Sometimes you don’t have a group of people to play a game. When my kids have a friend over or I am alone with one of them at home, these come in handy:
For the appropriate age, go to BoardGameGeek and look up the game.
Magic Labyrinth (my kids are slowly growing out of this one but it is an awesome game)
The Castles Of Burgundy
(best with 2 players)
Carcassonne (30-45 min)
Carcassonne: Hunters And Gatherers
Tessen (15 min)
Lanterns Festival (2-4 players, 30 min)
Agricola All Creatures Big and Small (2 players, 30 min)
Dominion (best with 3 but fine with 2 players)
Azul (2-4, best with 2 players, 30-45 min)
Oh My Goods (2-4 players, 30 min) with its expansion Oh My Goods: Longsdale in Revolt
Word Drop
Johari (2-4 players, 60-90 min)
Beasty Bar (20-30 min) I’ve read somewhere that this game plays nicely with two. we have not tried it with only 2 players, mostly with 3 or 4.
Forbidden desert (2-5 players, 45 min)
Pandemic (45 min)–there is also Pandemic Legacy etc.
Escape (10 min)
Hanabi (fine with 2, 30 min)
Tales Of The Arabian Nights (120 min)
Kanagawa (45 min)
Samurai (2-4 players, best with 3, 30-60 min)
Peloponnes Card Game (2-5 players, 25-40 min)
Five Tribes (40-80 min, best with 2 players)
Ticket to Ride (30-60 min)
El Dorado (2-4 players, 30-60 min)
Legends of Andor (1-4, best with 4 players, 60-90 min)
Guillotine (2-5 players, best with 4, 30 min)
Stone Age (2-4 players, best with 4, 60-90 min)
Battle Sheep (2-4 players, best with 4, 15 min)
Kodama (2-5 players, best with 3 players, 40 min)
Scythe (1-5 players, best with 4, 90-120 min)
Fuse (a co-op 10 min game)
Isle of Skye (2-5 players, best with 3-4, 30 – 50 min)
San Juan (2-4 players, best with 3, 45 – 60 min)
Near and Far (2-4, best 3 players, 60-120 min) An awesome game from 2017, with story telling elements.
Kahuna (2 players, 30 – 40 min)
New York 1901 (2-4 players, best with 4, 30-60 min)
Samurai Spirit (1-7 players, 30 minutes)
Eight-minute Empire Legends (1-4 players, best with 4, 18 – 32 min)
Dragonwood (2- 4 players, best with 3, 20 min)
Mint Works (1 – 4 players, no difference, plays well with all numbers, 10-20 min)
Timeline Diversity (2-8 players, best with 4 players, 15 min)
Latice (2 – 4 players, 10-30 min)
The Fox in the Forest (2 players, 30 min)
Fantastiqa: Rival Realms (1-2 players, 20-30 min)
Century Spice Road (2-5, best 3-4 players, 30-45 min)
Mandala (2 players, 20 min)
Schotten Totten (2 players, 20 min)
Targi (2 players, 60 min)
Hanamikoji (2 players, 15 min)
Cascadia (1-4 players, best with 2-3, 30-45 min)
Sagrada (1-4 players, best with 2, 30 – 45 min)
Calico (1-4 players, best with 2, 30-45 min)
Silver (2-4 players, best with 2 and 4, 30-60 min)
Res Arcana (2-4 players, best with 2, 30 – 60 min)
Splendor Duel (2 players, 30 min)
People also successfully played some games that are better with more players but are still a good experience with just two (Istanbul)
Here is an interesting thread on Board Game Geek about games for two players.
Another great list on the same website is here.
On My Wish List
Paperback (2-4, best with 2 players, 45 min) When I was looking, the game was available here.
Alhambra (2-5 players, best with 3, if only 2 players, you use a third dummy, 45-60 min) or you can get a big box with all the extensions on Amazon here. Alhambra (2-5 players, best with 3, 45-60 min) or you can get a big box with all the extensions on Amazon here. After watching a few videos, I would go for the big box with all expansions. The best expansion is #2 but it is not available separately anymore. You will get all expansions in the Big Box.
Onitama (2 players only, 15 min)
Claustrophobia (2 players, 45 min)
Star Wars: Imperial Assault (2-5, best with 2 or 5 players, 60 – 120 min)
Age 13 and up
War of The Ring (2, 4 players, best with 2, 150-180 min)
Age 14 and up
Mage Knight (1-3 players, best 1-2, 150 min)
Age 16 and up (because it is dark)
This War of Mine (survival story, 1-3 players, check some reviews here)
