Games for two people to enjoy. A roundup of party games that liven up drinking gatherings.
Have you ever felt that just the usual conversation isn’t quite enough when you’re spending time one-on-one with a friend or a partner, and wished you had something fun to do together? If you have word games or brain teasers you can play even while having a drink, things are sure to get more lively! With games that don’t require memorizing complicated rules and can be enjoyed with nothing more than your thinking and creativity, conversation flows naturally and you’ll feel much closer to the other person.
In this article, we’ll introduce easy yet deep drinking games that will make your time as a twosome even more special.
Wordplay and Brain Games (1–10)
Uta-Don! (Intro Quiz App)
The intro quiz, where you guess a song’s title just by listening to the beginning, is a staple on TV shows and similar formats—it really tests how quickly you can recall a track from memory.
This content introduces an easy way to take on that intro quiz using an app.
Since the multiple choices are shown before the music starts, make sure to clearly picture how each song begins before it plays.
You can also compete with people nearby, so it’s a game where you can thoroughly test your music knowledge against the friend right in front of you.
Pin Pon Pan Game
Ping-Pong-Pan is a classic drinking-game favorite.
It’s a heartwarming communication game that’s sure to be fun even with just two people.
Players say “Pin,” “Pon,” and “Pan” in order, and on “Pan,” you point at the other person—simple as that.
It looks easy, but the humorous slip-ups that happen as you try to keep the rhythm make it twice as entertaining.
As you call out to each other and share laughs, you naturally grow closer and the distance between you shrinks.
It’s great for creating a relaxed atmosphere even with someone you’ve just met, so give it a try!
Yamanote Line game
The Yamanote Line Game is where you answer things that fit a given theme in time with a rhythm.
It’s a classic party game, but if you play it with just two people, you can enjoy a different kind of fun.
With a small number of players, your turn comes around quickly, so it becomes a game that demands focus on the theme and quick reflexes.
You can simply compete to decide a winner and still have a great time, but it also sounds fun to set a wide range of themes and see how long you can keep the rally going.
NG word game
It’s a game where you set forbidden NG words that the other person can’t see, then steer the conversation to get them to say those words.
The psychological maneuvering—like verbal feints and shifting topics to reach the NG word—is what makes it fun.
It’s also important to use techniques like deliberately acting a bit suspicious so they don’t realize what you’re trying to make them say.
The way the conversation becomes awkward as both sides stay on guard for NG words can be enjoyable too.
If everyone goes silent, the game falls apart, so it’s crucial to keep the conversation going.
song shiritori
Let me introduce “singing shiritori,” a game you can get hyped about one-on-one with a friend or partner who really loves music! The rules are simple: you play shiritori using song lyrics.
When the other person sings a short phrase, you have to find a song whose lyrics start with the last character of their phrase and sing it.
You can even raise the difficulty with themes like only anime songs, only bands, or only male artists! You might not think of songs right away at first, but once you get used to it, it’s guaranteed to be a blast.
It’s wonderful because you can share not only songs you both know, but also new ones you didn’t know before.
Improvised Antonym Game
Just as the opposite of “big” is “small” and the opposite of “north” is “south,” many words have antonyms.
This is a game that uses that idea: you’re given a word and answer with its opposite, testing your vocabulary and quick thinking.
Start with simple words that have clear antonyms, then gradually make the words longer and more difficult.
Ultimately, try tackling long sentences—pay attention to where you break the phrases, and freely come up with words that carry opposite meanings.
That’s the recommended way to play.
Answer checking game
How about enjoying a matching-answers game for two that’s fun across all ages? You present a prompt and try to come up with the same answer together.
For example, prompts like “What’s a classic Doraemon gadget?” or “Name a Studio Ghibli film” are widely known from manga and anime, so people of all ages can get excited.
Of course, you can customize the prompts! You can also add challenges—like not stopping until you’ve matched three answers—to make it even more fun.
By putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and predicting their answers, you may deepen your understanding of them and grow closer.