If you can appreciate abstracts at all, Mandala is a must try. It's my favourite 2p only game. Hanamikoj is a great little game too. I'd like to try Land vs. Sea and Great Plains.
Circle the Wagons seems to miss so many top 2 player game lists, and it’s a shame. I know it’s mostly because people haven’t heard about it too, so I try my hardest to make it known. It’s such a genius 18 card game.
Soo many of these Best/Top "2-Players" videos are an identical list, and a few of the repeats/ staples made it onto this one as well,. But, I'm glad there's a few on this list that I haven't seen anywhere else. Completely forgot about Skulk Hollow, glad this video reminded me it exists.
Excellent! Love these videos. The only one I’d add is Hive. It’s textile feel, no board, deep strategy and yet welcoming simplicity is pretty cool. I just ordered Caper so looking forward to it!
Absolutely! One of the best 2 player games ever. I play it loads with my 12 year old (who wins most of the time🙃 of course). It's pure abstract strategy but somehow has built in some humour. It has a depth and complexity to the extent that there are now analysis books (along the lines of strategy books for chess or Go) but can be played in a light-hearted way (or more seriously) within 10 to 20 minutes. It's quite addictive. I'll proselytise for Hive anytime!
Excellent list! I agree with many choices and am happy to be introduced to a few I didn’t know (Caper Europe being one of them). And yes, no question that 7 Wondes Duel deserves top billing! Another recent favorite is Radlands. Love the artwork, quick playtime, and interesting choices to be made turn. Plus an easy rematch if one isn’t happy with the result. One I’ve considered that also looks great as a 2p is the Unmatched series. But would likely chose Summoner Wars over it for all the reasons you mentioned
Great list. Thanks for putting it together. Definitely want to try Caper Europe and Duelosaur Island. Some of my favourite 2-player games are Santorini, Tides of Time and Onitama
Have agreed with @Luis Garcia 's recommendation of Hive below, but I'd also add Onitama. Such a lovely game - tight and strategic, but also very gentle, despite its abstract nature (and the art work is amazing ...)
The theme may not be exciting for everyone but 1960: The Making of the President is an incredible 2P game. Great tug of war and the card play in that game is absolutely brilliant.
Great video, alot of games I've never heard of on this list that look great. Some of my favorite 2 player games are Hive, and Oden's Ravens, and while not strictly two player only, I've really gotten into dice throne lately.
nice list, always good to see good old jaipur getting some well deserved love ! (even if i'm not into the theme i have to admit it works so wonderfully well !) As far as i liked 7 wonders Duel, i found it to be a bit disapointing at a time, when i sometimes realize that no matter what action i'm going to take, i'm gonna left myself behind and get the lose. We switched to Splendor Duel and Tokaido duel, 2 lighter games that works well for us. I defenatly have to try Targui someday ! once again the theme isn't speaking to me at all but like jaipur, i might get surprised ! here are few other games that are working great at our place : -Astro Knights (or Aeon's end, but i prefer the faster setup from astro knights) -Alice's garden (wich we do prefer better than patchwork 2p) -Mindbug (fast, quick and furious) -Power Plants (nice looking, good interractions) -Circle the wagoon / Crypt of sedlec (two excellent microgames for 2 players) -Spirit Island (nothing left to say !) -The game (Small coop, perfect travel buddy and also great at 3 players) ------------------ ---------------------- -------------------- Cheers from belgium !
Other 2-player games I enjoy: Onitama (arguably my favorite game), The Fox in the Forest (also arguably my favorite game), Schotten Totten, Matcha (not a good game, but a game I'm still fond of), Hanamikoji, Royal Visit, Hive, Mandala, Quarto *Play well at 2: Piepmatz, Village Green, Azul*
My list would be 1) Targi w/ expansion 2) 7 wonders duel w/ pantheon expansion 3) Patchwork 4) Air,Land and Sea 5) Radlands 6) Caper Europe 7) Jaipur 8) Riftforce 9) Watergate 10) Land vs Sea
I wholeheartedly agree that 7 Wonders Duel is better than the original. You mentioned that the theme comes alive better and it's completely true. The tug of war aspect of military strength is more palpable than in the original game where you could just choose to ignore it entirely and Science is more interesting because not only is it a win condition but the Progress tokens you gain actually feel like technological developments to your civilization, not just another way to get points. I'm curious what you think of the expansions, which is better?
