Recommended games for two people that you can enjoy without any equipment
When it comes to games you can play without any tools, many of them use words.
Word-based games are great because many can be enjoyed by just two people, making them perfect for friends or couples! In this article, we’ll introduce wordplay and brainy games you can play in pairs without any equipment.
We’ve gathered a variety of games—from classics like Shiritori, the Yamanote Line game, and games where certain words are forbidden, to activities that have trended online and on social media.
There are also plenty of games you can play remotely, so try them out with friends or partners you can’t easily meet in person!
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Finger plays, hand games, and body-movement games (11–20)
Arithmetic game with both hands
It’s a game where even simple arithmetic suddenly feels difficult when you have to form the numbers with your fingers at the same time.
Start with small addition problems that you can count on one hand: while forming each of the two given numbers with both hands, say the answer out loud.
Coordinating hand movements and speech is trickier than you’d expect, and it really tests your ability to focus on both at once.
Once you’re comfortable with addition, try subtraction and multiplication to make the answers more complex and engage your brain even more.
Chopstick Game
It’s a game where both players hold out their hands with index fingers extended, face each other, and take turns tapping the opponent’s hand to add up the number of extended fingers.
When a hand’s total reaches five, that hand is eliminated.
The goal is to eliminate both of your opponent’s hands.
As you add your fingers to your opponent’s, you predict how their state will change and what they’ll do next, making it a psychological battle.
Because it uses both hands, the range of possible predictions widens, and it likely demands even greater concentration.
CC Lemon Game
Do you know the CC Lemon game where you perform a move after the shout of “CC~”? There are three moves: Lemon, where you hook your fingertips together; Haa, which attacks the Lemon; and Guard, which blocks attacks.
After the shout, everyone does a move—if they match, it’s a tie, and if one does Lemon and the other does Haa, the person who did Haa wins! It’s like rock-paper-scissors but with gestures.
It can be hard to grasp until you learn the moves, but once you start playing, it’s surprisingly fun and addictive! Give it a try!
Finger Smash
Do you know a slightly advanced mind game called “Yubi-suma”? It’s a simple psychological game played with both thumbs.
In time with a chant, you call out a number; if the total number of raised thumbs matches the number called, you lower that hand.
The first person to lower both hands wins.
When playing with two people, use both thumbs and play with numbers from 0 to 4.
If the number of raised thumbs matches what your opponent called, the one who raised their thumb loses, and the one who baited them wins.
It’s a simple battle of probing and guiding, but it’s quite thrilling and fun.
It’s also great for quick spare moments, so I recommend it.
Look that way, hoi!
Acchi Muite Hoi is a simple, head-to-head game that everyone knows and can laugh over.
If you win rock-paper-scissors, you shout “Acchi muite, hoi!” and win if you make your opponent turn their face in the direction you point.
Even with small movements, reading your opponent’s habits and the split-second mind games make it surprisingly deep—and something you’ll want to play again and again.
It’s fun because you use both your hands and your head, and you can’t help but laugh at each other’s reactions.
It doesn’t require space or time, so you can start anywhere, anytime.
Whether you’re a seasoned player or a first-timer, you’ll get hooked right away—simple, endlessly replayable, and a long-time favorite that never gets old.
