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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Word Play, Shiritori, and Brain Games (31–40)
Imitation shiritori
Participants face each other and stand on one leg.
Decide the order with rock-paper-scissors or similar, and the first person starts the word chain game (shiritori).
The basic rule of linking words stays the same, but after saying a word, you have to do an impression that matches it.
For example, if you say “gorilla,” you might pound your chest with your fists.
Everyone else copies the impression, and the shiritori continues.
It might sound easy, but you must stay on one leg the entire time.
If you lose your balance or can’t continue the word chain, you lose.
Tongue Twister Showdown
When it comes to games that get everyone excited without using any props, tongue-twister battles are a classic.
Gather a variety of fun tongue twisters and face off.
You can present one prompt at a time and decide rankings each round, or set multiple prompts with different difficulty levels and see who lasts the longest.
It’s a good idea to write the prompts on a whiteboard.
Since tongue twisters are tough at first glance, consider adding practice time and other tweaks so everyone can enjoy the game.
Guess the person game
A recommended guessing game for deepening communication is one where participants get lively conversation going and make new discoveries about each other.
The person posing the question should first choose a very well-known person as the subject.
The respondents ask the questioner about what kind of person it might be while imagining the answer, and the questioner should reply only with “yes” or “no.” If it’s too difficult, it’s also helpful to give simple hints, such as the person’s gender or a basic characteristic.
Set a time limit, and try it as individual or team play, adjusting to the ages of the group.
Fingerplays, hand play, and movement games (1–10)
Myanmar Game
Let’s play the hilarious “Myanmar Game,” a fun challenge that will have you stifling laughter.
Try saying “Myanmar.” It’s surprisingly hard to pronounce, right? In this game, two players take turns saying a tricky word like that.
Each turn, the number of times you have to say the word increases.
As you repeat “Myanmar, Myanmar,” your tongue gets more and more tangled, which is hilarious for both the speaker and the listener.
It’s a high-energy game that really heats up, and you’ll be impressed if someone can say it smoothly.
Give the Myanmar Game a try when you have a little free time!
Finger Catch
Finger Catch: Catch your partner’s finger with one hand while escaping your own hand with the other.
Make a tube with one hand by curling it into a circle, and raise the index finger on your other hand.
Once you’ve placed your index finger into your partner’s tube, you’re set.
When someone says “Catch,” both players try to grab the other’s finger and pull their own finger out at the same time.
Adding feints is recommended, such as saying different words like “cat” or “cap,” or dragging out “ca, ca” without saying the full word right away.
Take turns calling out “Catch.” You win if you successfully catch your partner’s finger while escaping with your own.
Finger magic
For magic tricks that make it look like your finger has come off, the key is how convincing you can make it look! Even though you know it’s impossible for it to actually come off, smooth, natural movements can still make your heart skip a beat.
Flexibility in your fingers is also important for finger tricks.
Movements like crossing your fingers or bending your pinky far backward aren’t used in everyday life, so you might find they barely move when you try.
These are tricks you can use at get-togethers or parties, so work on your flexibility and practice!
Beef Tongue Game
How about trying a “Gyutan Game,” where you take turns exchanging words with your partner and keep going without making a mistake? It works with a large group, but playing with just two people might actually be the hardest.
It’s a brain-teasing game filled with keywords and clapping.
The person who says the word “gyū” in “gyūtan” is the owner of that turn.
The owner changes every time, and claps are added alternately.
As the number of repetitions increases, the clapping also increases, throwing your brain into chaos.
You have to instantly switch turns and count the number of claps at the same time, so it requires concentration.
It’s a recommended game you can play in spare moments without any equipment.
Minori ka Rhythm 4
After the call of “Match the rhythm starting from ~,” you say a name and a number.
The person whose name is called then chants their own name repeatedly the specified number of times! Even if you don’t know the game name Minori-ka Rhythm 4, many of you may have played it with friends.
The rules people know can differ by region and generation, so it might be fun to ask, “What rules did you use?” and try it out—you’ll discover lots of variations.
While it’s often thought to be more exciting with a big group, it’s plenty enjoyable with just two people!
Finger Kendo
Finger Kendo: a game you can play using just your fingers, no bamboo swords needed.
First, clasp both hands and face each other.
Among your clasped hands, extend both pinkies and press them together.
Then, take turns tapping your opponent’s extended finger with your own.
If the pressed-together position breaks, that player loses.
The loser then extends the next finger—the ring finger—in the same way.
The player who breaks the opponent’s finger position wins and continues tapping with the same finger.
Repeat this process, and the first person to break all five fingers up to the thumb wins.
It’s easy to play, so give it a try when you have some free time!
Change Janken
This is a game that adds a psychological-warfare element to rock-paper-scissors, which is usually seen as a one-shot, winner-takes-all contest.
You enjoy reading each other’s words and facial expressions.
Place a divider between the two players so their hands can’t be seen, then start rock-paper-scissors.
As you talk and watch each other’s expressions, you’re free to change your hand to one that can beat your opponent.
You then declare which hand you switched to, and the other player tries to judge from your expression and the nuances of your words whether that’s true.
Since the back-and-forth can get heated and make a single game take a long time, it’s also recommended to set a limit on the number of times you can change your hand, so players focus on fewer, more meaningful exchanges.
