This is probably the best "top 10" video I've seen, not necessarily for the content but for the perfect mix of solid production values, great video length and aesthetic, nice dose of humor, and excellent narrative efficiency. Extra props for concisely describing gameplay in just a minute or two (a serious deficiency in most videos), while still capturing the feel of the games.
+Aaron Aguilar Thanks Aaron - I really appreciate your comment. I had hoped to keep it concise and still capture the feel of games, so I'm glad it worked.
+Actualol any chance you might revisit this topic again in 2016, maybe? Coincidentally, I bought some of these games last year, and they were perfect for our gaming sessions. We need more suggestions?! (:
Yes, there is quite a good chance I will make another video about couples games later this year. I have some couples games I'd like to talk about, and there was a number of interesting 2 player games that came out last year that I want to try. I can't really do another "Top 10", what do you think to a couples games round-up? Perhaps where I review 5 potential couples games and talk about whether they're any good, and who might like them? Then, if that video is a success I could make a semi-regular video. What do you think? Any other thoughts welcomed :)
You are one of a few rare breed of content creators that is likable, posts good videos, and doesn't make asking politely for a like, sub and follow a demand like so many others. You my good sir, deserve so much more, but as I can't give more through my screen I'll at least give you a like and a sub! :D
Thank you so much for setting up the games!! Its surprising how many Board Games specific channels are just holding the box whilst giving a non-specific description of the game. This is what I was looking for. 5th channel in.....Just finished watching; the enactments alone are worth subscribing. Great video!
We bought CV thanks to your recommendation and had a blast with it yesterday! Indeed a fantastic game for couples. Love your videos, funny and informative!
Dear friend, that was one of the best board game related videos I've ever seen. Thank you for introducing me to these games - I'm afraid I now want all of them! Thank you
Loved the style of this video :-) I also adore CV; the artwork, the dynamics, everything! Another brilliant thing is the constant replay-ability, and that anyone can play it (like non-gamers at a dinner party) it's truly universal. There is a version of Carcassonne called "The Castle" which is specifically a 2player game which looks like fun with the external wall dynamics - Rahdo did a run through of it. He's also done one of a game called Musee, which is similar to Arboretum, but you have an art gallery to curate instead :-) I also know what you mean about Hanabi (having played it once with a couple and another friend) haha! Thanks for the great video, now I'm off to check out more of yours! x
Very insightful comments and the first boardgame reviewer I've watched that is actually and genuinely funny, instead of just trying. Great work, keep it up. Subscribed
Amazing !!!! My top couple games are - Patchwork - Through the Ages - Blueprints - Quatermaster General - Small World - Runewars - San Juan -Concordia + Salsa A hug from Rio, Brazil ! Your videos are top ! Continue , please !!!
+leonardo balbi Thanks! Nice list - you clearly have no problem going head to head with your partner if you're playing Quatermaster General and Smallworld!
We bought Agricola ACBAS, Arboretum and others off the back of this video (yep, 5 years later!). Both are fantastic, and my BGG rating for Arboretum is a 10 - it's my favourite game. Thank you. Patchwork is fun and was worth getting, but it ran out of steam quite quickly for us.
My only gripe with this video is the how loud the jingle is between the games while your commentary is on the quiet side, so I found myself raising and lowering the volume a lot.
Great video with some great choices. I would add Jaipur, Star Realms, Mr. Jack, Sushi Go! and the brand new Tides of Time to the list. All of them (except Sushi Go!) are designed for two players and lots of fun.
I've bought Dominion for couples as a gift and they love it. there is a bit of competition sometimes, but the ever changing cardpool means you'll never play the same game twice. plus you can plug in more cards because they'll never stop making expansions for it.
Wow this video is amazing. I need to try these games to fully judge, but I love the way you analyze the different games, the dimensions you consider (amount of stress / tension / ...) and what makes the game great or better than older games (e.g. Patchwork vs. Scrabble). Definitely going to try CV, Paperback, Arboretum and Sherlock. Thanks so much for spending time to do that!
Thanks for the efforts! The act is hilarious and the recommendation of games is decent with every reason well explained, hope to see more works of this kind from you!
Great list, now fast forward into the future, and I would add Santorini. It’s not relaxing, it’s more “mean” as you are always blocking your opponents with domes, but it’s like a more fun version of chess, and plays much faster. A game takes 15 minutes tops. And at the end of each game, you have a cool looking city that looks unique every time.
Nice. I just started getting into board games two weeks ago. I tried getting my wife into video games, but it was too much for her, so I found an alternative: board games. I didn't realize how many board games there were beyond Monopoly. So far, our collection consists of Photosynthesis, Ticket to Ride, Santorini, Patchwork, Hive, Kingdomino, and Forbidden Island. Out of those, we like Santorini and Patchwork the best. I see you recommended Agricola Creatures Big and Small... It's out of print. Is the "Family" edition of Agricola the same thing? I would try the full game, but i think it's too big of a step for my wife right now. Thank you very much.
Sounds like your collection is pretty great already! I'm always excited to hear about people who have just got into board games. I would actually hesitate recommending Agricola All Creatures Big and Small nowadays. It's fine but I prefer many other games for couples. Check out my two other videos Couples That Play Together and The Dating Games for more games that I'd recommend. To answer your question though, Agricola Family Edition is longer and more involved than ACBC. But probably still relatively approachable. (I've not played it).
