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 (11–20)
Jenga
Jenga is a classic party game—chances are you’ve played it at least once.
You remove a single wooden block from the stacked tower and place it on top; the player who causes the tower to collapse when removing a block loses.
You must use only one hand when taking out a block—no using both hands.
These days there are many varieties of Jenga, including jumbo-sized sets and character-themed versions.
A head-to-head match between two people can really heat up.
It might be fun to prepare a penalty game for the loser, too.
Jaipur
Jaipur is the name of a place in India, and it’s also a board game where you become a merchant, collect goods, and sell them off.
The player with the most points at the end wins.
On your turn, you can choose either to take cards or to sell cards.
It really turns the merchant’s actions—procure and sell—into a game! When selling, selling earlier gets you higher prices, but selling more cards at once earns you bonus tokens, so strategy and bluffing can make the difference between winning and losing.
Each game takes about 30 minutes, making it perfect when you want a leisurely way to pass the time.
Patchwork
A two-player board game themed around patchwork, just as the name suggests—piecing together scraps of fabric.
The rules are simple: on your turn, take one patch from the display and place it on your board, repeating this to fill your board.
In the end, the player with more empty spaces on their board loses.
There are also additional scoring rules, so you can take your time and enjoy it.
The game’s biggest twist is that turns don’t alternate strictly back and forth.
It’s a board game where you can enjoy thoughtful strategy and tactical maneuvering.
Mancala: Kalah
Mancala Kalah is a game that has been played around the world since ancient times, and can be enjoyed by everyone from small children to adults.
Using a board with a 6×2 grid of pits, the player who clears all the stones from their own side first wins.
Each player has six pits on their side, and the game begins with four stones placed in each pit.
On your turn, choose one of your pits, take all the stones from it, and distribute them one by one counterclockwise.
Once you finish placing stones within your own side, it becomes your opponent’s turn.
If you pass beyond your side and your last stone lands in your larger goal pocket (store), you get another turn and may continue moving stones.
Repeat this process, and the player who removes all stones from the six pits on their side first is the winner!
Argo
A classic brain-teasing card game uses numbers as its core.
You play with 24 cards: white and black sets numbered 0 through 11.
In broad terms, you arrange cards face down according to the basic rules and then deduce and guess your opponent’s hand.
The core rules are: place cards from left to right in ascending numerical order, and when numbers are the same, black is considered lower than white.
Using your own hand and the arrangement as clues, you progress logically—so if you enjoy this kind of game, you’ll likely find yourself getting deeply absorbed.
Othello / Reversi
We used to play it a lot as kids—Othello.
I’m not very familiar with the name Reversi, though; since when did people start calling it Reversi? And Othello used to be big and bulky, but now you can play it as an app—so convenient! Plus, with the app it can show you where you can place your next piece, and it even counts the final black and white pieces automatically so you don’t have to—nice!
Gobblet Gobblers
Many of you have probably played tic-tac-toe, where you line up circles or crosses vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
This game is an evolved version of that! The ultimate goal is the same—line up a row of your color pieces—but the big difference is that the pieces come in different sizes.
Larger pieces can cover smaller ones, which makes the strategy more complex! What’s more, if you run out of pieces, you can move a larger piece you used to cover another, so it’s also important to remember what color was underneath.
It’s simple, but it tests both your strategy and your memory.
Tabletop Games, Card Games, Board Games (21–30)
Crash Ice Game
You’ve probably seen the “Crash Ice” game somewhere, haven’t you? It’s a board game where you knock out ice blocks that a penguin stands on, and the player who makes the penguin fall loses.
The ice blocks are fitted into a frame, so as you remove blocks, you have to think about whether the balance will hold.
It’s not just about playing defensively—aggressive moves that lure your opponent into making a mistake are important too, so the mind games are part of the fun! The rules are very simple, so even small children can enjoy it.
App(s) (1–10)
marukeshi
A game called “Marukeshi,” as the name suggests, is about erasing circles.
You draw lines and erase as many circles as you like—straight lines are allowed, and you can also erase a single circle with a dot.
The person who is left with the last move loses, so it’s a battle of wits where you erase circles while considering their number and positions to force your opponent to make the final move.
You must not cross over existing lines.
It’s simple, but it really gets everyone fired up.
Download on Google Playdrawing from hazy memory
Have you ever killed time with a drawing battle—someone sets a prompt, everyone sketches on paper, then you all show each other? Doodle From Memory lets you do that in an app.
The app gives you a prompt, you draw based on it, and when you’re done it shows the correct image.
There isn’t a single right answer, but it’s fun to get excited about who drew it better.
Your drawings are saved and you can post them on social media, too!
Could not find the app link.