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.
- Fun two-player games recommended that you can play using conversation only
- For Couples: Fun and Exciting Punishment Game Ideas
- [For Couples] Fun Punishments You’d Want Your Girlfriend to Do
- A forfeit/punishment game for couples to get hyped (from girlfriend to boyfriend)
- [From small to large groups] Drinking games recommended for college students
- [Punishment Game] A collection of romance-themed prompts. Punishment games that get men and women excited
- With friends or couples! A set of questions perfect for penalty games
- A fun punishment game recommended for women
- A simple punishment game you can do anywhere without any props—even at school or outdoors.
- Simple but intense! A quick-and-easy penalty game that hypes everyone up
- Party Games That Spice Up Your House Drinks Night
- Punishment games that liven up drinking parties and banquets
- [At-Home Time] Games Couples Can Enjoy Together
Wordplay and Brain Games (11–20)
Trump
A classic of recreational games that almost everyone probably owns: playing cards! You can even find them at 100-yen shops and convenience stores.
Kids can enjoy them, and they’re great for both small and large groups—there are plenty of games for just two players as well.
From orthodox choices like Old Maid and poker to more brainy ones like Sevens and Concentration, any game is sure to get everyone excited! The great thing about playing cards is that if you get bored with one game, you can just switch to another and keep having fun.
No-Foreign-Language Game
It’s a game-like activity where you ban foreign words that are blended into everyday casual conversation.
It’s fun to watch the conversation get a bit awkward as everyone is wary of foreign words, and the back-and-forth of trying to coax foreign words out of the other person really livens things up.
Keep techniques in mind like lowering the other person’s guard to draw out foreign words, or deliberately making small talk more lively.
If you’re playing with a small group, people might not notice when someone slips in a foreign word, so adding a challenge where you try to say foreign words without the others noticing could also be fun.
Memory Drawing Showdown
If you’ve got paper and pens, how about trying a drawing showdown? Pick a theme, and both of you draw it—not by looking at a reference, but from memory.
If you’re good at drawing, you’ll probably be fine, but if one of you is the type who creates, shall we say, “unique” artwork—the kind often jokingly called a ‘master artist’—it can get hilariously exciting, right? (lol) When you’re done, show each other your drawings, then look up the subject on your phone and compare them to the real thing to see how close you got!
Myanmar Game
The “Myanmar Game” was played on the TV show “Go to School!”, featuring the male idol group V6.
The rules are very simple: in pairs, you say “Oo, Myanmar,” and then take turns increasing the number of times you say “Myanmar.” If you hesitate even a little or stumble over your words, you lose, so the key is to stay calm.
As you repeat the same phrase over and over, you might slip and say something unexpected—that’s part of the fun.
You can play face-to-face or online, so use it to deepen your bond with a partner.
Magical Banana
When it comes to games that liven up schools, drinking parties, or house parties, “Magical Banana” might come to mind.
This word-association game was featured on the popular 1990s quiz show “Magical Zunou Power!!”.
Following a steady rhythm—“Magical Banana, when you say ○○…”—players respond with associations, like “When you say apple, you think red,” “When you say red, you think fire truck,” and so on.
How many words you know becomes the key! With a small group, like just two people, your turn comes around quickly, so your quick thinking and flexibility are really put to the test.
Word matching game
@am0princess Even if they match, it's an absolute no-laugh letter-matching gamePrincess of Midnightzeropri#GAMEIB: Sky Peace-san
♪ Original song – Zeropri – Zeropri
Let me introduce a letter-matching game.
Take turns saying letters out loud with a partner.
Even if you say the same letter at the same time, you must not laugh.
If you laugh, you lose on the spot.
As you say various letters, if you happen to say the same one together by chance, you might find it hard not to burst out laughing.
Enjoy matching the rhythm and the tempo of speaking.
It might get even more exciting if you play with more people.
After you try it with two players, be sure to challenge it with a group as well.
Wordplay and Brain Games (21–30)
A game divided by Christmas
Here’s a party game that’s sure to get everyone excited, called the “Christmas Word-Splitting Game.” The rules are simple: take the word “Kurisumasu” (Christmas in Japanese) and split it at any point you like, then pass it to the next person.
The person who receives it completes the rest of the word from where the previous person left off.
Keep the rhythm as you play—think about where the previous person split the word, and when it’s your turn to pass, decide where you’ll split it next.
If someone ends up saying the entire word “Kurisumasu” on their own, the next person says, “Yay!” It’s also fun to play using other words.