I’ve played it a few times and I just don’t really vibe with it. Don’t like the theme or the art style and the card selection seems very random doing down the selections.
@@billable1861 What do you mean the card selection is random? I think the pyramid where the card you chose reveals more options as you go is a brilliant mechanism that I personally haven't seen done in other games before.
Summoner Wars, Patchwork, Jaipur and 7 Wonders Duel all make my list as well. I'm really interested in grabbing Caper now (thanks...); in return, may I suggest Ivion?
My Top 10: 7 wonders Duel Patchwork Codenames Duet Jaipur Targi Blitzkrieg Watergate Star Realms Lost Cities Caper: Europe (never played but i think it would be on this list)
Any opinions on Radlands? I know it’s not perfect, but for some reason it’s my personal favorite 2p game. I also love Royal Visit (my favorite Knizia, in fact) and Air, Land & Sea.
Great question. Sadly Redlands is one of those ones I really want to play and haven’t had a chance to yet. Maybe it’ll be on this list when I reassess in a couple years. 😀
I think I only own two games that are 2P exclusive: Claustrophobia 1643 and Star Wars: Destiny. The former is a lavish dungeon crawler with rogue humans on one side and the demons of the so called dungeon on the other. SW:D is a deck contruction and dice combat affair with wild team-ups and scenarios in the Star Wars universe.
Some games on your list********** seem to consistently be mentioned in top-10 2 player lists! BTW, Do any of the games mentioned play well digitally (PC Game)? 7 Wonders Duel ********** Caper Europe *********** Jaipur ********* Duelosaur Island ********** Patchwork ********** summoner wars Cthulhu Wars: Duel Targi ************* Thunder and Lightning Skulk Hollow Battle of Five Armies Android: Netrunner Or how about other popular 2 player games.. do any of these play well on PC? Everdell Azul Gloomhaven Wingspan (Asia?) Unmatched Lost Cites Santorini Castles Of Burgundy Great Western Trail (Argentina ?) Bear And Bread Fox in the Forest Watergate Land Vs Sea Dice Thrown Grand Austria Hotel Five Tribes Fugitive - Hive Onitama Star Realms - Hero Realms (deck builder) Beer and Bread - Legendary Hey! That's my fish Carcassonne Kitchen Rush - Fields of Arle War of the Ring Claim baseball highlights 2045 boop Klask - Hanamikoji Pagoda The Raptor Naga Raja Hero Realms - BoonLake Arc Nova Quest for El Dorado Empires of The North Dice Miner Terracotta Army - Quarto Crokinole Paris City of Lights / Paris La Cite de la lumiere Fugitive Jekyll Vs Hyde - Magic The Gathering Star Wars Rebellion Lawyer Up - Kahuna Dvonn - Radlands Fairy Trails Parks Trails Super Mega Lucky Box Timelines Isle of Cats - Hadrian's Wall Parks
Nice list, even though i disagree on Patchwork. I have played it 100s of times and have been bothered by the luck of the initial sequence. I played it primarily against a colleague and after many many games we could basically predict the winner from the get go.
War of the Ring proudly proclaims it’s 2-4 player status and many (foolish) people swear by it as a team game even if we know that it’s really a 2p game at heart. Battle of the Five Armies though? On another day it may have made it on the list. I just don’t get it to the table as often as I really should.
I actually prefer to play it with four. The only bit about it that's weird to me is the win condition, which make only one player in a team win. I prefer to think of it as the team winnining together.
@@SpiderDiscord the difference isn’t that notable to me, there’s still the same amount of actions per round and all. I think the main difference is the conflict is more spread out since you have to keep alternating between factions and can’t like push really hard on just one siege for example.
