Board Games Designed For 2 Players

It's a sad state of affairs, but it's not every day that we can get together in groups and play board games together. People are busy, things get in the way (such as children or a PANDEMIC), or it may be the case that you're just looking for a quiet night at home. For this reason, two player board games provide a fantastic opportunity to keep gaming alive for couples on date night, for roommates, or with close friends.

Unfortunately, not every board game can be played with only two people. Due to player interaction requirements (i.e. area control or most trick taking games) or the nature of certain mechanics common in strategy games (i.e., auctions), it's not possible. Some games can be played with only two people, but are not optimal for lower player counts. These games might take too long for what feels like a less rewarding experience, feel like they're lacking something when compared to a game with a higher player count, or are simply not as fun as they can be. Realizing this, some board game designers have even sought to design games specifically for two player, going as far in some cases as to convert existing designs into optimized experience for two (i.e. Agricola vs Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small).

But what are the best two player games? Let's explore…

Methodology

I wanted something more objective than simply providing my own personal opinion as to which board games I thought were best for two players, so I looked to BoardGameGeek's top board games list.

Using the BGG API and a Python script, I extracted what the community voted to be the games best played with only two players and then sorted those by their rank on BGG.

BoardGameGeek's vote on best player counts.

I then removed a couple of titles such as Keyforge (more of Trading Card Game) and KLASK, that I felt didn't fit the description of a board game, despite them having an entry on BoardGameGeek.

The following list represent 100 of the most highly ranked two-player board games.

Top 100 Two Player Board Games

What are the best board games for two-players? Take a look at what the board game community thinks are the games most enjoyed when you only have two people to play with.

100. Runebound (Third Edition)

Description

"Runebound is a classic adventure game from Fantasy Flight Games in which mighty heroes must take on the perils of Terrinoth. The game can be largely played without conflict between the players but victory can only be claimed by the first player to defeat the Dragonlord Margath, so the players are actually in a race to level up and acquire powerful weapons, armour and allies in order to take on the final adversary.

Runebound features a series of 4 Adventure Decks that helps to pace the speed of the game and ensures that the players level up by acquiring experience before they are ready to take on a harder set of challenges (events and monsters).

Several of the key features of Runebound are that combat is played out in 3 phases, Ranged, Melee and Magic and a player has the ability to specialise in a particular discipline, although this may make them vulnerable against certain creatures. The game also features a novel movement system using a series of terrain dice.

Runebound is playable solo and is expandable by many adventure packs that alter the final challenge (replacing the Dragonlord for example). Runebound 2nd Edition also has a series of big box expansions that provide a new map or central map overlay to alter the game in some way.

Runebound 2nd Edition is different from 1st Edition in that the original game featured a d20 and this was replaced by 2 10-sided dice, which helped to better balance the luck factor."

99. Hammer of the Scots

Description

"Hammer of the Scots brings the rebellion of the Braveheart, William Wallace, to life. As the English player, you seek to pacify Scotland by controlling all the important noble lords. The Scottish player also seeks the allegiance of nobles to support a difficult struggle for freedom. Hammer of the Scots will give you many hours of entertainment and insight into this fascinating period in history."

98. Queendomino

Description

"Build up the most prestigious kingdom by claiming wheat fields, forests, lakes, grazing grounds, marshes, and mountains. Your knights will bring you riches in the form of coins — and if you make sure to expand the towns on your lands, you will make new buildings appear, giving you opportunities for new strategies. You may win the Queen's favors … but always be aware of the dragon!

Queendomino is a game completely independent from Kingdomino, while offering a choice of more complex challenges. Two to four players can play Queendomino independently, but also in connection with Kingdomino, allowing for games with 7×7 grids for four players, or for up to six players if you stick to 5×5 grids."

97. Ingenious

Description

"In Ingenious, a.k.a. Einfach Genial, players take turns placing colored domino-style tiles on a game board, scoring for each line of colored symbols that they enlarge. The trick, however, is that a player's score is equal to their worst-scoring color, not their best, so they need to score for all colors instead of specializing in only one or two.

In more detail, the game includes 120 domino-style tiles, each consisting of two conjoined hexes; each hex has one of six colors in it, with most tiles having different-colored hexes. Each player has a rack with six tiles on it, and on a turn a player places one tile from their rack onto two hexes of the game board. For each hex on this tile, they score one point in that color for each hex of the same color that lies adjacent to it and each hex in a straight line from it. If a player brings the score of a color to 18, they immediately take another turn. At the end of their turn, they refill their rack to six tiles. (Before refilling their rack, if they have no tiles on it that contain hexes in their lowest-scoring color, they can discard all of their tiles, then draw six new tiles from the bag.)

When no more tiles can be placed on the game board or when one player scores 18 in each color, the game ends. Players then compare their lowest scores, and whoever has the highest low score wins.

Ingenious includes rules for solitaire and team play; in the latter case, two teams of two play, with each player not being able to see their partner's tiles and teams keeping a combined score that maxes out at 36 instead of 18."

96. The Colonists

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The Colonists

• For 1-4 players
• 30-240 minute playing time
• Varying playing time between beginners and experts

Description

"In The Colonists, a.k.a. Die Kolonisten, each player is a mayor of a village and must develop their environment to gain room for new farmers, craftsmen, and citizens. The main goal of the game is full employment, so players must create new jobs, educate the people, and build new houses to increase their population. But resources are limited, and their storage leads to problems that players must deal with, while also not forgetting to upgrade their buildings. Players select actions by moving their mayor on a central board.

The Colonists is designed in different levels and scenarios, and even includes something akin to a tutorial, with the playing time varying between 30 minutes (for beginners) and 180 minutes (experts)."

95. TZAAR

Description

"TZAAR is a game about making choices. Both players have 30 pieces, divided in three types: 6 Tzaars, 9 Tzarras and 15 Totts. The three types of pieces form a trinity: They cannot exist without each other. The aim is either to make the opponent run out of one of the three types of pieces or to put him in a position in which he cannot capture any more. The tricky question the players will have to ask themselves on each of their turns is: "Shall I make myself stronger or my opponent weaker?" Meaning: Will you capture an opponent's piece and make him weaker, or will you jump on top of one of your own pieces and make yourself stronger? If you choose to jump on top of your own pieces too often, you will probably leave your opponent with too many pieces on the board. On the other hand, if you capture too often, you may end up with pieces that are not strong enough at the end of the game. What to do? Up to you to decide!

