20+ Best Board Games for Couples

What are some of the best board games that can you play with your partner?

Let’s find out:

The board game renaissance that we’re living in has dramatically increased the number and quality of board games that we can play.

In recent decades, people have also been getting married later in life and having smaller families, so sometimes it’s hard to get a group of 4-6 people together to play.

Many new games like Ticket to Ride can be played with a minimum of two players, or they may even have a version meant to be played with two people, such as 7 Wonders Duel.

There are also several different types of games- whether you’re looking to compete, or if you’d prefer to play a cooperative game such as Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective. Some games like Consulting Detective can last for hours.

There are also fun and fast party games for two or more players that can take 10-20 minutes and are easy to play several times in one night, such as Sushi Go Party!

I don’t work in the board game industry but my girlfriend and I are enthusiasts. Our apartment has a wall dedicated to them!

It is a fantastic mystery experience that has challenged my girlfriend and I. It’s a great cooperative experience that led to the two of us working together, arguing over clues, and sharing in a good mystery.

The best part is that this is not a traditional pieces and dice board game, and we have had a blast doing double date nights with our friends and their others.

It’s a fast-paced game where you have to work together treating infections around the world before a breakout turns into an epidemic that spreads beyond control. Can the two of you conquer these diseases before time runs out for humanity? Let’s hope so!

As expected, this game can get a bit intense, but that’s what makes it fun. You have to learn to work together to come up with a strategy for stopping any outbreaks, no matter where in the world your pieces might be located on the board. One wrong move can see those diseases spiral out of control and it’s game over before you know it.

The best part of this game is getting into a groove where you can work together to prevent a plague from wiping out humanity. And once you get that down, you can play against another couple since the game supports up to four players.

For a board game that will enhance your team skills and help you and your partner to work together, look no further than Pandemic.

One of the reasons that this is such a great game for couples specifically is because unlike traditional board games, you’re not trying to beat the person that you’re playing with, you’re trying to beat the game itself as one unit.

The players have to treat disease hotspots on the board to reduce the spread of disease throughout the world. If you’re able to cure the disease everyone wins and if not, you all lose.

In contrast to competitive board games, Pandemic harnesses the competitive edge of a good board game without pitting you and your partner against each other. This is the perfect board game for the competitive couple who can’t stand to lose to one another.

We’ve all been at the brunt of a table flip after a sore loser, and that’s no way to enhance your relationship through a game night. Eliminate any animosity with a fun game that encourages the development of your team-building skills within your relationship.

My husband and I started playing a board game called “Rummikub” after I got back from a girl’s weekend in May. One of my friends had found a vintage board game called “Rummeo” when she cleaned out her parent’s home after they passed away. She read the rules and it looked like fun. And it was fun. The four of us played all week long!

When I got home I did a search on Amazon for the game, and Rummeo isn’t sold anymore, but there is a game called Rummikub. I read the rules and it’s very similar, so I purchased it. We’ve been playing this game about twice a week ever since.

Granted the game is more fun when you play with four, but it’s still a good game with two. Not only is it a game of luck, but also skill since you play off your competition’s hand as well.

Here’s how to play

The game is played with tiles instead of cards and everyone draws one tile to see who begins the game. Then each player selects 14 tiles and arranges them on their display rack. You are trying to either get 3 tiles with the same number and different colors (i.e. 5 red, 5 blue, and 5 yellow) or you are trying to get a meld which is all one color (like a run in poker) i.e. 5 red, 6 red, 7 red.

But that’s not all, you have to have 30 points in your own hand before you can even start the play. That’s the hard part.

Once you’ve laid your first 30 points on the table, you can start to play off your own hand as well as your competition’s hand. And you can separate their hands as long as you never break groups into less than 3.

It’s super fun. But sometimes we get a little competitive. Playing this game gets us off the couch and using our brains. We may even invite the neighbors over next time!

I recently played a game called You’ve Got Crabs with my partner against another couple and it was really fun because it really tests how well you and your partner work together and in comparison to other couples.

The goal of the game is to get four of a kind or “crabs” and signal to your partner that “You’ve got crabs!” through a secret signal you create before the game. You can also earn points by catching the other team’s signals, so it’s also a test of who can be the most secretive and creative with their signals.

My husband and I love to play games together after our little ones go to bed, but finding 2 player games can be challenging. Thankfully, we’ve found several that we really enjoy – but Pandemic is one of the best.

Pandemic is a board game for 2 or more people that allows you to work as a team to save the world. It’s a fun twist on traditional board games where you play against each other. You and your partner or team will use strategy to talk about your plans and what you’ll do next!

Table talk is a huge part of the game. Aside from being fun, Pandemic also gives couples a chance to enhance their communication skills in a sometimes stressful (but lighthearted) way.

How well do you really know your spouse? Spouse-Ology is similar to “The Newlywed Game” in that you ask your partner questions and try to guess what their answer will be.

The questions pertain to romance, finances, home, and past, present, and future. This is not only great for bonding, but you may learn something surprising about your partner!

My husband and I are serious board game addicts. We play a lot of games, and we are very enthusiastic about them. But we're also quite picky. Playing a lot of games can make one a harsh critic. So, I read a lot of reviews, and we try out a lot of games that we end up throwing away.

Qwirkle is my new favorite hit, though! We are completely addicted. It can be a simple game, but if you like to play it with more strategy (and we do), it can become as complicated as you want it to be.

The learning curve is very short - you'll catch on completely within one game. The wooden tiles are well-painted and have a great heft to them. I'm sure the paint will chip off over time as the tiles clack against each other in the bag (provided), but I'm so glad they're wood and not plastic. Overall the quality of construction is quite good, and the game concept is just fantastic.

Hundreds of new board games come out every single year, and many of them make great date night games. Couples will love the following games for their mixture of strategy and competitiveness.

• Azul
• Spirits of the Wild
• Lost Cities
• Onitama
• Love Letter

For couples who don't like competition and would rather work together, check out these wonderful cooperative games.

• Codenames Duet
• The Mind
• Chronicles of Crime
• Fog of Love

Here’s why Totem, the feel-good game, is a good game for couples:

A moment of positivity

It provides opportunities to focus solely on the positive aspects of the relationship and the other person.

Instead of talking about what you don’t like or focusing on what the other could do better, you take the time to highlight what you like about your loved one.

Reconnect easily with your loved one

Using the game’s 80 animal cards, each with a positive sentence, and 80 quality cards, players create a Totem for the other person. This makes Totem an incredibly helpful way to start a meaningful conversation. Totem makes it super-easy to reconnect with your loved one by expressing positive things you would not normally say.

It may lead to an unexpected and deep conversation.

Focusing your attention solely on the positive side of the other person establishes a safety zone. Once you are in that safety zone, you and your loved one may find yourselves more comfortable addressing sensitive subjects with a calm and loving approach.

How to play Totem as a couple

Before the dinner, pick 2 to 3 Totems (an animal card + a quality card = one Totem) for the other person and hide them in front of you.

At any moment during the dinner, one player may reveal a Totem to the other person and take time to explain why he/she chose those cards.

Remember, there is no rush to reveal all of your Totems. Taking your time ensures that the safety zone gets established. After you have revealed your Totems to the other person, you could end the game together by choosing a Totem that represents you as a couple.

Frequently Asked Questions