Hubby and I used to play two player Dominion. Sometimes for a couple of hours, like five different rounds or more. We have several of the expansions (I MIGHT have a problem when we play with Platinum...buying so much of it, though I do win that way sometimes) so we can refresh the game with things that haven't come out in a while. It's nice too, there are apps on your phone that can randomize you a deck set with the expansions you actually have.
Completely agree with Patchwork, it's surprisingly enjoyable on every front. Can you make a top 10 solo games list? I'd be interested to see what you recommend. Thanks!
Pro tip, you can get Arboretum cheaper on eBay. It usually sells for about US$20. US$30 is just too much for a card game, IMO. Regarding your list, this video is what got me to subscribe to your channel. You add light humor to excellent reviews. It's a great combination.
Very nicely produced video I was surprised that it is only the third on your channel. Overall, the games you picked were too light for our taste and we were also surprised that many of them were two player only. According to our experience two player only does not necessarily mean that it is the best for couples. From two player games we would have added Targi to the list which is an excellent worker placement game from the KOSMOS two-player series. From 2+ games Dungeon Petz, Imperial Settlers, and Progress - Evolution of Technology work wonderfully with two. Thank you for your video.
Great video! Thank you very much. We still have to try Arboretum, Longhorn, Fungi, 7 Wonders Duel and Targi (and pretty much all games you show in your video that are not listed bellow...life is far too short!). My wife and I like (and have) these games: - Carcassonne (+ several expansions) - Hive (+ all expansions) - Famiglia - Jaipur - Musée - Tikal - EDO - Medina - Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries - Cacao - Hanabi - Venture
+Rinaldo De Lucca Awesome thanks for the tips! I will check them out with future videos in mind. I enjoy Fungi and hope to feature it on my next couples games video :)
Dude, I dig the video but a little constructive criticism? Your voice is MUCH lower than your interlude. The interlude hits my ears in headphones much like a freight train compared to your voice.
FYI the publisher of the revised Sherlock Holmes - Ystari - released new cases centered on Jack the Ripper and West End, 10 in total. They are available in French, however will be translated to English next year.
Thanks! I don't have a partner but I do have a son and I am always looking for 2-player games to play with him. I am definitely going to check some of these out.
We've been looking for some new games and found a few new ones to try here - so thanks! We've been playing Azul, Quixx, Rummycube (a classic) and just picked up a few new ones: Jaipur and The Fox in the Forest are pretty good. Thanks for the suggestions.
I never really like, subscribe or make a comment, but your video was informative, funny and most importantly NOT annoying, so I done all 3. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Persephone Constantine Cool, thanks Persephone! I've enjoyed your videos in the past - I remember you mentioned Hive was good for dates, I need to try that one out, maybe it should be on this list.
+Persephone Constantine I got sick of pandemic really quick. I like the dice version better but I even got sick of that one. I Looove your number 1 choice and completely agree. That Sherlock Holmes game is a refreshing treat. It is unlike any game I have ever played.
+Dan Maxwell I recently tried the Lost Cities board game for two players and I thought it was better than the card game in many ways. I love the card game though. I think Battle Line is a lot like Lost Cities except better because it is much more strategic.
+Chris Garrett Really? That's interesting. Do you play with the Prisoners Dilemma variant for 2 player Dead of Winter? Or just straight co-op? I love that game, but never played 2 player.
Straight Co-op, it turns into more of a resource management game than anything else. Oddly enough she found Pandemic confusing, but enjoys the theme of Dead of Winter enough to learn the game even though it basically becomes a resource game. When it's just the 2 of us we don't use secret objectives or anything, just try and survive the core game.
+Chris Garrett Cool. Yeah, the core game is easily hard enough to survive without objectives complicating it even further - so I can imagine the difficulty is high enough. May have to try it one day - so many other great co-op games, though!
+Actualol as a total side note my brother made a game called Random Encounters. If you're looking for a fantastic co-op Indy game to review let me know and I'll send over a copy!
my wife and i play 7 wonders with the leaders and cities expansions all the time and never get tired of it. it seems like all the people who criticize the 2-player variant haven't actually tried it. they are just down on it because it sounds awkward. but i'de say dont knock it till you've tried it. i could see people not liking it due to the added game length though. it makes the game longer and more strategic. but for us - we love it.
Thanks for the video...now I have even more games to buy. I'd like to also throw Lost Cities out there (we play it nearly every week) and Innovation (works great for 2, 3, or 4).
Such a fun video and well done! I agree with most of your choices and learned about some new-to-me games. I would add: 7 Wonders Duel, Codenames (as 2P co-op), Pagoda, Isle of Skye, YINSH, Burgle Bros, Karuba, The Builders: Middle Ages, Forbidden Desert, Cities.... so many good titles.
Found this video via the G&S website. Great list of recommendations. One small note I'd point out is that with Pandemic you recommended that players might be interested in checking out the In The Lab expansion, but it should be pointed out that the In The Lab expansion does say it requires the On The Brink expansion. This is especially true if you do want to get the most out of the In The Lab expansion. If you wanted to mitigate some of this confusion you could've maybe suggested the new State of Emergency expansion. As for my own recommendations. I'd say Lost Cities: The Card Game would be a good one. Easy to learn, fun to play, and can definitely fester some tension. Such as, do I discard this card that doesn't help me but helps my opponent or do I discard this card that will help me but not my opponent all because I want to keep everything else I have. Another possible recommendation would be 7 Wonders (especially with the Cities and Leaders expansions). I know the game might have a bit of a learning curve but I find the core mechanics are easy to understand it is learning all the symbols that is the challenge. I think once you get through that initial unfamiliarity with the symbols then you can really play the game and really have fun with it. Plus the game does work well with extra players.