TZAAR replaced TAMSK as part of project GIPF, which was felt to not quite fit in with the others due to its use of sand timers."

94. The Fox in the Forest

Description

"The Fox in the Forest is a trick-taking game for two players. Aside from the normal ranked- and suited-cards used to win tricks, fairy characters such as the Fox and the Witch have special abilities that let you change the trump suit, lead even after you lose a trick, and more.

You score points by winning more tricks than your opponent, but don't get greedy! Win too many tricks, and you will fall like the villain in so many fairy tales…"

93. Schotten Totten

Description

"In Schotten Totten, nine boundary stones lie between you and your opponent. In front of each, you build poker-like formations of three cards on a side. Whoever plays the higher-ranking formation wins the stone. And in a unique twist, you may use your powers of logic to claim a stone even before your opponent has played all three of his cards, by demonstrating that the stone is impossible for him to win. Successfully claim five stones, or any three adjacent stones, and you win the game."

92. Twice as Clever!

Description

"Doppelt so clever follows the model of 2018's Ganz schön clever. Each turn the active player rolls six dice, chooses one of them to mark off a space on their scoring grid, places any dice with lower numbers aside, then re-rolls any remaining dice. The white die is a joker and can be used as any one of the other five colors. After the active player chooses at most three dice, then the other players each choose one of the set-aside dice for use on their scoring sheet.

Doppelt so clever has five new dice-marking challenges and a new action beyond the re-roll and "use one more die" actions of the earlier game."

91. Star Realms: Frontiers

Description

"Star Realms: Frontiers is a new standalone Star Realms series game with an 80-card trade deck and new scorecards that's suitable for play with up to four players. It can be combined with Star Realms and/or Star Realms: Colony Wars.

About Star Realms

Star Realms is a fast-paced game of space battles that combines the fun of a deckbuilding game with the interactivity of Trading Card Game-style combat. As you play, you make use of Trade to acquire new Ships and Bases from the cards being turned face up in the Trade Row.

You use the Ships and Bases you acquire to either generate more Trade, or to generate Combat to attack your opponent and their Bases. When you reduce your opponent's score (called Authority) to zero, you win! Battle your friends or team up to play cooperatively against the game!"

90. Roads & Boats

Description

"In Roads & Boats, players start with a modest collection of donkeys, geese, boards, and stone. With these few materials, players work to develop their civilization. The emphasis in the game is logistical transport as you bring goods to producers to make new goods. But beware, the only thing you own is what is on your transporters, and anyone can use any production facility, or pick up any goods left behind.

In more detail, this massive set of pieces looks more like a modular game kit than anything else. You get a ton of Settlers-sized hexes in a number of colors for terrain type; hundreds of little counters for the commodities that are produced and the locations where they're produced; wooden disks for all of the donkeys, rafts, trucks, and other forms of transportation you can use; and a roll of acrylic with an erasable marker. The tiles are laid out in whatever scenario you wish to play, and then the clear plastic is taped over the top to secure the entire board. Roads and bridges are drawn on the plastic and chits are placed in the hexes to form the playing surface. The idea is that your transportation units (at first, a fleet of donkeys) travel about and pick items that part produced. However, the only thing that you own is that which is carried by your transports. So you might have a nice, shiny, new truck factory or a gold-filled mine, but anyone can use it or take it, if they collect the necessary components and can transport them to the factory. The ultimate goal is to collect wealth, which is progressively more valuable and harder to manufacture: gold, coins, or stock certificates; and also contribute to the game timer in the form of monument blocks for victory points.

For its 20th Anniversary, Roads & Boats has an edition that contains the &cetera expansion: Roads & Boats: 20th Anniversary Edition"

89. Mystic Vale

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Mystic Vale

• Innovative card crafting system creates a game experience like you've never played before
• Beautiful artwork and graphics that bring the game to life
• Fairly simple rules but offers a deep gaming experience with meaningful decisions.
• Tremendous replay value

Description

"A curse has been placed on the Valley of Life. Hearing the spirits of nature cry out for aid, clans of druids have arrived, determined to use their blessings to heal the land and rescue the spirits. It will require courage and also caution, as the curse can overwhelm the careless who wield too much power.

In Mystic Vale, 2 to 4 players take on the role of druidic clans trying to cleanse the curse upon the land. Each turn, you play cards into your field to gain powerful advancements and useful vale cards. Use your power wisely, or decay will end your turn prematurely. Score the most victory points to win the game!

Mystic Vale uses the innovative "Card Crafting System", which lets you not only build your deck, but build the individual cards in your deck, customizing each card's abilities to exactly the strategy you want to follow."

88. Labyrinth: The War on Terror, 2001 – ?

Description

"2001: The "American Century" had closed with a single Cold War superpower standing and a pause in conflict that some at the time dubbed "The End of History". It wasn't.

In the Middle East and South Asia, an Islamic revival was underway. Resentments bred in part of US support for the regions' anti-Soviet tyrannies soon erupted into a new struggle against the West. Wealthy Saudi fanatic Usama bin Ladin issued a declaration of holy war against America in 1996 and then fired the first shots with spectacular terrorist attacks on US targets in East Africa in 1998 and the Arab Peninsula in 2000.

Bin Ladin's al-Qaeda organization plotted securely under the protection of the Taliban, a fundamentalist movement in Afghanistan born of the anti-Soviet "Bear Trap" of the 1980s. By 2001, al-Qaeda had set in motion even more devastating strikes — this time within the US Homeland — that Bin Ladin hoped would light off a global Muslim uprising. Uprising or not, the Western response to those September 11th attacks would reshape international affairs from London to Jakarta and from Moscow to Dar es Salaam.

Labyrinth takes 1 or 2 players inside the Islamist jihad and the global war on terror. With broad scope, ease of play, and a never-ending variety of event combinations similar to GMT's highly popular Twilight Struggle, Labyrinth portrays not only the US efforts to counter extremists' use of terrorist tactics but the wider ideological struggle — guerrilla warfare, regime change, democratization, and much more.

From the award-winning designer of Wilderness War and later Andean Abyss, Cuba Libre, A Distant Plain, and Fire in the Lake, Labyrinth combines an emphasis on game play with multifaceted simulation spanning recent history and near future. In the 2-player game, one player takes the role of jihadists seeking to exploit world events and Islamic donations to spread fundamentalist rule over the Muslim world. The other player as the United States must neutralize terrorist cells while encouraging Muslim democratic reform to cut off extremism at its roots. With the game's solitaire system, a single player as the US takes on ascending levels of challenge in defeating al-Qaeda and its allies.

