Whether you're buying a joint gift for a couple or looking for something to spend time with your sweetheart unplugged, board games are good, wholesome fun for folks in love. These ten games, ranked from great to amazing, are 2-player (or more) and are fun to learn as well as play.
These are great for a cozy night in with your sweetie and are a nice divergence from classic card games or 9-hour rounds of Monopoly. Brush up on your strategy and communication with these games, then take those skills with you as you face the world as the power couple that you are.
Splendor
BUY IT NOW $34.99
This is a 2-4 player, 30 minute game with realistic art depicting characters and scenery, based in the European Renaissance. In this game, players act as rival merchants who compete to control gem mines, trade routes, and storefronts to come out on top and get in good with nobles.
Each merchant uses their gems and gold to create jewelry that the wealthy will like. This strategy game involves developing your own effective trading method to be the most profitable merchant. The mechanics of the game are simple, so it's a great game for couples who just want to spend time together and don't want to spend hours poring over instructions.
Qwirkle
BUY IT NOW $20.25
This is a really simple game, popular with children but still fun and interesting enough for adults to relax with. When you're looking for a very chill game to wind down with or play over a few beers with your soulmate, this is a great choice.
The objective is simply to build lines of matching colors and shapes, earning points. It's meditative and light-hearted. The art is simple - clean black tiles with colored shapes on them. Like dominos or mahjong, this game is soothing and low-pressure. It won't interfere with your conversation or sharing stories from your days with each other, so it's a great thing to do instead of watching TV to stay connected to your partner.
Fog of Love
BUY IT NOW $31.00
This 2-player game comes with versions for male/female, female/female and male/male, and has expansion packs such as Trouble With the In-Laws and Paranormal Romance. The art is clean and simple, with a bit of a futuristic vibe.
This is a role-playing game where players each create a character, who meets and falls in love with the other player's character. The two then embark on a relationship together and ride the ups and downs of romance. It may or may not work out in the end, and there are countless possibilities for repeated gameplay. Fog of Love offers a chance for you and your date to navigate awkwardness and problems in a relationship outside of your own (though you may draw parallels; just be ready).
Jaipur
BUY IT NOW $19.89
Jaipur is a quick, 30-minute game for 2 players. It is a simple, light strategy challenge that doesn't take much time to learn. The players are merchants, competing to make the most money and collecting cash and camels to come out on top. This is a fast-paced game, not too difficult and lightly competitive but fun.
The game fits into a fairly compact box and can be taken to coffee shops or bars to enhance a date. It's also a great game to have on-hand for staying in as a couple - there isn't too much setup and it can be quickly grabbed off the shelf and played. This game is only for 2 players and can't be used with a group, so it encourages you to spend some unplugged time as a couple without other distractions around.
Robinson Crusoe Adventures on the Cursed Island
BUY IT NOW $47.82
This multi-award winning adventure game can be played with 1-4 players. This is the Game of the Year edition, which includes custom wooden pieces, thick cardboard character boards, an additional 7th scenario, and a more precise rulebook. The cover art by Vincent Dutrait is beautiful. In this cooperative game, players are shipwrecked and must work together to find food, shelter, and ways to fight wild animals and weather.
With 6 original scenarios plus 1 bonus, gameplay can be repeated even after beating a scenario (which is still very hard to do). This is a game that will send a couple on an adventure together, where they test their teamwork and don't have to worry about competitive pressure. Similar to doing a puzzle together, this game is one of the most celebrated cooperative strategy games there is.
You've Got Crabs
BUY IT NOW $24.99
This game is for 4-10 players, so is great for a double date of any kind. The art is funny and cartoony, drawn by web artist, The Oatmeal. This game is by the creators of Exploding Kittens, the most funded game in Kickstarter history. Players split into teams of two and develop a secret signal.
When a hand has four of a kind, that player has crabs. They must do their best to subtly signal this to their partner, without alerting other players. Your partner then yells, "You've got crabs!" or an opponent beats them to it, and your team gains or loses a point respectfully. Nothing bonds a couple more than having your own code for when you've got crabs. Nothing except, maybe, trying to hide it from the company.
Hanabi
BUY IT NOW $9.89
This game can be played with 2-5 players and was the 2013 Spiele des Jahres game of the year. Cards depict fireworks in various colors, and the art is both fun and soothing. Hanabi is a cooperative game in which players are aiming to create a fireworks show.
The catch is that each player can see everyone else's hand, but not their own. Players must give each other hints about colors and numbers to help each other play. It's a great game for supporting one another and rooting for your partner. This is a small game and very easy to bring on dates or trips. As a cooperative challenge, it's great for communication and the level of interaction gives plenty of opportunities to flirt.
Magic: The Gathering Spellslinger Starter Kit
BUY IT NOW $11.55
Nothing's better than learning something new as a couple, especially something that involves dragons, dinosaurs, vampires, and angels. With this starter kit, you and your partner can learn how to play Magic: The Gathering for the very first time, together. It's an easy way to share a new experience without having to travel across the globe or jump out of a plane.
The game comes with a quick start guide, so you can open the box and begin playing right away without getting confused or frustrated - it's pure fun. The two decks are specially designed as an intuitive way to learn the game - they're even a bit fixed to encourage successful gameplay and good mana curve on the first try (and yes, you'll learn what a mana curve is).
Onitama
BUY IT NOW $23.47
This 2-player game is great on a date - it takes 2 minutes for anyone to learn, while gameplay lasts only 10 minutes, so it won't dominate your time together or take away from your conversations. The pieces and cards in this game are beautiful, adding to the experience.
Each player takes on the role of a master guiding their monks. A player wins by either capturing their opponent's master or managing to move into their opponent's Temple Arch space. There are 16 cards, but each game uses only 5 randomly selected cards from the deck, so gameplay is repeatable with lots of variety. An abstract strategy game with short gameplay is perfect for couples, as it can be picked up and put down periodically without getting in the way of your time together.
Bears Vs. Babies
BUY IT NOW $29.99
From the creators of Exploding Kittens and illustrated by celebrated artist, The Oatmeal, this game comes in a furry box and is designed for 2-5 players. Gameplay lasts about 20 minutes and is light, fun strategy and a great party game. Players build monsters from available limbs, hats, weapons etc. and use their creations to gobble up annoying babies.
The game is spiced up by moves like wild provokes, dismemberments, hidden identities, and softly sung lullabies. This game is funny and a chance to play like a kid by creating a monster with a salmon head, sombrero, chainsaw arm, and lobster claw. This is one of the best games for couples who just want to spend time together, laugh and look at awesome, funny cartoons.
We hope you like the items we recommend! Screen Rant has affiliate partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from your purchase. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.