Date nights aren’t just about romantic dinners and cuddling in front of the TV. Sometimes, you need a little more fun and variety to keep the romance going, and entertaining board games for two players can offer just that! Today, there are so many different board game publishers that you don’t necessarily have to stick to Hasbro’s Monopoly (but you could do that, too, of course).
Below, we’ve listed some great examples of games couples will enjoy, but that does not mean the same games will not be fun for friends and family. Some of them can also support more than two players, which means they won’t sit in your closet waiting for the suitable date mood!
7 Wonders Duel
You don’t have to be a history geek to enjoy this colorful board game inspired by the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 7 Wonders Duel is a spin-off from the original 7 Wonders board game, but as the name suggests, the later version is designed specifically for two. This game is not unlike a classic Monopoly, where players take cards from a random pool and start acquiring resources to build their empires —or, in this magical setting, ancient wonders.
But this colorful and fun game has way more room for variety because besides building Wonders, you can also try your luck as a military commander or a scientist. But it’s the Wonders that get you the most points in the end, so the victory will depend on how many of those you’ll be able to leave for your virtual posterity.
Read our review of 7 Wonders Duel.
Welcome To…
Another great board game for two that is set in the past — but this time, not such a distant past. With Welcome To…, you’ll have a chance to act as a US architect in the 1950s, the age of industrial growth and urban development. But you will have to do a little more than roll the dice here. Welcome To… is a roll-and-write game, not unlike Yahtzee, where players are supposed to create checklists after each dice roll.
The actions on the checklist will later determine the game span. Usually, the action steps will include increasing the number of a player’s estates, building parks, or recreational areas. The main concept is still the struggle over resources and the development of an urban landscape set in the nostalgic 1950s. Technically, Welcome To… can support an unlimited number of players, but hey — two is the bare minimum, and if it’s a date night we’re talking about, three is already a crowd.
Read our review of Welcome To…
Codenames: Duet
This game is another sequel to a board game originally designed for multiple players. The original version of Codenames gained massive popularity as a contest against two teams, where players on one team would give hints to each other while trying to outperform an opponent team.
Codenames: Duet follows a similar game mode but has a totally new logic. The Duet version is a co-op game where players give each other clues to guess the right words on their play cards and avoid the hidden assassin card in the process. What’s great about the Codenames: Duet version for couples is that romantic partners can appeal to any personal associations of shared experience to correctly guess as many words as possible and reach victory as a team. And you can also create your own language in the process!
Read our review of Codenames: Duet.
Cosmic Encounter: Duel
And one more game that was released with multiple players in mind but recently launched a Duet version for just two players. Do not let the cosmic theme put you off — you do not need to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy this colorful game of space domination.
Cosmic Encounter: Duel game mode starts with picking your characters — and there are plenty of fun alien species to choose from. Each of these species will have a unique ability, so it’s not unlike a space superhero game! The goal is to try and conquer the five planets before your opponent does. A lot will depend on luck, but there is also room for strategic thinking. The great visuals and carefully designed cards with funny cartoon-style aliens certainly make it worth a try!
Mantis Falls
This board game is more of a social deduction game inspired by the massive success of The Resistance. But unlike its original inspiration, designed for 5-10 people, Mantis Falls is a perfect choice for two, maximum three, players. The play mode is similar, though: players are assigned hidden roles that can vary from innocent witnesses to gangsters and assassins— and you will not know who is who until you reach the endgame.
The funniest part of playing Mantis Falls as a couple is the intrigue, of course. There is always a chance that the two of you are playing for the same goal. But there is always a chance that you do not…
Read our review of Mantis Falls.
Fog of Love
Caution! This game for two can get very real — dangerously real even! Differently from the examples above, it is not set in any fantasy world but happens here, right on our planet Earth, and what makes this game a good choice for a date night is that it simulates the dating environment.
At the start, players choose from the selection of available dating goals and personality types — i.e., manipulative, intense, kind, etc. By the way, you do not necessarily have to get very real — you can always choose a character that does not act like yourself in real life. As the players roll the dice, they are prompted with a whole set of decisions they have to make as a virtual couple. Here, the choices can be pretty small, like leaving the toilet seat up or putting a milk bottle on a refrigerator door shelf, or you can be faced with larger challenges, like relocation and career choices.
Fog of Love has plenty of twists and turns depending on what choices the players make, and their ‘game relationship’ can either grow closer or drift apart. So, while this fun date game has some dangerous underwater streams, it also offers a unique opportunity to take a glimpse into your partner’s way of thinking when relationship choices are involved. It could be very revealing, indeed!
In Closing
Of course, this barely scratches the list of all fun board games available on Amazon and other dedicated platforms. Depending on your interests, you can choose any thematic scenario, for example, Lord of the Rings theme or topics from the Marvel universe. But, hey, we’ve promised you games for a date night, right? The best thing about the games above is that they are relatively neutral, but if you can think of a specific setting you and your date will enjoy — go for it!
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