The jihadists must operate in a hostile environment — staying below the authorities' radar while plotting terrorist attacks and building for the Muslim revolution. Will Iran's Shia mullahs help or hinder the Sunni jihadists? Will the gradual spread of Islamist rule bring final victory — or will it be a sudden strike at the United States with an Islamic weapon of mass destruction?

The United States has the full weight of its military force and diplomacy at the ready — but it can't be everywhere: will technological and material superiority be enough? US forces can invade and topple Islamist regimes, but how will the Muslim "street" react? And if quagmire results, how will the US find its way out?

Labyrinth features distinct operational options for each side that capture the asymmetrical nature of the conflict, while the event cards that drive its action pose a maze of political, religious, military, and economic issues. In the parallel wars of bombs and ideas, coordinated international effort is key — but terrorist opportunities to disrupt Western unity are many. The Towers have fallen, but the global struggle has only just begun. "Let's roll!""

87. Commands & Colors: Napoleonics

Description

"Commands & Colors: Napoleonics allows you to re-fight epic battles of the Napoleonic era. In this core volume, the focus is on the French and the British, two bitter rivals in the struggle for European preeminence during the time of Napoleon.

As with other games in the Commands & Colors genre, units in both armies can only move and fight when ordered. The command playing cards supply those orders, providing an element of luck that creates a fog of war and presents players with both challenges and opportunities. You must maximize your opportunities by playing your command cards judiciously. How well you handle the diverse units, their weapons, and the terrain, will determine victory."

86. Raptor

Raptor

• Modular board to ensure each game is unique
• Newest 2 player game by Bruno Cathalaand Bruno Faidutti
• A simple and dynamic mechanic

Description

"Mamma Raptor has escaped from her run and laid her eggs in the park. A team of scientists must neutralize her and capture the baby raptors before they run wild into the forest.

Raptor is a card driven boardgame with tactical play and some double guessing. Players use their cards to move their pawns (scientists on one side, Mother and baby raptors on the other) on the board. Every round, the player who played the lowest ranked card can use the corresponding action, while his opponent has movement / attack points equal to the difference between the two cards values. The scientists can use fire, can move by jeep on the tracks, and can even call for reinforcements, while the mamma raptor can hide in the bushes, yell to frighten the scientists, and call for her babies."

85. 1775: Rebellion

1775 - Rebellion

• 1775 is an area control game that is great for head-to-head or up to 4-player team play.
• 1775 Rebellion is the second title in the Birth of America series after 1812 - The Invasion of Canada.
• The perfect introduction to historical and strategy boardgames!
• 2014 Origins Wargame of the Year, 2013 Boardgamegeek Golden Geek Award for Best Wargame
• 2-4 Players, 1-2 Hours, 10+

Description

"The Birth of America series continues with The American Revolution.

In 1775: Rebellion, players take the roles of the American Continental Army and Patriots against the British Army and the Loyalists. Each side tries to control the colonies, provinces and territories. They call on the aid of Native Americans, as well as the German Hessians and French Army in order to successfully birth a revolution or quell the rebellion. The four factions each use their own deck of cards to move their units into positions. Battles are resolved quickly with custom dice. If you can control an entire colony, province or territory you raise a flag. When the game ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the side with the most flag markers is the winner.

1775: Rebellion uses the same basic mechanisms as 1812: The Invasion of Canada, but to a different end result. The game is quicker (being 2-4 player) and the intermingling of units at the beginning of the game allows the action to start immediately. There are a few core rules that changed in order to better portray the goals of the war.

The game also comes with an advanced scenario, "The Siege of Quebec". We recommend this for players comfortable with the basic rules.

Winner of BGG "Golden Geek 2013" Award for "Best Wargame.""

84. Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation

Description

"This Deluxe Edition of Reiner Knizia's acclaimed Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation combines a superb craftsmanship with an exciting expansion for this award-winning game.

The Confrontation is a two-player board game in which players take control of the forces of Sauron, seeking to find their master's ring, or the forces of the free peoples of Middle Earth seeking to destroy Sauron's ring in the fires of Mount Doom. One of the most acclaimed board games of recent years, The Confrontation allows players to control many of the famous characters of Tolkien's famous trilogy, while playing an intense 30-minute game that is a wonderful combination of bluffing and strategy. The Confrontation is designed by renowned game designer Reiner Knizia, and considered amongst his best works.

Deluxe Confrontation gives the game a new and larger gameboard, larger sculpted plastic stands, and completely new artwork and graphic design. The game includes 18 entirely new characters in addition to the classic characters found in the original. The new characters allow players to play an entirely new game, or mix the new and the old characters for an entirely different game experience. 4 new Special Cards are also included, for additional special actions.

From the Box: The time has come for the final confrontation between Good and Evil in Middle Earth. Will the Hobbit Frodo and his companions bring the Ring to Mount Doom in Mordor? Or will they fall to the forces of Lord Sauron and lose Middle Earth to eternal darkness? Only one side can win!

The Confrontation is a complete stand-alone game of strategy, bluffing, and adventure for two players.

This deluxe edition of The Confrontation features stunning new artwork, a larger game board, four additional special game cards, and 18 beautifully sculpted character stand. In this edition you will not only be able to play the original classic game, but also an entirely new game variant with 18 new Lord of the Rings characters. Furthermore, players can enjoy an exciting draft game variant in which they may choose which of the 36 available characters to field."

83. BattleCON: Devastation of Indines

Description

"As new villains appear to lay claim to the world of Indines, new heroes rise to challenge them. BattleCON: Devastation of Indines puts you in control of 30 mighty heroes and deadly villains to decide the fate of the world.

BattleCON: Devastation of Indines is a standalone dueling card game designed for head-to-head and team play. Each player selects a character who uses a unique gameplay mechanism to give them an edge in combat. Take control of guitar-playing summoner, a pair of tag-teaming werewolves, a prodigal paladin, a genius artificer, and more! Each character's play style requires new strategies, but uses the same foundational tactics, making a new character easy to learn, but challenging to master.

Players move along a seven-space-long board, trading blows and attempting to strike the opponent, using attacks formed by combining a character's unique styles and abilities with a set of basic cards that all characters share. The last player standing wins!

BattleCON: Devastation of Indines can be played on its own or combined with BattleCON: War of Indines to create an even greater pool of characters and play variants.