Thanks for the clarification. From what I've played of In The Lab I haven't needed OTB, but that's because I've only played it two players and never with the purple cubes.
Love this video very much :). Gives me a lot of ideas for similar games. My girlfriend and I have been getting a lot of mileage out of Star Realms, if you haven't played that. Probably our favorite 2-player game; fantastic interactive deckbuilding though it is by its nature combative.
Came to this video from a newer one that recommended it, only to find that most of the Amazon pages no longer exist. I haven't gone out of my way to check other retailers yet, but if these games are still in print, I think it'd really help people if you'd update the links in the description to places you can actually purchase them.
Some that weren’t o your list and my wife and I love to play are Star Wars Rebellion (it sits on the table for a few days as we play two to four rounds a day - yes, it is that long), Lords of Waterdeep (her favorite worker placement), Potion Explosion, Sagrada, Suburbia, and Planes
Love this video, Mainly because our gaming group use the term genu-LOL. ActuLOL drew me in. On a more serious note, It's one of the best constructed BG reviews I've watched. Every holiday we take Lost Cities, Battle Line, ACBAS and San Juan as standard. Particularly love San Juan as you can expand it should you generate interest in the bar! For gaming at home we've found Castles of Burgundy plays excellent as a couples game and is probably our top pick. Keep up the good work.
Really fun video and great picks. You kept me watching. We also like Hive, Jaipur, Jambo, Azul (all variations) and Kahuna. And don't forget CodeNames Duet.
Let me start by saying: I am a terrible wife. Why? Because my husband sent me a link to this video the day you sent it out, and I didn't watch it. Then I lost track of it. He kept reminding me to look at it, that it was worth a watch, but it kept falling to the wayside. We just finished up PAX Prime in Seattle...and today I watched your video. And now I am positively kicking myself I didn't watch it sooner! I could have sampled most, if not all, of these games over the weekend and likely purchased several of them. But no. I had to be a bad bad wife. Great video. Well organized and produced. Enjoyable to watch, and you covered so much detail about each game without getting all TL; DR. Great stuff, will be subbing to your channel (and buying many of these games!)
At the moment I would have Onitama on all my lists. It's a (usually) relatively quick 2-player game that requires quite a bit of strategy. I also love Forbidden Desert/Island: a co-op for two or more. The Big Book of Madness also falls into this category. Then there's Guildhall Fantasy. Now that I think about it, I actually enjoy all the games in my collection that can be played with two people. 😅
I love the Game, Hanabi (although that's better with more people) and Pandemic. Sherlock Holmes is top of my Christmas list :) Can you tell my partner doesn't like competition? ;-) One game I somehow never hear mentioned is Codenames Duet and that might be my absolute favourite two player game. It allows for so many creative connections to be made (and missed) and you can laugh about them together even if you don't make your mission. The world map also allows you to pick a difficulty setting that matches the mood of the players. Love it!
Good presentation. With 2, we love Mr Jack, Dracula, Jaipur, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Arkham Horror, Sentinels of the Multiverse (with 2 characters each), Biblios, Smash Up, Robinson Crusoe, and I would include Castles of Burgundy but I'm not so sure she would. As for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, check out Arkham Investigator next year. Hopefully the cases will make more sense.
stevelabny Ha, yes, I was a bit forgiving of the translation errors, typos and dodgy bits in Sherlock Holmes. The trouble is, it's such a great concept that I can forgive those flaws. Fingers crossed the forthcoming expansions are better on that front. I will keep an eye out for Arkham Investigator. I'd also love to see a reprint of Gumshoe, which is a similar game from one of the designers in a hardboiled detective 1930s style. Thanks for your tips. Mr Jack is on my longlist, Robinson Crusoe too - though felt a bit heavy going for this top ten. I've been trying to get a copy of Dracula, so hope to try that too.
Sadly, I just came across this video, and though CV intrigues me and looks like a fun game, it is now selling for $80-$90. Ah well. I've thought about getting arboretum, but wasn't sure if my wife would enjoy the analysis paralysis. I do enjoy Kahuna sometimes, and she asks to play that one often. Kingdomino is another (very light) game that we enjoy. We both enjoy patchwork every once in a while too. A really quick and fun 2 player game is Longhorn by Blue Orange Games. The board is randomly set up in a 3 x 3 square, and cattle are placed a certain number of them on each square (random in color) you and your opponent are cattle rustlers. Since the cattle in your hand are worth the number of cattle that color left on the board, you have to balance what you take with what you leave. There's also gold you can pick up along the way. You take all the cattle of one color from the square you are on. The number of cattle you take from a square also indicates how many moves you make. The playing piece is 2 sided, so the space you end in is the space your opponent starts in. There are always 2, sometimes 3 ways to win: 1. Have the most value in cows + gold at the end of the game 2. Collect all of 1 color of cows (difficult to do) 3. Leave your opponent with only the space with the Sheriff on it to go to. (The sheriff is not in every game, as the gold/snake/sheriff etc pieces are drawn randomly) It's quick, fun, and just a smidge thinky.