@@secdeal played on the apps against the ai, just not for me. I hate that in patch work I can't do a perfect blanket I hate the idea of the draft with special powers in 7 wonders duel. The app is great the ai is hard, overall my experience with those games is that I hate every minute of playing it, those are the wrost two games I've ever played really disappointed and truly hated those two games I'm more of a solo/co-op gamer anyway... Targi can be played solo with new different goals to achieve instead of playing the vp - so it's great And Jaipur is just straight and quick with easy and relevant drafting. Those two are just wayyy more better anyway in any shape or dorm
How did Watergate not make this list! Such incredible tension in that game. Absolutely worth your consideration.
If you can appreciate abstracts at all, Mandala is a must try. It's my favourite 2p only game.
Hanamikoj is a great little game too. I'd like to try Land vs. Sea and Great Plains.
I’ve added Mandala to the priority list, thanks!
Circle the Wagons seems to miss so many top 2 player game lists, and it’s a shame. I know it’s mostly because people haven’t heard about it too, so I try my hardest to make it known. It’s such a genius 18 card game.
Agreed. I put it on my 2 Player and Filler lists all the time. Brilliant, slightly thinky, and very satisfying in a tiny package.
Soo many of these Best/Top "2-Players" videos are an identical list, and a few of the repeats/ staples made it onto this one as well,. But, I'm glad there's a few on this list that I haven't seen anywhere else.
Completely forgot about Skulk Hollow, glad this video reminded me it exists.
I agree with Duel as #1 . Such strong mechanics and adding Agora expansion brings a Masterpiece !!
Excellent! Love these videos. The only one I’d add is Hive. It’s textile feel, no board, deep strategy and yet welcoming simplicity is pretty cool. I just ordered Caper so looking forward to it!
Absolutely! One of the best 2 player games ever. I play it loads with my 12 year old (who wins most of the time🙃 of course). It's pure abstract strategy but somehow has built in some humour. It has a depth and complexity to the extent that there are now analysis books (along the lines of strategy books for chess or Go) but can be played in a light-hearted way (or more seriously) within 10 to 20 minutes. It's quite addictive. I'll proselytise for Hive anytime!
Excellent list! I agree with many choices and am happy to be introduced to a few I didn’t know (Caper Europe being one of them). And yes, no question that 7 Wondes Duel deserves top billing!
Another recent favorite is Radlands. Love the artwork, quick playtime, and interesting choices to be made turn. Plus an easy rematch if one isn’t happy with the result.
One I’ve considered that also looks great as a 2p is the Unmatched series. But would likely chose Summoner Wars over it for all the reasons you mentioned
Happy Friday peeps. keep your chins up. dont forget to hydrate. Remember you always have a choice!
I absolutely love your channel.
Great list. Thanks for putting it together. Definitely want to try Caper Europe and Duelosaur Island. Some of my favourite 2-player games are Santorini, Tides of Time and Onitama
I really like Fugitive and Fox in the Forrest. Codenames Duet is another favorite.
Nice list! My favourite 2 player games are Imperial Struggle, Watergate, Super Fantasy Brawl & Stronghold Undead
Have agreed with @Luis Garcia 's recommendation of Hive below, but I'd also add Onitama. Such a lovely game - tight and strategic, but also very gentle, despite its abstract nature (and the art work is amazing ...)
The theme may not be exciting for everyone but 1960: The Making of the President is an incredible 2P game. Great tug of war and the card play in that game is absolutely brilliant.
Great video, alot of games I've never heard of on this list that look great. Some of my favorite 2 player games are Hive, and Oden's Ravens, and while not strictly two player only, I've really gotten into dice throne lately.
Some of my favs are: Patchwork, Jaipur, Memoir 44, Blitzkrieg!, Star Realms
Geez I wanna try so many of these. Caper Europe looks so good!
It’s worth a play for sure
nice list, always good to see good old jaipur getting some well deserved love ! (even if i'm not into the theme i have to admit it works so wonderfully well !)
As far as i liked 7 wonders Duel, i found it to be a bit disapointing at a time, when i sometimes realize that no matter what action i'm going to take, i'm gonna left myself behind and get the lose.