Included with the game: BattleQUEST Guide

The BattleQUEST Dungeon Guide contains six adventures (3 solo and 3 cooperative) for players. Using BattleQUEST, players can play alone or cooperatively against automated enemies in an attempt to defeat the final boss and claim victory!"

82. Heroscape Master Set: Rise of the Valkyrie

Hasbro Heroscape Master Set: Rise of the Valkyrie

• Customizable 3 D, interlocking tile board with terrain and terrain accessories
• The field and the battle will change with each game
• Includes miniature playing pieces and 10 battle scenarios that players construct terrain with
• Rolling the attack and armor dice lets you move about the board
• Expansion sets, featuring new characters, terrain tiles and more, are sold separately

Description

"This Fantasy Battle Board Game comes with dozens of painted plastic miniatures, each representing a warrior from a different era, and hex-based hard plastic terrain pieces which can be put together in many different ways. The warriors include 30 plastic figures, including World War II soldiers, futuristic robots, aliens, a T-Rex-riding orc, a large dragon, and many more. Each hero or squad has its own card that details both movement and combat abilities.

There are 2 large ruins and 85 tiles of terrain in the base game. Some terrain tiles are large (up to 24 hexes) while others are small (1 hex). There are water, sand, rock and grass tiles (in roughly increasing order). Many different battlefields can be built by attaching and stacking the tiles.

The rulebook features two games: a basic and a master version. In the basic version (designed for younger players < 8 years), characters move, attack, defend, and have range — but there are no special powers and some other rules are minimized and/or eliminated. The master game includes special powers, wounds, engagement rules, falling rules, and a few other additions.

A battlefield/scenario book shows how to build five battlefields, layer by layer. Each battlefield may have multiple scenarios, where the goals vary. It can be opponent elimination, getting to a certain space, protecting a certain figure, or holding out for a certain number of turns.

Each unit in the Master Set has a movement rating ranging from 4 to 8, which is the number of hexes it can move in a turn. Moving up a level counts as a hex; moving down does not incur that penalty. Moving down more levels than your height when moving from one hex to another counts as falling and you might take damage –unless you are falling into water.

Combat in the game is fairly straightforward. You roll attack dice as listed on your unit's card (1 to 8 dice in the Master Set), and the opponent rolls defense dice equal to the number on their unit's card (1 to 9 dice). Skulls rolled in excess of shields count as wounds (hero figures may have more than one Life).

The master game uses a point system in which players alternate drafting cards until they reach the pre-assigned point value for the scenario. It's possible to bring a "pre-fab" army to the battle in order to save time.

The basic game is for two players. The master game is for 2 to 4 (and more) players.
The game is eminently customizable, with many expansions which add more abilities, terrain, and options. There are also user-created maps, scenarios, custom units and advanced rules available online.

HeroScape: Rise of the Valkyrie is the original master set for the HeroScape series of games."

81. Too Many Bones: Undertow

Description

"Join new playable Gearloc characters Stanza and Duster as they journey down the Sibron River in search of answers in this standalone expansion/sequel to Too Many Bones!

Too Many Bones: Undertow allows for 1-2 players out of the box, but by bringing in additional Gearlocs from the original game or adding in characters like Ghillie, Nugget, and Tink, you can create an adventure for up to four players. Undertow features all new baddies, encounters, tyrants, and a double-sided battle mat. Battles take place both on land and on your raft, adding even more variety and brain-bending tactics."

80. A Few Acres of Snow

Description

"A Few Acres of Snow is a two-player, deck-building game about the French and British conflict in North America.

The card-play contains a focus on a deck-building mechanic similar to Dominion, each card will have multiple uses like card-driven game. The players have to choose only one aspect of the card to use when it is played. Each space captured by a player will add another card to the capturing player's deck.

From the box description:

A war fought at the edge of two mighty empires. For over one hundred and fifty years Britain and France were locked in a struggle for domination of North America. Thousands of miles from their homes, settlers and soldiers were faced with impenetrable forests, unpredictable American tribes, and formidable distances. Despite these obstacles they were able to engage in bitter warfare, with the British ultimately taking the prize of Quebec. A Few Acres of Snow is a two-player game that allows you to recreate this contest. You can change the course of history by your decisions.

A Few Acres of Snow takes an innovative approach to the subject, using cards to represent locations and manpower. As the game progresses you add to your selection of cards, increasing the range of actions available to you. There are many strategies to be explored. How quickly should you build up your forces, do you employ Native Americans, what energy should be expended on your economy?

The game is about more than just fighting – you must successfully colonize the land to have a chance."

79. Thunderstone Quest

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Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) Thunderstone Quest, Multi-Colored

• Thunderstone Quest is the smash hit deck building Game of dungeon adventure. Assemble your party in this critically-acclaimed third iteration of thunderstone.
• Explore the dungeon, fight monsters, collect treasure, complete side quests, join Guilds, and more in this massive and engaging fantasy experience.
• 2-4 players
• 90+ minutes playing time
• English (Publication Language)

Description

"Thunderstone returns with Thunderstone Quest. Recruit your heroes, arm your party, then visit the dungeon — and the dungeon has new perils not seen in prior Thunderstone releases. All-new dungeon tiles create new challenges and rewards as you explore deeper and deeper in the dungeon. Each quest brings new dungeons as well as new side adventures!

Thunderstone is a fantasy deck-building game. Each player starts with a basic deck of cards that they can use to purchase, or upgrade to, other, more powerful cards. Thunderstone Quest brings new play modes to the table. The game will tell a specific story with a series of pre-set dungeon tiles, monsters, heroes and support cards. Each will come with a series of mini-adventures and a story booklet that tells players what happens as they progress through the scenarios.

Once players have completed the quests they will be able to enjoy great replay value with the available selection of monsters, heroes, and support cards, as well as the new dungeon tiles, by choosing random set-ups before the start of play. Aside from heroes such as wizards, fighters, rogues, and clerics, cards will include supplies that heroes need like weapons, spells, items, or light to reach further into the dungeon.

The dungeon deck is created by combining several different groups of monsters together. Certain groups of monsters may be more or less susceptible to different hero types, so players have to take this into account when they choose what to buy."

78. Innovation

Description

"This game by Carl Chudyk is a journey through innovations from the stone age through modern times. Each player builds a civilization based on various technologies, ideas, and cultural advancements, all represented by cards. Each of these cards has a unique power which will allow further advancement, point scoring, or even attacking other civilizations. Be careful though, as other civilizations may be able to benefit from your ideas as well!