Great video, it made us laugh out loud! We love Carcassonne and are looking forward to trying some games higher up the list. I think your 'partner' needs to work on her flirting.
Love the list. Arboretum is on my wishlist now. Recently I've also fallen in love with The Lost Expedition, because it can be played both cooperatively and competitively in a 2 player game, depending on the mood :)
I really like Patchwork and Agricola ACB&S - they've been played quite a bit in my house and they're lovely. However, my favourite couples game by far is Jaipur! It's a really quick, light but strategic, game that's very pretty. I'm surprised you didn't mention it. I find Pandemic is a highly subjective experience based on who you're playing it with - I have only had one group out of 3 or 4 which didn't make Pandemic feel bad.
Cheers from Turkiye... The jingle screen between list entries is higher volume compared to regular footage. Carcassonne is being sold here in Turkey but I wasnt aware that it can be fun just with 2 people. I'm gonna try that.
Great video jon, your style and comedy made me subscribe. i agree with alot of the games on your list so ill be trying arboretum. I recommend castles of mad king ludwig for you and your gf !!!!
Loved the video: great list, great humour. One thing, though: the difference in audio between you speaking and the music in between games is too large. I need to turn the volume up to hear you, but then my ears get blasted from the music.
Our list: Suburbia Hive Onitama Masters Gallery Tikal Akrotiri Archaeology: The New Expedition Jaipur Lost Cities Sun Tzu Carcassonne 13 Days Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu
Thanks a lot! /s Because of you, I'm now the proud owner of: -The Game -Arboretum -CV (Already had Carcassone and Pandemic) I hope you are ashamed, as you should be :P
Quick question re: Sherlock before it goes on my to buy list: What is the re-playability like? I guess none once you have solved the 10 cases? Saw this following the share by Wil Wheaton, good video however may have to spend some money now ...
+Thomas Greatbatch Correct, once you've completed a case you can never do it again. However, each case takes about 2 hours, so I think you get your money's worth. The publishers have announced some expansion cases due soonish as well.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
This is probably the best "top 10" video I've seen, not necessarily for the content but for the perfect mix of solid production values, great video length and aesthetic, nice dose of humor, and excellent narrative efficiency. Extra props for concisely describing gameplay in just a minute or two (a serious deficiency in most videos), while still capturing the feel of the games.
+Aaron Aguilar Thanks Aaron - I really appreciate your comment. I had hoped to keep it concise and still capture the feel of games, so I'm glad it worked.
I concur. This is the best top 10 board games video I’ve seen and stands the test of time.
Thanks for all the positive comments, everyone! I'm glad so many people enjoyed the video and I'm super excited about working on my next one.
+Actualol any chance you might revisit this topic again in 2016, maybe?
Coincidentally, I bought some of these games last year, and they were perfect for our gaming sessions. We need more suggestions?! (:
Yes, there is quite a good chance I will make another video about couples games later this year. I have some couples games I'd like to talk about, and there was a number of interesting 2 player games that came out last year that I want to try.
I can't really do another "Top 10", what do you think to a couples games round-up? Perhaps where I review 5 potential couples games and talk about whether they're any good, and who might like them?
Then, if that video is a success I could make a semi-regular video. What do you think? Any other thoughts welcomed :)
Hello again, any possible updates on this new video yet?
+nuke On my next couples video? It should be along in the next month or two. Sorry for the wait!
Patchwork
Watching this in 2023 & your humor is still awesome
2024
You are one of a few rare breed of content creators that is likable, posts good videos, and doesn't make asking politely for a like, sub and follow a demand like so many others.
You my good sir, deserve so much more, but as I can't give more through my screen I'll at least give you a like and a sub! :D
Wow, thanks! If I could give more than a comment like back, I would!
One the the highest video quality about boardgame out there on youtube. Thank you.
Thank YOU!
Love love love your approach to discussing board games man. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for setting up the games!! Its surprising how many Board Games specific channels are just holding the box whilst giving a non-specific description of the game. This is what I was looking for. 5th channel in.....Just finished watching; the enactments alone are worth subscribing. Great video!
We bought CV thanks to your recommendation and had a blast with it yesterday! Indeed a fantastic game for couples. Love your videos, funny and informative!
+lior mk Great news! Glad you enjoyed it.
Dear friend, that was one of the best board game related videos I've ever seen.
Thank you for introducing me to these games - I'm afraid I now want all of them!
Thank you
You're welcome! Thanks for your kind words.
I watched your video and bought CV. BEST RECOMMENDATION!!! My friends and I love this game and cannot play it enough while laughing nonstop.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, I'm glad I could you find a game you loved 🙂
Loved the style of this video :-) I also adore CV; the artwork, the dynamics, everything! Another brilliant thing is the constant replay-ability, and that anyone can play it (like non-gamers at a dinner party) it's truly universal.
There is a version of Carcassonne called "The Castle" which is specifically a 2player game which looks like fun with the external wall dynamics - Rahdo did a run through of it. He's also done one of a game called Musee, which is similar to Arboretum, but you have an art gallery to curate instead :-)
I also know what you mean about Hanabi (having played it once with a couple and another friend) haha!
Thanks for the great video, now I'm off to check out more of yours! x
You make a very sweet and sympathetic woman
+BobbySoFamous lol
OMFG, I was just going to say that his girlfriend has a deeper voice than him. I didn't even realize at first...
