Photo by Taryn Williford
This might be the homebody in me talking, but I happen to think date night at home is better than date night out in nearly every way. The drinks are cheaper. The clothes are comfier. And, if you have the right game, it can be a really fun night for you and your love to get competitive and cuddly all at once.
Based on recommendations from Amazon, Board Game Geek, Reddit’s /r/boardgames, and my own experience, here are some of the best two-player games for couples to play on their own.
Photo by Amazon
1. Carcassonne
This one is my personal favorite for date night these days. In Carcassonne, each of you will take turns drawing and laying tiles like a puzzle, trying to complete cities, roads, and other features in an area modeled after the South of France. You earn different amounts of points for each of the features you claim and complete.
Photo by Amazon
2. Ticket to Ride
In Ticket to Ride, you and your partner are simultaneously trying to connect specific cities on the board with train routes you place piece-by-piece. Things can get dicey when, since you don’t know what routes your opponent is trying to finish, you block each other’s progress.
Photo by Amazon
3. Hive
A bug-themed strategy game that sounds very much like a light game of chess, your objective in Hive is to surround your opponent’s queen bee, while keeping yours from being surrounded.
Photo by Amazon
4. Guillotine
A bit macabre, but Guillotine is a card game where you and your date will each be executioners vying for public opinion by executing the least popular nobles. You take turns changing the order of the line (a row of cards) and executing whoever is at the front.
Photo by Amazon
5. Jaipur
If you want a quick game that’s easy to teach, Jaipur is your thing. You and your gaming partner will quickly get the hang of this tactical card game. You are each traders in India, where you strategize how to buy, hoard and sell resources — cards that represent spice, silk, leather, etc. — to make the most amount of chips by the end of the round.
Photo by Amazon
6. Scrabble
It’s a classic for a reason. Scrabble is smart, strategic, competitive and gives you a chance to argue playfully about whether ‘Za is a word (hint: it is).
Taryn Williford is a homebody from Atlanta. She writes about cleaning and living well as the Lifestyle Director at Apartment Therapy.