To win, you must score achievements, which you can attain by amassing points or by meeting certain criteria with the innovations you have built. Plan your civilization well, and outmaneuver your opponents, and with some luck you will achieve victory!"

77. Sword & Sorcery

Description

"Sword & Sorcery is an epic-fantasy cooperative board game in which 1-5 players fight together against the forces of evil, which are controlled by the game system itself.

Each player controls one or more heroes – legendary characters brought back to life by powerful sorcery. Weakened by the resurrection, they grow stronger during their story-driven quests. By acquiring soul points during battles, the heroes' souls regenerate, restoring their legendary status with multiple powers, magic and soul weapons, and powerful artifacts.

Designed by Gremlin Project (the same team who created Galaxy Defenders), the game system in Sword & Sorcery represents the perfect evolution of its forerunner. Gameplay is faster and dynamic, thanks to an innovative area movement and area control system, with new features never seen before in a game of this category.

Key features of Galaxy Defenders are also preserved in Sword & Sorcery, such as the advanced AI system for monsters, a high degree of character customization, and the multiple tactical options during battles. Sword & Sorcery packs, in a top-quality board game format, all the excitement of the best MMORPGs and action RPGs, to provide the ultimate heroic fantasy board game adventure.

This base game contains ACT I of III."

76. Lost Cities

Description

"Lost Cities is a card game in the Kosmos two-player series. The game originally consisted of a single deck of cards of rank 2–10 in five different colors with three special ""handshakes"" (""HS"" in scoring examples below) in each suit, but as of 2019 the game now includes six colored suits, with the sixth color being optional for gameplay. A game board is included to organize discarded cards and help players organize their card collections.

The object of the game is to gain points by mounting profitable archaeological expeditions to the different sites represented by the colored suits of cards. On a player's turn, they must first play one card, either to an expedition or by discarding it to the color-appropriate discard pile, then draw one card, either from the deck or from the top of a discard pile. Cards played to expeditions must be in ascending order, but they need not be consecutive. Handshakes are considered lower than a 2 and represent investments in an expedition. Thus, if you play a red 4, you may play any other red card higher than a 4 on a future turn but may no longer play a handshake, the 2, or the 3.

The game continues in this fashion with players alternating turns until the final card is taken from the deck. The rest of the cards in hand are then discarded and players score their expeditions. Each expedition that has at least one card played into it must be scored. Cards played into an expedition are worth their rank in points, and handshakes count as a multiplier against your final total; one handshake doubles an expedition's value, while two handshakes triples that value and three handshakes quadruple it. Expeditions start at a value of -20, so you must play at least 20 points of cards into an expedition in order to make a profit. If you are left with a negative value and have a handshake, the multiplier still applies. A 20-point bonus is awarded to every expedition with at least eight cards played into it. A complete game of Lost Cities lasts three matches, with scores for each match being added together.

Scoring example 1: An expedition has a 2,3,7,8,10 for a total of 30. This expedition is worth 10 total points: 30 plus the initial -20.

Scoring example 2: An expedition has 2 HS, and 4,5,6,7,8,10 for a total of 40. This expedition is worth 80 total points: 40 points for cards, plus the initial -20, ×3 for the two multipliers, plus the 20-pt bonus for playing 8+ cards.

Scoring example 3: An expedition has 1 HS, and 4,6,7 for a total of 17. This expedition is worth -6 total points: 17 plus the initial -20, ×2 for the multiplier."

75. War Chest

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War Chest

• Alderac entertainment Group
• 2 or 4 players
• 30-60 minutes playing time
• Ages 14+

Description

"War Chest is an all-new bag-building war game! At the start of the game, raise your banner call (drafting) several various units into your army, which you then use to capture key points on the board. To succeed in War Chest, you must successfully manage not only your armies on the battlefield, but those that are waiting to be deployed.

Each round you draw three unit coins from your bag, then take turns using them to perform actions. Each coin shows a military unit on one side and can be used for one of several actions. The game ends when one player — or one team in the case of a four-player game — has placed all of their control markers. That player or team wins!"

74. Advanced Squad Leader

Description

"Advanced Squad Leader is the completely reorganized and re-designed version of the original Squad Leader system. This three-ring binder is the basic rules for the entire system, and provides the ultimate combination of playability and detail. Full-color charts and beautiful pictures make this the most readable of rulebooks – and includes a full-service index as well for quick reference.

And ASL is more than "squads" – the system includes the rules for everything from machine guns to bazookas, tanks and ordnance weapons, paratrooper drops, glider landings and beach assaults. And much more. This set of rules is constantly kept up to date by expansions included with the modules.

ASL goals are scenario-defined, and vary from tasks such as exiting troops off of one edge of the board, to inflicting a certain number of casualty points on the opposing force, to capturing a certain number of goal buildings or areas.

This is just the rulebook. To start playing the game the newcomer must get, at least, the Beyond Valor: ASL Module 1. There are a great many ASL Modules available. "Core Modules" provide additional rules, units from different nationalities, and additional geomorphic mapboards. "Historical Modules" provide campaign games simulating multi-day battles using actual historical maps rather than geomorphic mapboards, including additional rules, counters, and paper maps. Many modules have dependencies on earlier modules."

73. Space Hulk (Third Edition)

Description

"From the depths of space an ancient vessel drifts slowly towards the Imperium of Mankind – a space hulk. Within its confines, untold thousands of Genestealers slowly emerge from hibernation. The Space Marines must enter the cramped corridors and tomb-like chambers of the ancient ship to defeat this alien menace.

Space Hulk is a board game for two players, recreating the battles fought between the Space Marines and Genestealers. One player commands the Space Marines as they carry out deadly missions in the ancient Space Hulk, and the other commands the horde of Genestealers opposing them. Space Hulk's fast-paced rules simulate the tense atmosphere of a mission deep inside the cramped confines of a derelict space hulk, where split-second decisions are needed for victory."

72. Mythic Battles: Pantheon

Mythic Battles

• Great Strategy Game For 2 To 4 Players
• Takes About 45 Minutes To Play
• Innovative Game Play

Description

"Hera, tired of Zeus' infidelity, decides to take her revenge and releases the Titans on Mount Olympus. In the ensuing battle, the power liberated by the combatants ignites in a combustion that shatters the Earth. In the ensuing deflagration, the weakest gods are obliterated, rendered down into the small fragments of power that constituted their being. The stronger ones were able to resist total annihilation but even their prodigious power could not save them entirely. As the survivors fell from the broken mountain, the shards of their divinity and the remnants of those that did not survive were scattered to the 4 corners of a now broken world.