Great video! We also enjoy playing Ubongo Duel and Yinsh. Cribbage is great for 2 players too, even if it is a "grandma's game" :)
+Phebe Kemmer Cool, thanks for tips! I haven't played either of those first two. :)
Very insightful comments and the first boardgame reviewer I've watched that is actually and genuinely funny, instead of just trying. Great work, keep it up. Subscribed
Thanks - glad you like it!
Amazing !!!!
My top couple games are
- Patchwork
- Through the Ages
- Blueprints
- Quatermaster General
- Small World
- Runewars
- San Juan
-Concordia + Salsa
A hug from Rio, Brazil ! Your videos are top ! Continue , please !!!
+leonardo balbi Thanks! Nice list - you clearly have no problem going head to head with your partner if you're playing Quatermaster General and Smallworld!
We bought Agricola ACBAS, Arboretum and others off the back of this video (yep, 5 years later!). Both are fantastic, and my BGG rating for Arboretum is a 10 - it's my favourite game. Thank you. Patchwork is fun and was worth getting, but it ran out of steam quite quickly for us.
"[Pandemic] is an experience that will bring you closer as a couple. It's a stress that you have to overcome together."
Cries in 2020.
"If we lose our jobs as fireworks experts its gonna be all your fault." LMFAO so true about Hanabi.
My only gripe with this video is the how loud the jingle is between the games while your commentary is on the quiet side, so I found myself raising and lowering the volume a lot.
+Popcornio Apologies for that - it is annoying. I've fixed it in all the videos I've made since this one.
Omg! This video had me cracking up! This is one of my favorites on your channel!
Few of my favorite couple games:
1. Castles of Burgundy
2. 7 Wonders Duel
3. Lords of Waterdeep
Looking forward to check out Patchwork from your list!
Great video with some great choices. I would add Jaipur, Star Realms, Mr. Jack, Sushi Go! and the brand new Tides of Time to the list. All of them (except Sushi Go!) are designed for two players and lots of fun.
You did a fantastic job with these mini reviews. Very refreshing.
+Leonardo Teixeira Thanks Leonardo, I hope to make many more Top Ten videos in the future.
Great video, man. Love all your suggestions and your vids are entertaining and informational. Gotta get your viewer count up, man! Good luck to you.
I've bought Dominion for couples as a gift and they love it. there is a bit of competition sometimes, but the ever changing cardpool means you'll never play the same game twice. plus you can plug in more cards because they'll never stop making expansions for it.
Great video! Well produced, funny, and you know the right games!
Wow this video is amazing. I need to try these games to fully judge, but I love the way you analyze the different games, the dimensions you consider (amount of stress / tension / ...) and what makes the game great or better than older games (e.g. Patchwork vs. Scrabble). Definitely going to try CV, Paperback, Arboretum and Sherlock. Thanks so much for spending time to do that!
Thanks for the efforts! The act is hilarious and the recommendation of games is decent with every reason well explained, hope to see more works of this kind from you!
I learned about you from "this game is broken". your channel is really good. Im impressed
Great list, now fast forward into the future, and I would add Santorini. It’s not relaxing, it’s more “mean” as you are always blocking your opponents with domes, but it’s like a more fun version of chess, and plays much faster. A game takes 15 minutes tops. And at the end of each game, you have a cool looking city that looks unique every time.
Fast forward into the future, and I raved about Santorini in this video: ruclips.net/video/pXaDTbJqGxw/видео.html Looks like we agree! :)
Nice. I just started getting into board games two weeks ago. I tried getting my wife into video games, but it was too much for her, so I found an alternative: board games. I didn't realize how many board games there were beyond Monopoly. So far, our collection consists of Photosynthesis, Ticket to Ride, Santorini, Patchwork, Hive, Kingdomino, and Forbidden Island. Out of those, we like Santorini and Patchwork the best. I see you recommended Agricola Creatures Big and Small... It's out of print. Is the "Family" edition of Agricola the same thing? I would try the full game, but i think it's too big of a step for my wife right now. Thank you very much.
Sounds like your collection is pretty great already! I'm always excited to hear about people who have just got into board games.
I would actually hesitate recommending Agricola All Creatures Big and Small nowadays. It's fine but I prefer many other games for couples. Check out my two other videos Couples That Play Together and The Dating Games for more games that I'd recommend.
To answer your question though, Agricola Family Edition is longer and more involved than ACBC. But probably still relatively approachable. (I've not played it).
Thanks for this. It's very helpful. I also liked your little vignettes, which were funny while clarifying your points. Keep up the good work!
Hubby and I used to play two player Dominion. Sometimes for a couple of hours, like five different rounds or more. We have several of the expansions (I MIGHT have a problem when we play with Platinum...buying so much of it, though I do win that way sometimes) so we can refresh the game with things that haven't come out in a while. It's nice too, there are apps on your phone that can randomize you a deck set with the expansions you actually have.
If you haven't yet, you should definitely try Carcassone: Castle. It's 2 player Carcassone with a twist.
Yeah, I really want to check that one out.
Completely agree with Patchwork, it's surprisingly enjoyable on every front. Can you make a top 10 solo games list? I'd be interested to see what you recommend. Thanks!
I'm afraid I'm not much of a solo gamer. I like Onirim, but I play it 2 player.
Pro tip, you can get Arboretum cheaper on eBay. It usually sells for about US$20. US$30 is just too much for a card game, IMO.
