient to keep a piece attached to the board when you hold the board upside down. A nice drawstring bag is provided that holds and protects all the pieces when stored inside and is large enough that you don't have to squeeze in all the pieces. I especially appreciate that when the board is folded and closed, it snaps shut and stays shut with little prongs that fit into holes. In fact, it takes a steady pull to open it. I had an older travel set that did not stay shut; this one is a distinct improvement. This set is nicely made for the money." —Show Me

Get it from Amazon for $16.85.

8. A fun game of checkers that'll no doubt bring out your competitive side. The board is reversible so you get two games in one: checkers and tic-tac-toe!

Amazon

Promising review: "Nice set for the price. We have enjoyed using it during this time that we have had to stay isolated." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

9. Or Chinese checkers for testing your tactical skills. Can you get all your colored pegs to the opposite side of the board?

amazon.com

Promising review: "Chinese checkers is a favorite game that I used to play as a kid with my family. It was always a fun game, intuitive and makes you think, yet is easy for all ages to pick up and play. My husband bought me this wooden version for my birthday, and I love it! This is a really nice game set, and it's a lot of fun to play!" —Ben Roti Ceramics

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

10. Cribbage because now is the perfect time to finally learn how to play. And once you get going, a game will only take you ~30 minutes so you can try plenty of times.

Amazon

Promising review: "Isn't Cribbage fun?!?! I grew up playing with my grandmother, but had not played in the last 20 years. I wasn't sure my husband was going to like it, or even if he did, how much we would play. I wanted a cheap board that we could use without wasting money if he didn't like to play. After looking at the prices of other boards, I thought this one would be really cheaply made. It was not! The wood was made of high quality with no chips or cracks. The coloring was painted straight and even. The pegs were basic plastic pegs that took score just fine. We ended up taking this board to our campground and play it every time we go camping. It's fun and it brings back great memories of Grandma." —Jason A.

Get it from Amazon for $10.35.

11. Jenga so you can get your daily adrenaline rush as you remove a block and hope your giant tower doesn't come crumbling down.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Never owned this game before, but I’ve played it. Thought it would be a good diversion for the spouse and myself during quarantine. Something non-electronic that we can do together. I was pleased with the outcome. A few evenings of real togetherness and laughs." —A. Graham

Get it from Amazon for $12.88.

12. Or Jenga Throw 'n Go to add another element of surprise to your game. The roll of a dice determines which color block you have to remove.

Wayfair

Promising review: "Lots of fun and addictive. The die makes it more interesting and eventually more difficult as the tower gets taller and harder to pull certain color blocks. So much fun!" —Patricia

Get it from Wayfair for $27.50.

13. A indoor foosball table if you'd rather be on the pitch right now but are practicing safe social distancing.

amazon.com

Promising review: "It takes no more than 10 minutes to assemble and feels sturdy. We've had lots of fun. I need not have worried that it might be too small; it's fine if you don't have room for a full-sized game but still want to play. We use it without the legs so that we can easily slide it under our son's bed for storage." —Robert G

Get it from Amazon for $41.99.

14. A fast and frantic word-building game called Bananagrams that'll challenge your spelling skills and finger speed.

Mallory McInnis / BuzzFeed

Promising review: Our family of four loves this game! We're on our 39th day sheltering in place, and we play it several times a day with two, three, or four players at a time. It's only slightly based on luck (the tiles you draw) and works the mind. Not a super competitive game as the winner simply finishes first, and it doesn't necessarily have the most complex arrangements or points as in Scrabble. Highly recommend!" —KD

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

15. A Mexican Train dominoes set for some good, clean fun. It'll bring back memories of playing dominoes with Grandma and Grandpa!

Amazon

Promising review: "A friend introduced our family to this game, and the next week we ordered our own copy of the game. Especially during the quarantine, we have loved playing this together. It's logical yet up to chance. It's a great domino game to play with family and/or friends. It's super fun and one game can sometimes last over a few days!" —Latina Vivit

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

16. A stimulating game of pick-up sticks because it's a fun challenge that's like the opposite of pick up sticks. Test your fine motor skills as you attempt to balance colored sticks on without disturbing the rest of the pile.

Amazon

I've played this game before with friends and it's clean, wholesome fun — but beware because it's a lot harder than it looks. It's a great alternative to games that require pages of instructions and a lot of scheming and strategy (which usually ends with hurt feelings); this one is pretty darn simple but surprisingly fun.

Get it from Amazon for $16.99.

17. An air hockey table so you can take out your aggression on the plastic puck.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I ordered this air hockey table for the kids to play although I find myself playing on it quite often as well. It arrived well packaged. There was a little assembly required but it was very simple and the instructions were straightforward. I was blown away with the quality of this table; I did not expect an air hockey table this nice at such a great price. The surface is smooth as ice, the legs fold for storage, it has electronic digital score keepers at each end, and comes with pucks and paddles. It's great fun for everyone. I highly recommend it." —Jason K.

Get it from Amazon for $69.99.