As they awoke, each god found themselves to be but a shadow of their former selves. They were still mighty, stronger than any mortal that yet walked but they were no longer all powerful, no longer immortal. Each one could sense the fragments of power that had now fallen to the Earth and that by collecting these they could regain their former grandeur and, if they could but amass enough, stand at the front of a new Pantheon, reshaped in their image.

The world around them suffered as much as they did, the power released during the epic battle had ignited a cataclysm that reduced the beautiful land of Greece to a barren wasteland. Athens burns, Crete has sunken below the waves of the roiling seas and the immortal mount Olympus is now an ash covered wreck of its former glory. But this Event has not only affected the mortal realms. The underworld trembled from the blow even as a legion of fresh souls ran down the river Styx. Would that have been the extent of the underworld's involvement however…

Hades, having lost the majority of his power, no longer holds sway over the Underworld. The gates of hell are open and even though the River Styx prevents the weakest souls from regaining the mortal world, the strongest warriors, the mightiest heroes and the most vicious monsters have managed to claw their way back up the Styx and back to the surface.

As a new power struggle breaks out, Gods summon mortal survivors, returned heroes and reborn monsters to their side in their hunt for the shards of their lost power.

In Mythic Battles: Pantheon, it is these clashes between warbands, in the midst of a post-apocalyptic ancient Greece, that are the focal point of the game. Choose your God, draft your warband and take the fight to your enemies with the might of the most powerful beings from Greek mythology at your back."

71. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures

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Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective - Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures Board Game | Mystery Game for Teens & Adults | Ages 12+ | 1-8 Players | Average Playtime 90 Min. | Made by Space Cowboys

• NEW STANDALONE IN THE SERIES: Enter the gaslit world of Sherlock Holmes and put yourself in his shoes as you work to solve the most devious cases. With a new map of London and Whitechapel district, new newspapers for every case, and ten new casebooks, it's time to put your mind to the test!
• MYSTERY BOARD GAME: Solve mysterious cases by interviewing suspects, searching newspapers and walking the streets for clues. Once you have completed your investigation, compare your detective skills to the master sleuth himself, Sherlock Holmes.
• COOPERATIVE GAME: Players work together as a team of detectives to gather clues and solve mysteries. The dynamics of this game make it a perfect choice for game night with friends and family. Whether you're playing alone or with up to eight players, you'll need everyone's wits to work together and solve the case.
• TEN EPIC CASES TO SOLVE: This set includes six classic cases especially reworked for the new Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective series. The other four cases form a linked campaign that challenges you to stop the murders of the notorious Jack the Ripper. LOOKING FOR MORE MYSTERIES? Check out the other standalone games in the series.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This thrilling detective board game for adults and teens can be played with 1 to 8 players and is suitable for ages 12 and older. Average playtime is about 90 minutes.

Description

"Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures is a standalone expansion to Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective with updated graphics that features ten more cases to be solved in Sherlock Holmes' Victorian-era London, England. A "London Directory", map, and newspaper archives are included with the cases.

Included are six independent "West End Adventures" cases (redesigned and updated from the 1995 expansion), and a series of four new cases based on the Jack the Ripper murders."

70. 51st State: Master Set

Description

"The world you know no longer exists. There is no government. No army. No civilization. The United States has collapsed, and now thirty years after the war started, new powers finally try to take control over the ruined country, try to establish a new order, try to control others and create a new country, a new state: the 51st State.

51st State is a card game in which players control one of four powers trying to build a new country. Players put new locations into play, hire leaders, and send people to work in buildings to gain resources and new skills. To do this, every card in 51st State can be used in three different ways:

Raze a location to gain many resources once.
Deal with this location to gain one resource every turn.
Build the location so that you can use its skill each turn.

51st State: Master Set marks the rebirth of the 51st State line, with this set containing 88 cards from the original base game, and 50 cards each from both the New Era and Winter expansions; one of these expansions can be mixed with the cards of the base game, but not both at the same time. The entire set has been rebalanced to offer a cohesive experience no matter which expansion you choose to use."

69. At the Gates of Loyang

At the Gates of Loyang

• Produce goods and sell them to gain the most prestige. A classic worker-placement game.
• Ages: 14+
• Number of Players: 1-4
• Playing time: 60-100 minutes

Description

"At the Gates of Loyang is a trading game in which you are able to produce goods by planting them and later selling them to customers. You can use the abilities of some helpers to increase your income or production.

Fields, customers, helpers, and miscellaneous objects are represented by cards. Each player receives two of these cards per round distributed by a bidding/drawing mechanism in which you end up with one of the cards you draw and one of the cards of a public offer filled by all players. Additionally, to these cards you always receive one field for free each round.

Placing one good on a field fills the complete field with goods of this type. Each round, one unit per field is harvested. After planting, harvesting, and distributing cards, each player can use as many actions as he wants, only limited by the number of his cards or the number of goods he owns. At the end of his turn, he can invest the earned money on a scoring track, where early money is worth more than late money. The game ends after a certain number of rounds, and the player who is first on the scoring track wins."

68. Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia

• Features: 17 finely sculpted pre-painted figurines
• modular board (36 tiles)
• Easy to learn and quick set-up game
• For 2 players
• For 2 players

Description

"Claustrophobia is a miniatures-based survival game set within the universe of Hell Dorado.

The box contains pre-painted miniatures which are placed on large tiles showing the dungeon spaces. Also included are character boards, counters and markers, and dice.

One player controls a small group of determined humans, while the other plays an almost unending army of demonic creatures. The game is thematic and highly asymmetric: human characters are stronger, but the demon characters are more numerous. Gameplay is very straightforward with a minimum of rules, and each game plays in an hour or less.

Basically, dice are allocated after rolling to perform actions, while cards or special abilities are also available. The game is about managing decisions and choosing what to do with the resources that you have, managing difficult events and out-thinking your opponent. Combat is handled by dice.

Complexity is low, with the focus on theme and building towards a tense, climactic ending.

Claustrophobia is played through scenarios of which there are several in the rulebook. Generally speaking, the human characters are attempting to complete a task (e.g. escape the catacombs, close a portal) while the demons are focused on stopping them. There are varying win conditions depending on the scenario chosen."