Regarding your list, this video is what got me to subscribe to your channel. You add light humor to excellent reviews. It's a great combination.
Currently $17 on Amazon
Very nicely produced video I was surprised that it is only the third on your channel. Overall, the games you picked were too light for our taste and we were also surprised that many of them were two player only. According to our experience two player only does not necessarily mean that it is the best for couples. From two player games we would have added Targi to the list which is an excellent worker placement game from the KOSMOS two-player series. From 2+ games Dungeon Petz, Imperial Settlers, and Progress - Evolution of Technology work wonderfully with two. Thank you for your video.
Great video. Here are some of my favorite 2-player games:
Fjords
Carcassonne
Agricola - all creatures big and small
Hive
exploding kittens is a must! so is star realms. but only if the two of you are competitive
Great video! Thank you very much. We still have to try Arboretum, Longhorn, Fungi, 7 Wonders Duel and Targi (and pretty much all games you show in your video that are not listed bellow...life is far too short!).
My wife and I like (and have) these games:
- Carcassonne (+ several expansions)
- Hive (+ all expansions)
- Famiglia
- Jaipur
- Musée
- Tikal
- EDO
- Medina
- Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries
- Cacao
- Hanabi
- Venture
+Rinaldo De Lucca Awesome thanks for the tips! I will check them out with future videos in mind. I enjoy Fungi and hope to feature it on my next couples games video :)
Dude, I dig the video but a little constructive criticism? Your voice is MUCH lower than your interlude. The interlude hits my ears in headphones much like a freight train compared to your voice.
Ray M Thanks for the feedback Ray, I appreciate it. I've heard the same elsewhere - I'll definitely get it sorted for my next video.
No worries! Thanks for responding!
+Actualol Gotta agree with the man, but other than that, great video.
+Fergus Hadley Sorry about that! I've fixed it in my more recent videos. Unfortunately RUclips won't let me replace this video with an edited version.
FYI the publisher of the revised Sherlock Holmes - Ystari - released new cases centered on Jack the Ripper and West End, 10 in total. They are available in French, however will be translated to English next year.
Would 7 Wonders: Duel make the list for you today?
Timothy Meyer my wife loved 7 wonders, so I was very excited to get her duel. She hates it.
It's me and my girlfriend's favorite
Thanks! I don't have a partner but I do have a son and I am always looking for 2-player games to play with him. I am definitely going to check some of these out.
We've been looking for some new games and found a few new ones to try here - so thanks! We've been playing Azul, Quixx, Rummycube (a classic) and just picked up a few new ones: Jaipur and The Fox in the Forest are pretty good. Thanks for the suggestions.
I never really like, subscribe or make a comment, but your video was informative, funny and most importantly NOT annoying, so I done all 3. Thanks and keep up the good work.
I've just loved it!!! So funny and so explanative! Congrats!
+Taysa Accardi Thanks Taysa :)
Fantastic list, and fantastic video! I loved the Scrabble bit. Subscribed!
+Flying Penguin Thanks! Welcome aboard!
Best "Top Games" review on RUclips. Epic job man :)
Been dying to find something different to play with my husband. Thank you!!
I really liked this. Your comments are useful. You also like a lot of my favorite games so now I want to try the other games you suggested.
Persephone Constantine Cool, thanks Persephone! I've enjoyed your videos in the past - I remember you mentioned Hive was good for dates, I need to try that one out, maybe it should be on this list.
+Persephone Constantine I got sick of pandemic really quick. I like the dice version better but I even got sick of that one. I Looove your number 1 choice and completely agree. That Sherlock Holmes game is a refreshing treat. It is unlike any game I have ever played.
You make some of the best board game content. You're up there with SU&SD for me.
Exploding Kittens and Lost Cities - Card Game seem to be our favorites at this time
+Dan Maxwell I recently tried the Lost Cities board game for two players and I thought it was better than the card game in many ways. I love the card game though. I think Battle Line is a lot like Lost Cities except better because it is much more strategic.
Dead of Winter is one of our favorite couple games along with Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective.
+Chris Garrett Really? That's interesting. Do you play with the Prisoners Dilemma variant for 2 player Dead of Winter? Or just straight co-op? I love that game, but never played 2 player.
Straight Co-op, it turns into more of a resource management game than anything else. Oddly enough she found Pandemic confusing, but enjoys the theme of Dead of Winter enough to learn the game even though it basically becomes a resource game. When it's just the 2 of us we don't use secret objectives or anything, just try and survive the core game.
+Chris Garrett Cool. Yeah, the core game is easily hard enough to survive without objectives complicating it even further - so I can imagine the difficulty is high enough. May have to try it one day - so many other great co-op games, though!
+Actualol as a total side note my brother made a game called Random Encounters. If you're looking for a fantastic co-op Indy game to review let me know and I'll send over a copy!
my wife and i play 7 wonders with the leaders and cities expansions all the time and never get tired of it. it seems like all the people who criticize the 2-player variant haven't actually tried it. they are just down on it because it sounds awkward. but i'de say dont knock it till you've tried it. i could see people not liking it due to the added game length though. it makes the game longer and more strategic. but for us - we love it.
Thanks for the video...now I have even more games to buy. I'd like to also throw Lost Cities out there (we play it nearly every week) and Innovation (works great for 2, 3, or 4).
Dude, excellent job! Seriously. Perfect video.
