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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- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Brain-teasing game roundup
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- Fun games you can play over the phone—even if you can’t meet!
- [Solo Time] A roundup of ways to kill time without using your smartphone
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- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Part 2] Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for December
Fingerplays, hand play, and movement games (1–10)
playing rock-paper-scissors after seeing the opponent’s move (i.e., acting with hindsight/cheating)
A good brain exercise: “after-the-fact rock-paper-scissors.” First, have someone tell you whether you should win or lose, then when you play, throw your hand after them to match that instruction.
If they say “win,” throw the winning hand; if they say “lose,” throw the losing hand.
You can keep throwing only winning or only losing hands the whole time, or you can get instructions right before each round and throw accordingly—also recommended.
Increasing the speed of the game or keeping a steady rhythm makes it more challenging and even more exciting!
Finger plays, hand games, and body-movement games (11–20)
Hand-push sumo
The great thing about push sumo is that you can enjoy it anytime, anywhere, as long as you have a bit of open space.
Face each other, open your hands, and push—whoever moves their feet first loses.
It’s a very simple game, but it gets really exciting if you adjust your pushing strength and throw in some feints.
Grabbing hands or clothing, or dodging your opponent, is against the rules! Since you might lose your balance and fall, make sure there’s nothing around you that could be dangerous before you start.
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.
Mochitsuki Hand Game
This is a hand-clapping game themed around mochi pounding, where you match the song and rhythm while interlacing and clapping each other’s hands.
One person keeps a steady beat—like vertical claps—while the other adds interjections, forming shapes in between.
When the hands open, touch the lower hand or pass through the gap, and move your hands by reading the rhythm precisely.
After completing one sequence, switch roles, adjust the tempo, and check each other’s sense of rhythm—it’s a fun way to play and practice together.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Balance Challenge
It’s a game where, depending on the rock-paper-scissors result, each player balances in a specific way, aiming to become more stable than the opponent.
If you win rock-paper-scissors, the basic posture is standing on one leg for 5 seconds.
If you lose, you spin 3 times before taking the one-legged stance, and if it’s a tie, you spin 2 times before the stance.
If you can maintain the one-legged stance, you proceed to the next round of rock-paper-scissors.
The more you lose in a row, the harder it becomes to keep your balance.
A fun twist is that even if you don’t win the rock-paper-scissors, you might still win overall if your sense of balance is good.