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.
- Fun two-player games recommended that you can play using conversation only
- 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
Table Games, Card Games, Board Games (1–10)
Geister
Geister is a board game where you move pieces on a board, like chess or shogi.
Each player has four blue “good ghosts” and four red “bad ghosts,” placed so your opponent can’t see which is which.
Pieces move one square at a time, orthogonally.
You win either by capturing all four of your opponent’s good ghosts, or by letting your opponent capture all four of your bad ghosts.
The rules are simple, but because your opponent can’t see the colors, it turns into a psychological battle—a deceptively deep game.
nervous breakdown
How about playing a card game in your free time? With just two people, games like Old Maid end quickly and don’t really kill time, so I recommend Concentration (also known as Memory), which you can enjoy for longer even with two players.
The rules are simple: lay the cards face down on the table, take turns flipping over two cards, and if they have the same number, you win that pair.
Since it’s a game where memory is key, it can also serve as good brain training.
Tagiron
Tagiron is a two-player competitive logic puzzle game with the tagline “Boiling Logic.” Each player holds five numbered cards and arranges them from left to right in ascending order.
You can’t see your opponent’s cards, and the first player to correctly identify all five of the opponent’s cards wins.
To deduce the opponent’s cards, players use question cards, asking one question per turn to gradually narrow down the possibilities.
It’s a game that leverages logical reasoning, using the answers to questions and the card-arrangement rules to guide your deductions.
Blox
As the name suggests, this is a game where players place blocks, and the player who manages to place the most blocks by the end wins.
According to the manufacturer, it’s recommended for ages 7 and up, and its simple rules are part of the appeal.
There are two rules: first, you must place your initial block on a corner of the board; second, each subsequent block must touch another block corner-to-corner.
By following just these rules, you try to hinder your opponent’s placements while maximizing your own.
It’s easy to pick up but offers depth, making it perfect for playing with children.
Up to four people can play, and it also works well with two players.
7 Wonders: Duel
7 Wonders Duel is a two-player version of the popular board game 7 Wonders.
It uses the theme of the Seven Wonders of the World, represented as cards.
Only the uncovered cards arranged in a pyramid can be taken.
You can either cash in the cards, or collect military and science cards to increase your military strength on a separate board and attack your opponent, or gather science cards to earn coins and try to prevent your opponent from doing the same—creating a back-and-forth battle.
Since all cards are visible, it’s a psychological game where you draw cards while watching your opponent’s moves.
Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small
A board game commonly known as “Futaricola.” You can finish a game in about 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for killing time! It seems to be a spin-off arranged for two players based on the hugely popular board game Agricola.
Placing your action workers—three each—constitutes one round, and you repeat this for eight rounds.
Your ultimate goal is to raise animals, and the player with the most points at the end wins.
Tokyo Highway
A board game that’s popular for its Instagram-worthy looks is Tokyo Highway.
As the name suggests, each player builds their own expressways and aims to run cars along them.
It’s for 2 to 4 players, and the number of cars, pillars, and road pieces you get depends on the player count.
Following the rules, you construct highways, and the first player to place all of their cars on the roads wins.
There are quite a few detailed rules, making it a bit complex, but when your road crosses over or passes under an opponent’s road, you get to place a car.
While the strategic play is fun, the game’s adorable shapes and colors make it especially appealing to photo-loving younger generations.