We switched to Splendor Duel and Tokaido duel, 2 lighter games that works well for us.
I defenatly have to try Targui someday ! once again the theme isn't speaking to me at all but like jaipur, i might get surprised !
here are few other games that are working great at our place :
-Astro Knights (or Aeon's end, but i prefer the faster setup from astro knights)
-Alice's garden (wich we do prefer better than patchwork 2p)
-Mindbug (fast, quick and furious)
-Power Plants (nice looking, good interractions)
-Circle the wagoon / Crypt of sedlec (two excellent microgames for 2 players)
-Spirit Island (nothing left to say !)
-The game (Small coop, perfect travel buddy and also great at 3 players)
------------------ ---------------------- --------------------
Cheers from belgium !
Great video. Found some stuff for the wishlist!
Other 2-player games I enjoy: Onitama (arguably my favorite game), The Fox in the Forest (also arguably my favorite game), Schotten Totten, Matcha (not a good game, but a game I'm still fond of), Hanamikoji, Royal Visit, Hive, Mandala, Quarto
*Play well at 2: Piepmatz, Village Green, Azul*
Great list, we have a lot of "crossover" here, buuuuut... no Undaunted????
Caper: Europe & 7 Wonders Duel our fave 2 player games. Intend to give Radlands a go if I ever find the super deluxe version.
Outstanding list! It's only missing Watergate!
My list would be
1) Targi w/ expansion
2) 7 wonders duel w/ pantheon expansion
3) Patchwork
4) Air,Land and Sea
5) Radlands
6) Caper Europe
7) Jaipur
8) Riftforce
9) Watergate
10) Land vs Sea
Fields of Arle is a very good 2 players game.
I also like Caper Europe, 7 Wonders Duel, Radlands and The Rival Networks.
I wholeheartedly agree that 7 Wonders Duel is better than the original. You mentioned that the theme comes alive better and it's completely true. The tug of war aspect of military strength is more palpable than in the original game where you could just choose to ignore it entirely and Science is more interesting because not only is it a win condition but the Progress tokens you gain actually feel like technological developments to your civilization, not just another way to get points. I'm curious what you think of the expansions, which is better?
I’ve played it a few times and I just don’t really vibe with it. Don’t like the theme or the art style and the card selection seems very random doing down the selections.
@@billable1861 What do you mean the card selection is random? I think the pyramid where the card you chose reveals more options as you go is a brilliant mechanism that I personally haven't seen done in other games before.
Great list. I’d have Redlands in there close to the top though!
My favorite two player only games: Raptor, Dice Throne, Godtear, Onitama, Spirit Island I think it best at two player.
Summoner Wars, Patchwork, Jaipur and 7 Wonders Duel all make my list as well. I'm really interested in grabbing Caper now (thanks...); in return, may I suggest Ivion?
My Top 10:
7 wonders Duel
Patchwork
Codenames Duet
Jaipur
Targi
Blitzkrieg
Watergate
Star Realms
Lost Cities
Caper: Europe (never played but i think it would be on this list)
Any opinions on Radlands? I know it’s not perfect, but for some reason it’s my personal favorite 2p game. I also love Royal Visit (my favorite Knizia, in fact) and Air, Land & Sea.
Great question. Sadly Redlands is one of those ones I really want to play and haven’t had a chance to yet. Maybe it’ll be on this list when I reassess in a couple years. 😀
I think I only own two games that are 2P exclusive: Claustrophobia 1643 and Star Wars: Destiny.
The former is a lavish dungeon crawler with rogue humans on one side and the demons of the so called dungeon on the other.
SW:D is a deck contruction and dice combat affair with wild team-ups and scenarios in the Star Wars universe.
Some games on your list********** seem to consistently be mentioned in top-10 2 player lists! BTW, Do any of the games mentioned play well digitally (PC Game)?