18. A stylish backgammon set to give you a new game to master. Your goal is to remove all your colored pieces from the board.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Great product and perfect for quarantine entertainment! The game looks confusing but only requires about the same skill level as checkers once you learn! Highly recommend!" —Brittany

Get it from Amazon for $29.98+ (available in three sizes and two colors).

19. Santorini (no, not the Greek island — though we could all use a trip there right now!), a strategy game if you were one of those kids who was obsessed with Greek mythology.

Amazon

Promising review: "NOTE: I have only played this as a two player game, even though you can have up to four players. I adore strategy games that don't require memorizing a ton of rules. This game practically defines that game type. It is easy to learn, fun to play, and difficult to master. It reminds me of a kind of chess — not as complex as chess actually is, of course, but certainly more complicated than checkers. The different heights really add to the fun as well as the dimensionality (literally) of the game." —J. Hinckley

Get it from Amazon for $21.04.

20. A 3D tic-tac-toe set that'll take you back to your childhood, except you're no longer playing on a piece of notebook paper.

Amazon

Promising review: "A fun twist on tic-tac-toe. Games last longer and require strategy. We played this at home and I bought one for my daughter’s second grade teacher for students to play during indoor recess." —Elizabeth Rousek

Get it from Amazon for $17.98.

21. Or a more complex multi-level tic tac toe board for kids and adults who want to try something new. You can win three ways: getting three same-sized pieces in a row, lining up three different-sized pieces in ascending or descending order, or positioning three concentric circles in one spot.

Walmart

Promising review: "This game is great and very challenging! I love how my kid can win against adults almost by accident but without us 'letting' her win. I'm hoping to play more and really figure out a strategy." —Jake

Get it from Walmart for $29.97.

22. A strategy-based railroad-building game like Ticket to Ride because it'll take you on a journey across North America without you ever having to leave your home (or even the couch!). It's also Alexa-compatible; just say, "Alexa, launch Ticket to Ride" and you'll have a digital tour guide *or* a virtual opponent.

amazon.com

Promising review: "This game is so much fun! My 13-year-old daughter and I have been playing it a few times a day during quarantine, and Alexa joins as not only another player, but she also explains the game and keeps track of the score. You won’t regret buying this no matter what age you are!" —nikki schulte

Get it from Amazon for $39.08.

23. Villainous, a game where you play as Disney baddies so you can finally see evil triumph — y'know, if you're into that sort of thing.

Amazon

Promising review: "What a fun little game! I bought this game prior to the quarantine specifically because as little as two players can play this game. My boyfriend and I have had a blast trying out all the different characters. We love this game. It’s great for children and adults alike." —KatanaKitteh

Get it from Amazon for $34.49.

24. A 4-in-1 game table to keep you entertained when you don't know what to play. It comes with air hockey, foosball, table tennis, and billiards.

Amazon

Promising review: "We have had this table a little over two months and it has been wonderful. We wanted it for family time and to give our teens something to do with their friends other than sit around on their phones. We decided when purchasing if it lasts a year, it was a good investment. So far it is holding up to regular use a few times a week. It is a good size for the room we have it in and super fun to play." —Avid Reader

Get it from Amazon for $226.24.

25. A tabletop cornhole set if you're a Midwest transplant and missing home a little bit. We'll save the bags vs. baggo vs. beanbags vs. cornhole debate for another day.

Uncommon Goods

Promising review: "We all play it in the house together. It is a wonderful gift for the family, from my 3-year-old to my husband. It's pretty hard but I like that." —Kristin the artist

Get it from Uncommon Goods for $48.

26. Codenames Duet, a co-op version of my favorite word-association game that'll encourage team bonding because guess what — you're both on the same team!

Amazon

Promising review: "My husband and I purchased this game at the beginning of the quarantine and needed something besides TV to fill our time. It has been great fun and always challenging. Each time you play it's different. Many times it's frustrating but we have actually gotten to know how each other thinks better! Great for couples, can play around in less than 10 minutes, and of course play as many rounds you want." —Wendy Johnson

Get it from Amazon for $19.38.

27. The Exploding Kittens card game for fans of felines and flare-ups — but not together. The objective is to use your action cards to avoid the exploding kitten and outlast your opponents.

Amazon

Promising review: "We played this game a couple of years ago with my cousin and my daughter liked it so much she bought one for her brother for his birthday back in May! Since we were under quarantine it quickly became our go-to game! And five months later we are still playing it two to three times a week! Now, it is our go-to high school graduation gift! Everyone seems to love it and is now playing it with their families. It is like a cross between Go Fish and Uno!" —Momof3

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

28. Forbidden Island, another co-op card game, because capturing sacred treasures from a sinking island is more rewarding when you do it together.

Amazon

Promising review: "Cooped up with the family during coronavirus quarantine. Tired of playing games where only one person wins. This cooperative game is fantastic!" —Adam

Get it from Amazon for $18.36.

