Fun two-player games recommended that you can play using conversation only
All you need are your voices! Here are two-player games you can play using conversation alone.
We’ve gathered games you can enjoy with a friend, a partner, or a parent and child—any time there are two of you.
No props required, so they’re perfect for spare moments or even during a call! From classics like word-chain games to language-based challenges that make you think a little, there’s plenty to choose from.
If the two of you take your time and enjoy these conversation-only games, you’re sure to grow closer! Pick your favorites and give them a try!
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Shiritori, Wordplay, and Language-related (11–20)
Myanmar Game
Let’s play a hilarious game that’ll have everyone cracking up—the Myanmar Game.
Try saying “Myanmar.” It’s pretty hard to pronounce, right? In this game, two people take turns saying that tricky word back and forth.
Each time you switch turns, the number of times you have to say the word increases by one.
As you keep repeating “Myanmar, Myanmar,” your tongue starts getting all twisted, which makes it funny for both the speaker and the listeners, leading to fits of laughter.
It’s a high-energy game that’s impressive if you can say it smoothly.
Give the Myanmar Game a try when you have a little free time!
[Translation feature] A game you win once the sentence makes sense
![[Translation feature] A game you win once the sentence makes sense](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4DWx4weVVBo/sddefault.jpg)
This is a fun game that uses Google Translate.
You use a voice translation service and speak so that it sounds like Chinese.
If it turns into an understandable sentence, you win.
If it becomes a weird sentence or can’t be translated, you lose.
Because the translation feature is so accurate, it will often translate even if you don’t know Chinese and just speak in a way that sounds like it.
Don’t overthink it—aim for that borderline where it seems untranslatable, and it’ll probably be even more exciting.
Give it a try!
Ogiri (Japanese improv-style comedy wordplay game)
Do you know “oogiri”? It’s a classic conversation game you can enjoy with someone else.
You think up funny answers to a prompt—kind of like improvising comedy bits together.
Unlike word-association games where you trade hints to guess an answer, the appeal here is that you can freely expand on the prompt with your own ideas.
It’s sure to liven things up with friends, partners, or even parents and kids! If you play with a touch of humor, you’ll feel much closer to each other.
You can enjoy it in little breaks or even during phone calls, so give it a try.
It’s a great brain workout and lets you get a feel for the other person’s sense of humor—two birds with one stone!
No-Katakana Game
The “no katakana” game is a fun activity that makes you realize how often you casually use katakana words.
For example, you might replace “smartphone” with “mobile phone,” or “television” with “electric image device,” making you think carefully about word choices.
Since you’re engaging your brain while conversing, it helps you improve your communication skills while having fun.
Coming up with words together also deepens your connection with the other person.
It’s easy to enjoy in short breaks or even during phone calls, so why not try adding it to conversations with friends, partners, or family? You’re sure to discover new words and the joy of conversation.
Prohibition of voiced and semi-voiced sounds
This is a game where you try not to use voiced or semi-voiced sounds—an important component of Japanese—in conversation.
The fun comes from the awkwardness that arises precisely because you’re desperately avoiding those sounds.
You won’t fail if you don’t speak at all, but that wouldn’t be enjoyable, so keep the conversation going.
However, it only counts as a failure if the other person notices, so it can be even more exciting to strategize and blend it in so they don’t catch on.
NG word game
This is a game where each player holds a card with an NG word written on it above their head, and you advance the conversation to make the other person say their NG word.
The key is that you can’t see your own NG word, which creates a unique, tense atmosphere as you talk while staying on guard.
Your skill is tested in how naturally you can steer the conversation toward topics that make the NG word likely to come up without raising suspicion, and in reading what your opponent is trying to elicit from you.
Since differences in how easily certain words come up can be unfair, it’s also important to set rules—such as banning common filler responses.
Shiritori Conversation Game
It’s a game where you add a shiritori element to everyday conversation to see if you can keep the rules and still talk smoothly.
The fun part is that adding a thinking component makes an ordinary conversation just a bit awkward.
The standard approach is to attach a preface that starts with the last letter of the previous person’s word to what you want to say, and the game tests how well you can connect it.
How many suitable words you know—and how quickly you can recall them—seems to be the key.
A Story That Never Fails (to Get Laughs)
A no-props-needed game of “Unslippable Stories.” It’s a game where you share everyday happenings in a funny, entertaining way.
You can take cues from comedians on TV shows and spice up your own experiences—that’s totally fine.
Stories that spark surprise or empathy work too, not just laughs.
Enjoy it over a video call with friends or a partner, and it’s sure to bring you closer.
Even the most ordinary anecdotes, shared with a bit of humor, turn into friendly, engaging conversations.
It’s a great chance to feel closer to people far away.
Give it a try!
Reverse word game
The “Reverse Words Game” involves flipping reversed words back to their original form.
Play it with one person saying a reversed word and the other answering what the real word is.
For example, “gonri” becomes “ringo” (apple), and “ikaudounu” becomes “undoukai” (sports day).
Gradually increase the number of characters to raise the difficulty.
Set a time limit and see who can answer more within that time to make it competitive and fun! It gets even trickier if you include people’s names, so try using names of acquaintances you both know.
Magical Banana
Magical Banana is a game you can enjoy with just conversation.
“When you hear banana?” “Yellow!” “When you hear yellow?” “Lemon!”—you keep linking words one after another.
The best part is you don’t need any prep and can start anytime, anywhere.
Play with friends, a partner, or family, and you’ll boost your communication skills, too! Unexpected ideas and funny answers are sure to bring lots of smiles.
Give it a try and enjoy the fun of rapid-fire word association.
It’s perfect for relaxing, so it’s also great to try during calls or in your spare time!