67. Undaunted: Normandy

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Undaunted: Normandy

• June, 1944. Through the D-Day landings, the Allies have seized a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. Now you must lead your troops forward as you push deeper into France and drive the German forces back
• You will face intense resistance, machine gun fire, and mortar bombardment, but a great commander can turn the situation to their advantage!
• Undaunted: Normandy is a deck-building game that places you and your opponent in command of American or German forces, fighting through a series of missions critical to the outcome of World War II.
• Take charge amidst the chaos of battle, hold fast in the face of opposition, and remain undaunted.
• Thompson, David (Author)

Description

"June, 1944: Through the D-Day landings, the Allies have seized a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. Now you must lead your troops forward as you push deeper into France and drive the German forces back. You will face intense resistance, machine gun fire, and mortar bombardment, but a great commander can turn the situation to their advantage!

Undaunted: Normandy is a deck-building game that places you and your opponent in command of American or German forces, fighting through a series of missions critical to the outcome of World War II. Use your cards to seize the initiative, bolster your forces, or control your troops on the battlefield. Strong leadership can turn the tide of battle in your favor, but reckless decisions could prove catastrophic as every casualty you take removes a card from your deck. Take charge amidst the chaos of battle, hold fast in the face of opposition, and remain undaunted."

66. Aeon's End: Legacy

Aeons End Legacy

• First Legacy deck Builder
• 80% content compatible with aeon's end plus expansions
• Rich, engaging narrative experience
• Cooperative deck Builder
• Variable player order

Description

"You are not breach mages yet," Brama lectures as she paces down the line of students, her frail form belying her immense power. "Breach mages have protected us since the beginning — since the burning of the world and our pilgrimage into the dark. It was they who founded Gravehold, our last bastion, and if you wish to stand beside these living legends, you must listen and learn. The Nameless shall come again, as they always have, and you will need to be ready. You are the hope of our future."

As a young apprentice, you grew up to stories of the breach mages. Brama, the teacher, wisest of the mages. Dezmodia, the prodigy, master of great magic. Mist, the stoic leader and tactical genius. Malastar, the magical craftsman. Rebellious, powerful, and reckless perfectly sum up Xaxos. These mages are your heroes and tomorrow, after your ordeal, you will join their ranks.

"Each of you must overcome your ordeal to learn discipline and focus, the tools you will need to defend Gravehold. We are nothing without Gravehold. To be a breach mage is to sacrifice your life for Gravehold. When you die, it will be in defense of our city. Once you understand this universal truth…only then will you be ready to become a breach mage."

Aeon's End is not required to play Aeon's End: Legacy."

65. Neuroshima Hex! 3.0

Neuroshima Hex 3.0 Board Game

• Country Of Origin: Poland
• Model Number: POP00320
• Item Package Dimension: 6.83" L x 11.51" W x 11.51" H
• Item Package Weight: 2.87 lb

Description

"Neuroshima Hex! is a strategy game set in the post-apocalyptic world of Neuroshima, a Polish role-playing game. Each player leads one of four armies: Borgo, Hegemonia (Hegemony), Moloch, and Posterunek (Outpost). Each army deck consists of 34 tiles: soldiers, support tiles, and special actions. You win when all enemy headquarters are destroyed or when your headquarters is the least damaged at the end of the game.

The second edition of Neuroshima Hex!, released at Spiel 2007, had updated graphics and a new, larger board; a special expansion pack sold at the same time included the Neuroshima Hex! Doomsday Machine 1.0, a fifth army that could be used against any of the other ones.

The first French edition of Neuroshima Hex!, released in 2008, included an additional four Mercenary tiles. The first English edition from Z-Man Games that same year includes the Mercenary tiles and the Mad Bomber tile.

Neuroshima Hex! 3.0, released in 2013 from Z-Man Games, includes rule corrections, the Doomsday Machine army (for five armies in the NH base game), a solo variant with 55 puzzle cards that present you with challenging situations, and new three-player variants: Deathmatch; Deathmatch with scores; one player vs. a team; and a team match (with one player playing two armies)."

64. Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small

Description

"Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small is a new take on Uwe Rosenberg's Agricola designed for exactly two players and focused only on the animal husbandry aspect of that game. So long plows and veggies!

In Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small, you become an animal breeder of horses, cows, sheep and pigs and try to make the most of your pastures. Players start with a 3×2 game board that can be expanded during play to give more room for players to grow and animals to run free. Sixteen possible actions are available for players to take, with each player taking three actions total in each of the eight rounds.

The player who amasses the most victory points through enclosing space with fences and acquiring the largest number and variety of animals and victory point-generating buildings will be the winner.

Four Standard Buildings and 4 special buildings are available in the base game. These buildings each provide unique special abilities during play and/or VP at game end. Balancing the tension between building infrastructure (fenced pastures and buildings) and acquiring animals (the single biggest source of end-game scoring) is the key to success!"

63. Star Wars: Armada

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Star Wars Armada Game

• A GAME OF TACTICAL FLEET COMBAT: Experience the drama of the Galactic Civil War on a whole new scale! Rebel and Imperial fleets fight for the fate of the galaxy in this two-player miniatures game of epic Star Wars space battles!
• STRATEGY GAME: Command the unmatched power of the Imperial fleet or prove your tactical acumen as an admiral in the Rebel Alliance. Assemble your fleet, form your battle plan, call your shots and destroy the enemy. Your tactical commands will decide the course of battle and, perhaps, the fate of the galaxy.
• ARMADA CORE SET: Starter set includes the rules, an articulated maneuver tool, a range ruler, six command dials, nine attack dice, ten unpainted squadrons, and over 130 cards and tokens. Set contains three pre-painted ship minifigures - a Victory-class Star Destroyer, Nebulon-B frigate and CR90 Corellian corvette.
• HIGHLY VARIABLE: Star Wars Armada balances the awesome scale of the Star Wars galaxy's ships and space warfare with designs and rules that create accessible, intuitive play experiences. With many different objectives and ways to upgrade your ships, no two games are ever the same.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: Star Wars Armada is a miniatures battle game for two players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately 2 hours.

Description

"Massive Star Destroyers fly to battle against Rebel corvettes and frigates. Banks of turbolasers unleash torrential volleys of fire against squadrons of X-wing and TIEs. Engineering teams race to route additional power to failing shields. Laser blasts and explosions flare across the battlefield. Even a single ship can change the tide of battle.

In Star Wars: Armada, you assume the role of fleet admiral, serving with either the Imperial Navy or Rebel Alliance. You assemble your fleet and engage the enemy. Using the game's unique maneuver tool, you steer your capital ships across the battlefield, even while squadrons of starfighters buzz around them. Then, as these ships exchange fire, it's your job to issue the tactical commands that will decide the course of battle and, perhaps, the fate of the galaxy.

