For two players: from games without equipment to tabletop games and apps
Have you ever found yourself at a loss for what to do when you’re spending time with someone—family, friends, or a partner—just the two of you?
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of two-player time-killing games that are perfect for those situations!
We’ve picked a wide range: simple activities that require no props at all—or just a bit of paper and a pen—deeper tabletop options like card and board games, and even smartphone apps that two people can enjoy together.
There are plenty of fun games that might start as a way to kill time but before you know it, you’ll be totally hooked! Use this as a handy reference when you’re looking to pass the time.
- Perfect for killing time! Games you can play with two people.
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- A card game for two players
- [For 2 Players] Easy Pen-and-Paper Time-Killing Game
- Recommended games for two people that you can enjoy without any equipment
- Brain-teasing game roundup
- Exciting! Multiplayer games everyone can play. Time-killing app games
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Games for two people to enjoy. A roundup of party games that liven up drinking gatherings.
- Games you can play in the car! Fun activities to liven up drives and traffic jams
- [Solo Time] A roundup of ways to kill time without using your smartphone
- A collection of icebreakers you can enjoy with a small group
- Single-player games: a roundup of time-killing games
Games you can play without equipment (1–10)
No-Katakana Game
If you’re looking for a quick pastime, I recommend the “no-katakana” game, where you’re not allowed to use words like English loanwords.
You’ll notice when you try it that everyday speech is full of katakana words like “sumaho” (smartphone) and “terebi” (television), and they just slip out.
Forcing yourself to rephrase them into pure Japanese ends up sounding like something from wartime, which is what makes it so amusing.
Intro game
If you and your friends all like music, how about an intro quiz? The rules are simple: play only the intro of a favorite song, and guess the song title or the artist.
If you share similar musical tastes, people will even get the more obscure picks, which makes it really exciting.
Of course, it’s also fun to play with famous classics from back in the day.
Numer0n
If you and your partner want to enjoy a battle of wits, NumerØn is highly recommended.
This is a deduction game where you try to guess each other’s three-digit number.
First, each of you sets a three-digit number with no repeated digits.
Then, in turn, you call out your guesses and use two types of judgments to narrow down the opponent’s number: “EAT” (both digit and position match) and “BITE” (only the digit matches).
The first to guess the opponent’s number wins! Writing down the set numbers and your guesses on paper makes the game run more smoothly.
Games You Can Play Without Equipment (11–20)
acrostic using the Japanese syllabary (aiueo poem)
An acrostic is a game where you take each letter of a given word and use them, one by one, to compose a sentence.
It doesn’t require any tools or preparation and is easy to play, but making someone impressed or laugh takes a fair bit of flair—so it’s perfect for killing time.
If you get bored with the usual rules, you can make it even more fun by combining it with drawings like in this video.
Shiritori
When it comes to classic ways to kill time, shiritori definitely tops the list.
The rules hardly need explaining at this point.
Many people played it as kids, but it’s surprisingly fun even as an adult.
If you add a time limit for answers or restrict words to a specific category, it gets more challenging—so give those twists a try when you play.
Ogiri (Japanese improv-style comedy wordplay game)
Oogiri is a game where you respond to a prompt with something funny or relatable.
Many people have probably seen comedians or rakugo performers do it on TV.
These days, YouTubers are doing oogiri too, so more people beyond professional comedians are enjoying it.
It’s quite hard to come up with pro-level answers, but among friends that’s part of the fun—so I recommend it.
Hand-push sumo
Many people probably remember playing hand-pushing sumo during school recess when they were little.
The rules are simple and you can do it anywhere, so it’s perfect for killing a bit of time.
It feels great because you can sometimes beat an opponent who’s much heavier if you get the timing right.
It gets even more exciting if you prepare penalties or rewards.