Thanks! If you liked that, check out my more recent videos like this one: ruclips.net/video/JzsHIDw7adE/видео.html
Such a fun video and well done! I agree with most of your choices and learned about some new-to-me games.
I would add: 7 Wonders Duel, Codenames (as 2P co-op), Pagoda, Isle of Skye, YINSH, Burgle Bros, Karuba, The Builders: Middle Ages, Forbidden Desert, Cities.... so many good titles.
Found this video via the G&S website. Great list of recommendations. One small note I'd point out is that with Pandemic you recommended that players might be interested in checking out the In The Lab expansion, but it should be pointed out that the In The Lab expansion does say it requires the On The Brink expansion. This is especially true if you do want to get the most out of the In The Lab expansion. If you wanted to mitigate some of this confusion you could've maybe suggested the new State of Emergency expansion.
As for my own recommendations. I'd say Lost Cities: The Card Game would be a good one. Easy to learn, fun to play, and can definitely fester some tension. Such as, do I discard this card that doesn't help me but helps my opponent or do I discard this card that will help me but not my opponent all because I want to keep everything else I have.
Another possible recommendation would be 7 Wonders (especially with the Cities and Leaders expansions). I know the game might have a bit of a learning curve but I find the core mechanics are easy to understand it is learning all the symbols that is the challenge. I think once you get through that initial unfamiliarity with the symbols then you can really play the game and really have fun with it. Plus the game does work well with extra players.
Thanks for the clarification. From what I've played of In The Lab I haven't needed OTB, but that's because I've only played it two players and never with the purple cubes.
Love your work, creativity and tongue in cheek humor! Subscribed!
Great list! I like the links in the description, although I bet that was monotonous. Thank you!
Love this video very much :). Gives me a lot of ideas for similar games. My girlfriend and I have been getting a lot of mileage out of Star Realms, if you haven't played that. Probably our favorite 2-player game; fantastic interactive deckbuilding though it is by its nature combative.
Scrabble killer - LOL - the fact that you can score more through short words in Scrabble IS one of its bonuses
Came to this video from a newer one that recommended it, only to find that most of the Amazon pages no longer exist. I haven't gone out of my way to check other retailers yet, but if these games are still in print, I think it'd really help people if you'd update the links in the description to places you can actually purchase them.
Some that weren’t o your list and my wife and I love to play are Star Wars Rebellion (it sits on the table for a few days as we play two to four rounds a day - yes, it is that long), Lords of Waterdeep (her favorite worker placement), Potion Explosion, Sagrada, Suburbia, and Planes
Love that you take care of your cards :)
It's an obsession! Cards are for life, not just for Christmas!
Absolutely tremendous. More, please!
nice video! nice editing and thank you so much Actualol
Love this video, Mainly because our gaming group use the term genu-LOL. ActuLOL drew me in. On a more serious note, It's one of the best constructed BG reviews I've watched.
Every holiday we take Lost Cities, Battle Line, ACBAS and San Juan as standard.
Particularly love San Juan as you can expand it should you generate interest in the bar!
For gaming at home we've found Castles of Burgundy plays excellent as a couples game and is probably our top pick.
Keep up the good work.
Really fun video and great picks. You kept me watching. We also like Hive, Jaipur, Jambo, Azul (all variations) and Kahuna. And don't forget CodeNames Duet.
Let me start by saying: I am a terrible wife.
Why?
Because my husband sent me a link to this video the day you sent it out, and I didn't watch it. Then I lost track of it. He kept reminding me to look at it, that it was worth a watch, but it kept falling to the wayside.
We just finished up PAX Prime in Seattle...and today I watched your video. And now I am positively kicking myself I didn't watch it sooner! I could have sampled most, if not all, of these games over the weekend and likely purchased several of them.
But no. I had to be a bad bad wife.
Great video. Well organized and produced. Enjoyable to watch, and you covered so much detail about each game without getting all TL; DR. Great stuff, will be subbing to your channel (and buying many of these games!)
Awesomeness! I love this video!!
At the moment I would have Onitama on all my lists. It's a (usually) relatively quick 2-player game that requires quite a bit of strategy.
I also love Forbidden Desert/Island: a co-op for two or more. The Big Book of Madness also falls into this category.
Then there's Guildhall Fantasy.
Now that I think about it, I actually enjoy all the games in my collection that can be played with two people. 😅
This is the best video about board game I have ever watched, soo entertaining, informative, funny and to the point. Hats to you sir
That's very kind of you to say! Check out my more recent videos for more of the same style!
"The Game... why have I been playing all the other games while I could have been playing THE game?" hahahah :D :D
I love the Game, Hanabi (although that's better with more people) and Pandemic. Sherlock Holmes is top of my Christmas list :) Can you tell my partner doesn't like competition? ;-)
One game I somehow never hear mentioned is Codenames Duet and that might be my absolute favourite two player game. It allows for so many creative connections to be made (and missed) and you can laugh about them together even if you don't make your mission. The world map also allows you to pick a difficulty setting that matches the mood of the players. Love it!
I'm a single dad and have been looking for games for my son and I to play. Thanks for the ideas!
+Bill Baran No worries, glad to be of service!
Loved your video. It was very enlightening and entertaining. Can't wait to see more. Thank you!
13:14 where do you get those plastic dishes for storing the cubes?
