Whether the game be called a ‘Duel’ version, a ‘Dual’ version, the idea of taking a game designed for more than two players and retooling it to work as a two-player only experience is quite popular. For some games, this is done well (the good), for some it was done poorly (the bad), and for still others it was done unnecessarily (the ugly). Today, K. David Ladage and Joseph Buszek each look at three games which fall into those buckets and let you know which two-player experiences you should get to the table, and which you should leave on the shelf.
K. David Ladage
The Good—7 Wonders Duel
As a drafting game, 7 Wonders is not ideally suited for two-players. 7 Wonders Duel shifts things by removing the standard card draft and simultaneous play and replacing it with a tableau of overlapping cards where, at the start, some are face up and others face down. As players select from the face up, uncovered cards, face-down and covered cards are revealed and become available. But let’s be honest, if this was the only change in the game, then it would hardly be the experience it is. This duel version doubles the number of science symbols and uses them in a unique way, allowing for a purely scientific victory. It also turns the military power of the game into a tug-of-war opening the possibility for a purely military victory. It leans into its name and starts the game with 8 wonders on the board, but allows only 7 to be built. Alone, 7 Wonders Duel is a worthy member of the family.
What launched this game into greater heights than even its award winning predecessor, was the decision to not follow the original’s expansion list. 7 Wonders has Cities and Leaders and Armada. Each of these being a wonderful addition to the base game. Instead of going down that road, the first expansion, Pantheon, brings in the gods of ancient religions and shows that this is a game that stands on its own. Then they added Agora to allow for political intrigue.
Once you have played this game with both expansions, you fully appreciate why 7 Wonders Duel is ranked some 80 spots above the original.
The Bad—Cosmic Encounter Duel
I love Cosmic Encounter. The latest version from Fantasy Flight is a top-ten game for me. Put me on a desert island with a bunch of willing castaways (a’la Gilligan’s Island), and this is the game I would want to have available. You could literally play it for years and never have the same experience. Put me on an island with one willing castaway, and this game fades into oblivion. For decades, people have tried to find a way to retool Cosmic Encounter so as to allow for a head-to-head experience, but it just does not work; the game relies far too much on the social interaction, the oddities of the interplay between faction powers, and the beauty of the destiny deck. No matter the house rules used to allow for the reduction of this game to two players, they all fail.
Fantasy Flight has made yet another attempt at this goal with the release of Cosmic Encounter Duel. That link is to the Quick Peaks article that holds my initial reaction to playing this game. After several plays, my optimistic view of the potential for this game has been reduced to a sad realization: Cosmic Encounter simply is not meant to be played without a large, boisterous, and engaging group of friends who are all acting out their roles as they vie for domination of the galaxy. There simply is no other option if you want to have actual fun while playing the game.
The Ugly—Splendor Duel
Splendor is a wonderful game that has issues. The issues range from the fact that the box is easily ten times the size it needs to be, to … well … to, um … well … no … no, that is about it. Other than the fact that the box is too big, the game is just about perfect. So let’s start again.
Splendor is a wonderful game with one small, nearly insignificant issue. It plays well at every player count it supports: 2-4. The tactical and strategic considerations shift as the player count does, obviously. For example, when you are playing four players, the idea that the card you want to acquire will still be in the market by the time your turn comes back around is less assured than it might be at three players, and a lot less assured than it is at two players. Other than this and the possibility of running out of level 1 cards is far more likely in higher player counts, the game remains fundamentally the same. It is just as puzzly, just as much fun, and just as enjoyable.
Splendor Duel is a game with no reason to exist. In an attempt to justify itself, it actually adds complexity for the purpose of adding complexity. Stay away from this thing. Just get Splendor and be happy.
Joseph Buszek
The Good—Codenames Duet
The original Codenames was, for a while, the go-to game when my wife and I had another couple over for dinner and drinks. It was such an easy game to teach and always felt like the perfect party game for word nerds. When the 2-player sequel was released, I quickly dismissed it, since I’m not a big fan of strictly co-op games. Then came 2020. Suddenly, it was just the two of us stuck in the house together all day, with no idea when we’d have another night out with friends, and so I loaded up on games made for two, including Codenames Duet. Despite my skepticism, it not only captured the same magic as the original, but actually managed to improve upon some of its problematic issues.
While the same excellent gameplay and mechanics remain, this time around both players are simultaneously clue giver and guesser, so nobody has to be stuck in a single role that they might not enjoy. Additionally, if one team grabbed a big lead in the original, they could just start giving a clue for finding a single agent card, which takes most of the fun and creativity out of what makes the game great. In Codenames Duet, your incorrect (bystander) guesses are limited to 9 each game, and with a total of 26 bystanders combined from both sides of the card, you really have to make sure every clue captures as many correct agent cards as possible. It’s a step up in both strategy and tension, and while I’m still keeping OG Codenames around for double-date nights, Codenames Duet is the one that hits the table much more often.
The Bad—King of Tokyo Duel
Already with countless expansions, spinoffs, and upgrades, it was no surprise that King of Tokyo got into the “duel” market. Considering the chaotic fun that the original dice-chucker delivered, I was really disappointed at just how bland the duel version played out. It turns a free-for-all battle for Last Kaiju Standing into a fiddly tug-of-war match.
King of Tokyo was always best at higher player counts, as you balanced using your rolls for attacks, healing, and buying the best upgrade cards. In King of Tokyo Duel, those components are all still there but, since you only have to worry about one other person, your course of action is really pretty simple–just push one of the tracks to the end.
The game can too often end very quickly. I found little point in buying cards to grant me ongoing powers, given that one or two good Yahtzee rolls from my opponent could end the game before I was even able to use them. Several of my plays ended after 2 or 3 rounds and, whether winning or losing, it just felt incomplete. While setting up a new game can be done quickly, I was never drawn to do so. It shares much of the DNA of the original, but will just make you want to get more of your friends over to play that version.
The Ugly—The Fox in the Forest Duet
A two-player-only version of a successful card game that…is already two-player-only. Um, OK. The Fox in the Forest Duet takes the clever concept of the original–a competitive trick-taking game, made specifically for two players–and transforms it into…The Crew—a limited-communication, co-operative trick-taking game. In fact, you may be shocked to discover that The Crew was released right in the 3 years between The Fox in the Forest and its sequel. Coincidence?
I guess I’m just not sure why this was needed or who the audience is. I suppose if you really enjoyed the artwork and trick-taking of The Fox in the Forest but felt like it was missing a tiny map to put cardboard gems on, or you just don’t want to talk to your playing companion for 20-30 minutes, this might be perfect for you.
Final Thoughts
Two-player gaming is a wonderful thing! Granted, many feel that games are best when they are larger social gatherings with the interaction of four or more players; they are not wrong. But, as pointed out above, we all have the recent memory of COVID lockdowns to remind us that there are times when two- (or even one-) player games might be all that is available.
Unfortunately, not every game designed for a group is suited to be retooled into such a thing. When cashing in on a trend without regard for the impact it has on the gaming experience, the only real lasting results are dissatisfied players and the tarnishing of a brand.
But, when game and designer come together in such a way as to incorporate those elements that allow for a rewarding experience (e.g., the tableau, science, and military rules in 7 Wonders Duel; or the double-sided key, limited bystanders, and simultaneous roles in Codenames Duet) while elevating the game, then the result is board game greatness.
In cinema, you can tell when a movie sequel has taken the time to expand the story and scope of the original while still being able to stand on its own as a work of art, or when it’s just a cash grab to take advantage of a successful IP. Similarly in board games, you can usually tell after a few plays whether you’ve got The Godfather Part II or Fast and Furious 7.
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