29. A 500-piece Frank Lloyd Wright double-sided puzzle so you get double the puzzle for your money.

Amazon

Promising review: "Fallingwater is a national treasure, and this puzzle gave us hours of enjoyment. Not an easy puzzle; some pieces apparently fit but were in the wrong place and had to be moved. We were so happy to finish that we left it on display in our family room for a month afterwards." —John P Landis

Get it from Amazon for $15.99.

30. Sushi Go! to ~maki~ quarantining a bit more fun. This fast-paced, strategy-based card game is a favorite that'll entertain even the biggest grouch. Still on the fence? Just ~roe~ with it and get it!

Amazon

Promising review: "Bought this for the family to do something together during quarantine. Two adults playing with two teens. When we started we all thought it was a bit too simple, but then we picked up on the subtleties of the strategy, and before long it turned into a roaring good time. It's easy to learn, it's cute, and it's a blast. For $10, you really can't go wrong!" —S. Egan

Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (or the party pack for $21.95).

31. Unstable Unicorns if — and let's get right to the ~point~ — you and your opponent have a strong enough relationship that it can handle a little backstabbing. The goal is to fill your stable with a unicorn army while hilariously screwing over your rival.

Amazon

I LOVE this game. I've played it with one other person and with large groups and it's always a stressful yet fun experience. (If there are only two players, make sure you remove these cards before starting!) It requires players to be strategic and each game is different, but the concept is simple enough that younger players can still have fun. Plus, the card design is so hilariously cute that you won't feel bad about losing to your opponent who just played a ginormous unicorn card.

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

32. Blokus, a tile-placing game that'll challenge your spatial reasoning. Each player is trying to fit as many of their pieces on the board as possible while simultaneously blocking their opponent.

Amazon

Promising review: "I bought this to play with my 20-year-old daughter during quarantine. We love it! It takes a lot of strategy but it's very fun. Great product." —sjsfl

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

33. A trivia game because you secretly think you're a genius. Well, here are over 400 questions that'll test your knowledge of random factoids.

amazon.com

Promising review: "My partner (28 years old) and I (25 years old) played the entire game in a few hours. We enjoyed this game very much! It was full of laughter and friendly competition. We didn't even realize how much time went by! Some of the questions were difficult and definitely factoids that an 'average' person would not know; however, we both felt we learned a thing or two. 10/10 would recommend!" —@QueerHousePlants (on IG)

Get it from Amazon for $14.05.

34. Cake Duel, a light-hearted bluffing game so you can put your poker face to the test.

Amazon

Promising review: "The game is very simple: one of you claims to attack with hidden cards, and the other claims to defend with hidden cards. Cake tokens shift between between players if the cards are left alone. You can call the other player's bluff when they declare their offense/defense, and that's the make or break moment of the hand. Decisions have a surprising amount of weight for the complexity of the game. The price seemed a little high, but the box and acrylic tokens are great. It even comes with a little velvet bag when you want to pack the game in a pocket or your purse or whatnot. All told, super cute game. My kids like it, and it's fun for adults. I'm pleased with it." —I. Niles

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

35. Beat That! — a game of challenges to see who comes out on top. You've been quarantining with your partner or roommate long enough that you already know who the best cook is. Now it's time to find out who has the best singing skills while gargling mouthwash.

Amazon

Promising review: "I ordered this game about three weeks ago. Due to COVID-19, I knew our college-age children would be home for an unknown length of time. We have played this game about five different times now and they all LOVE it!! It gets everyone involved and it even gets you up and moving around. Great game for all skill levels!!" —Marilyn O

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

36. Overcooked! 2 so you and your S.O. can test your communication skills while completing as many recipes as possible within a certain amount of time. Oh wait, I almost forgot to mention that you have to do all of this while navigating moving platforms and avoiding exploding mines, pedestrians, and even aliens.

View this video on YouTube

I own this for Nintendo Switch, and it's one of my favorite games to play with my partner. We're not usually fans of the same style of video games, but Overcooked! 2 is a great way to bond!

Get the digital game code for $24.99 (available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC).

39. Snipperclips, another Switch exclusive that'll require you and your teammate to put on your thinking caps to solve various puzzles, like carrying objects from point A to point B and popping balloons.

View this video on YouTube

Get the digital game code from Nintendo for $19.99.

42. Words With Friends, a fan-favorite app game to stay connected when you can't be with your friends and family.

43. Crossy Road, a retro Frogger-style arcade phone app game if your only goal for today is to get your character from point A to point B without getting run over. Take your competition to the next level and go head to head using the split-screen format if you're playing on the same device.

View this video on YouTube

44. Badland, an adventure phone app game that'll wow you with its critically acclaimed art style. The objective is to take your blob through the obstacle course, and it has both co-op and competitive modes.

View this video on YouTube

46. A deck of cards because you don't need a fancy game board and a million pieces to have fun.

Uncommon Goods

Did we miss anything? Let us know what you're playing!

United Plankton Pictures

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.

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Allison Krausman / BuzzFeed

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