Good presentation. With 2, we love Mr Jack, Dracula, Jaipur, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Arkham Horror, Sentinels of the Multiverse (with 2 characters each), Biblios, Smash Up, Robinson Crusoe, and I would include Castles of Burgundy but I'm not so sure she would. As for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, check out Arkham Investigator next year. Hopefully the cases will make more sense.
stevelabny Ha, yes, I was a bit forgiving of the translation errors, typos and dodgy bits in Sherlock Holmes. The trouble is, it's such a great concept that I can forgive those flaws. Fingers crossed the forthcoming expansions are better on that front.
I will keep an eye out for Arkham Investigator. I'd also love to see a reprint of Gumshoe, which is a similar game from one of the designers in a hardboiled detective 1930s style.
Thanks for your tips. Mr Jack is on my longlist, Robinson Crusoe too - though felt a bit heavy going for this top ten. I've been trying to get a copy of Dracula, so hope to try that too.
Great video and wonderful recommendations. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you. Cheers.
Sadly, I just came across this video, and though CV intrigues me and looks like a fun game, it is now selling for $80-$90. Ah well.
I've thought about getting arboretum, but wasn't sure if my wife would enjoy the analysis paralysis.
I do enjoy Kahuna sometimes, and she asks to play that one often. Kingdomino is another (very light) game that we enjoy.
We both enjoy patchwork every once in a while too.
A really quick and fun 2 player game is Longhorn by Blue Orange Games.
The board is randomly set up in a 3 x 3 square, and cattle are placed a certain number of them on each square (random in color) you and your opponent are cattle rustlers. Since the cattle in your hand are worth the number of cattle that color left on the board, you have to balance what you take with what you leave. There's also gold you can pick up along the way. You take all the cattle of one color from the square you are on. The number of cattle you take from a square also indicates how many moves you make. The playing piece is 2 sided, so the space you end in is the space your opponent starts in.
There are always 2, sometimes 3 ways to win:
1. Have the most value in cows + gold at the end of the game
2. Collect all of 1 color of cows (difficult to do)
3. Leave your opponent with only the space with the Sheriff on it to go to. (The sheriff is not in every game, as the gold/snake/sheriff etc pieces are drawn randomly)
It's quick, fun, and just a smidge thinky.
Bro, your short on Arberitum is hilarious 😂
Great video, it made us laugh out loud! We love Carcassonne and are looking forward to trying some games higher up the list. I think your 'partner' needs to work on her flirting.
Ooh, dastardly dirigibles is a fun 2 player game too!
Guillotine doesn't have the tension but it is really cute with fun mechanics, and is highly unlikely to cause fights :-)
Love the list. Arboretum is on my wishlist now. Recently I've also fallen in love with The Lost Expedition, because it can be played both cooperatively and competitively in a 2 player game, depending on the mood :)
Lost Cities and Kahuna. Luckily, they're back in print.
Great games and great video. Keep up the terrific work!
Timothy Hiehle Thanks for the encouragement!
The CV role-play was actual lol
CV or Pursuit of Happiness?
+Jake Kamps Pursuit of Happiness is more thematically rich. Haven't played it enough yet to make a final decision between the two.
I really like Patchwork and Agricola ACB&S - they've been played quite a bit in my house and they're lovely. However, my favourite couples game by far is Jaipur! It's a really quick, light but strategic, game that's very pretty. I'm surprised you didn't mention it. I find Pandemic is a highly subjective experience based on who you're playing it with - I have only had one group out of 3 or 4 which didn't make Pandemic feel bad.
Great video. can't wait to see more.
I've playing Pandemic: Legacy with my girlfriend. I would definitely recommend it as a couple game!
Yeah, same! It's great fun, though finding it a bit easy as a 2 player. How far through are you?
+Actualol We're in March right now, sorta taking our time with the game.
Does it make it better with all the stickers and everything?
That can be a two player game?
Cheers from Turkiye...
The jingle screen between list entries is higher volume compared to regular footage.
Carcassonne is being sold here in Turkey but I wasnt aware that it can be fun just with 2 people. I'm gonna try that.
Great video jon, your style and comedy made me subscribe. i agree with alot of the games on your list so ill be trying arboretum. I recommend castles of mad king ludwig for you and your gf !!!!
+themanlympics Thanks for the tip! Let me know how you get on with Arboretum. (And thanks for subscribing!)
I have just found your channel and I really enjoyed this video, you are really funny! You are such an actor :D
Loved the video: great list, great humour. One thing, though: the difference in audio between you speaking and the music in between games is too large. I need to turn the volume up to hear you, but then my ears get blasted from the music.
Our list:
Suburbia
Hive
Onitama
Masters Gallery
Tikal
Akrotiri
Archaeology: The New Expedition
Jaipur
Lost Cities
Sun Tzu
Carcassonne
13 Days
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu
Thanks a lot! /s
Because of you, I'm now the proud owner of:
-The Game
-Arboretum
-CV
(Already had Carcassone and Pandemic)
I hope you are ashamed, as you should be :P
+Mathieu Grenon Never! I hope you enjoy them! :)
I really enjoyed your review, good stuff mate...
Quick question re: Sherlock before it goes on my to buy list:
What is the re-playability like? I guess none once you have solved the 10 cases?
Saw this following the share by Wil Wheaton, good video however may have to spend some money now ...
+Thomas Greatbatch Correct, once you've completed a case you can never do it again. However, each case takes about 2 hours, so I think you get your money's worth. The publishers have announced some expansion cases due soonish as well.