7 Wonders Duel **********
Caper Europe ***********
Jaipur *********
Duelosaur Island **********
Patchwork **********
summoner wars
Cthulhu Wars: Duel
Targi *************
Thunder and Lightning
Skulk Hollow
Battle of Five Armies Android: Netrunner
Or how about other popular 2 player games.. do any of these play well on PC?
Everdell
Azul
Gloomhaven
Wingspan (Asia?)
Unmatched
Lost Cites
Santorini
Castles Of Burgundy
Great Western Trail (Argentina ?)
Bear And Bread
Fox in the Forest
Watergate
Land Vs Sea
Dice Thrown
Grand Austria Hotel
Five Tribes
Fugitive
-
Hive
Onitama
Star Realms
-
Hero Realms (deck builder)
Beer and Bread
-
Legendary
Hey! That's my fish
Carcassonne
Kitchen Rush
-
Fields of Arle
War of the Ring
Claim
baseball highlights 2045
boop
Klask
-
Hanamikoji
Pagoda
The Raptor
Naga Raja
Hero Realms
-
BoonLake
Arc Nova
Quest for El Dorado
Empires of The North
Dice Miner
Terracotta Army
-
Quarto
Crokinole
Paris City of Lights / Paris La Cite de la lumiere
Fugitive
Jekyll Vs Hyde
-
Magic The Gathering
Star Wars Rebellion
Lawyer Up
-
Kahuna
Dvonn
-
Radlands
Fairy Trails
Parks
Trails
Super Mega Lucky Box
Timelines
Isle of Cats
-
Hadrian's Wall
Parks
What is your opinion on the Unmatched series?
Nice list, even though i disagree on Patchwork. I have played it 100s of times and have been bothered by the luck of the initial sequence. I played it primarily against a colleague and after many many games we could basically predict the winner from the get go.
This tells me you don't utilise the option of 'passing' enough.
Great list but Raptor should have been on it 😉
BattleCON is my all time favorite.
Star Realms and Twilight Struggle
War of the ring?
War of the Ring proudly proclaims it’s 2-4 player status and many (foolish) people swear by it as a team game even if we know that it’s really a 2p game at heart. Battle of the Five Armies though? On another day it may have made it on the list. I just don’t get it to the table as often as I really should.
@@TheCardboardHerald The 2-4 players point is valid. I couldn't imagine playing it with more than 2.
I actually prefer to play it with four. The only bit about it that's weird to me is the win condition, which make only one player in a team win. I prefer to think of it as the team winnining together.
@@ormhaxan Interesting! How much longer does it takes to play on average?
@@SpiderDiscord the difference isn’t that notable to me, there’s still the same amount of actions per round and all. I think the main difference is the conflict is more spread out since you have to keep alternating between factions and can’t like push really hard on just one siege for example.
I like Hanamikoji
My favorites are BattleCON and Mage Wars.
BattleCON is my favorite as well. I don't think I'll ever tire of that game.
The game Targi is originally pronounced /'ta:gi/ with a hard g :)
Thank you! I appreciate you clarifying.
Uh, where's Onitama?
Clearly you've never played Lost Cities, San Juan, Watergate or Twilight Struggle.
I have played all but watergate. San Juan is 1-4 though so shouldn’t even be considered for this list.
War Chest
such a refreshing and great list, thank you! except of targi and patchwork ofc. boring. and jaipur also sucks. rest is okay
Star wars rebellion?
lol i own half of these
Nice, you have great taste!
@@TheCardboardHerald so true!
I hate 7 wonders duel and I also hate patch works both games are the wrost there is!
I still root for Targi and Jaipur
maybe you could give reasons..
@@secdeal played on the apps against the ai, just not for me.
I hate that in patch work I can't do a perfect blanket
I hate the idea of the draft with special powers in 7 wonders duel.
The app is great the ai is hard, overall my experience with those games is that I hate every minute of playing it, those are the wrost two games I've ever played really disappointed and truly hated those two games
I'm more of a solo/co-op gamer anyway...
Targi can be played solo with new different goals to achieve instead of playing the vp - so it's great
And Jaipur is just straight and quick with easy and relevant drafting.
Those two are just wayyy more better anyway in any shape or dorm