Maneuver Tool

The maneuver tool is one of the game's most innovative features and adds a unique feel to the way your capital ships must accommodate for inertia as they maneuver through the stars.

It consists of a number of segments linked with hinges, which is used to plot the ship's course. More nimble ships are allowed to turn the ship further at each hinge.

Command Stack

Armada balances the awesome scale of the Star Wars galaxy's ships and space warfare with intuitive ship designs and accessible rules for issuing commands and resolving combat that make for rich, engaging, and highly tactical play experiences.

Capital ships are extremely powerful war machines, but they're also massive and sophisticated vessels that can't swiftly react to every development in the heat of battle. Accordingly, the key to flying these vessels effectively is learning how to plan ahead. You want to issue your commands in such a way that your crews will be ready to execute them at just the right times.

Each of your pre-painted capital ships has a command value, which determines how many commands it will have in its stack at any given point in time. During setup, you secretly build your initial command stack, selecting from any of four different commands, each of which provides a different advantage. Once you have locked your selections, you place the commands in your stack in the order of your choice. Then, during each round of game play, you secretly select and assign a new command to your ship, placing it at the bottom of your command stack, before you reveal the command at the top of your stack and gain its benefits."

62. Glass Road

Description

"Glass Road is a game that commemorates the 700-year-old tradition of glass-making in the Bavarian Forest. (Today the Glass Road is a route through the Bavarian Forest that takes visitors to many of the old glass houses and museums of that region.) You must skillfully manage your glass and brick production in order to build the right structures that help you to keep your business flowing. Cut the forest to keep the fires burning in the ovens, and spread and remove ponds, pits and groves to supply yourself with the items you need. Fifteen specialists are there at your side to carry out your orders…

The game consists of four building periods. Each player has an identical set of fifteen specialist cards, and each specialist comes with two abilities. At the beginning of each building period, each player needs to choose a hand of five specialists. If he then plays a specialist that no other player has remaining in his hand, he may use both abilities of that card; if two or more players play the same specialist, each of them may use only one of the two abilities. Exploiting the abilities of the specialists lets you collect resources, lay out new landscape tiles (e.g., ponds and pits), and build a variety of buildings. There are three types of buildings:

Processing buildings
Immediate buildings with a one-time effect
Buildings that provide bonus points at the end of the game for various accomplishments

Mastering the balance of knowing the best specialist card to play and being flexible about when you play it – together with assembling a clever combination of buildings – is the key to this game."

61. Letters from Whitechapel

Letters from Whitechapel

• A one-versus-many board game of intrigue and deduction for 2 to 6 players
• Based on the true story of the hunt for the infamous murderer Jack the Ripper
• Wooden tokens and pawns, stunning artwork, and a focus on historical accuracy contribute to a rich theme
• English (Publication Language)

Description

"Get ready to enter the poor and dreary Whitechapel district in London 1888 – the scene of the mysterious Jack the Ripper murders – with its crowded and smelly alleys, hawkers, shouting merchants, dirty children covered in rags who run through the crowd and beg for money, and prostitutes – called ""the wretched"" – on every street corner.

The board game Letters from Whitechapel, which plays in 90-150 minutes, takes the players right there. One player plays Jack the Ripper, and his goal is to take five victims before being caught. The other players are police detectives who must cooperate to catch Jack the Ripper before the end of the game. The game board represents the Whitechapel area at the time of Jack the Ripper and is marked with 199 numbered circles linked together by dotted lines. During play, Jack the Ripper, the Policemen, and the Wretched are moved along the dotted lines that represent Whitechapel's streets. Jack the Ripper moves stealthily between numbered circles, while policemen move on their patrols between crossings, and the Wretched wander alone between the numbered circles."

60. Dominion (Second Edition)

Dominion: 2nd Edition

• 2nd Edition features updated cards, artwork and streamlined rules
• Tactical game for 2-4 Players
• 30 minute playing time
• Lots of expansions available to add depth and complexity

Description

"You are a monarch, like your parents before you, a ruler of a small pleasant kingdom of rivers and evergreens. Unlike your parents, however, you have hopes and dreams! You want a bigger and more pleasant kingdom, with more rivers and a wider variety of trees. You want a Dominion! In all directions lie fiefs, freeholds, and feodums. All are small bits of land, controlled by petty lords and verging on anarchy. You will bring civilization to these people, uniting them under your banner.

"But wait! It must be something in the air; several other monarchs have had the exact same idea. You must race to get as much of the unclaimed land as possible, fending them off along the way. To do this you will hire minions, construct buildings, spruce up your castle, and fill the coffers of your treasury. Your parents wouldn't be proud, but your grandparents, on your mother's side, would be delighted.'"'

In Dominion, each player starts with an identical, very small deck of cards. In the center of the table is a selection of other cards the players can "buy" as they can afford them. Through their selection of cards to buy and how they play their hands as they draw them, the players construct their deck on the fly, striving for the most efficient path to the precious victory points by game end.

Dominion is not a collectible card game (CCG), but the play of the game is similar to the construction and play of a CCG deck. The game comes with 500 cards. You select 10 of the 26 Kingdom card types to include in any given play—leading to immense variety.

Dominion (Second Edition) replaces six Kingdom card types from the first edition with six new types of Kingdom cards, while also replacing the blank cards in the game with a seventh new Kingdom card. These new cards are available on their own in the Dominion: Update Pack. The rulebook has been rewritten, three cards have mild functional changes ("you may" added to Moneylender, Mine, Throne Room), and other cards have been rephrased (while remaining functionally the same)."

59. Arboretum

Description

"Arboretum is a strategy card game for 2-4 players, aged 10 and up, that combines set collection, tile-laying and hand management while playing in about 25 minutes. Players try to have the most points at the end of the game by creating beautiful garden paths for their visitors.

The deck has 80 cards in ten different colors, with each color featuring a different species of tree; each color has cards numbered 1 through 8, and the number of colors used depends on the number of players. Players start with a hand of seven cards. On each turn, a player draws two cards (from the deck or one or more of the discard piles), lays a card on the table as part of her arboretum, then discards a card to her personal discard pile.

When the deck is exhausted, players compare the cards that remain in their hands to determine who can score each color. For each color, the player(s) with the highest value of cards in hand of that color scores for a path of trees in her arboretum that begins and ends with that color; a path is a orthogonally adjacent chain of cards with increasing values. For each card in a path that scores, the player earns one point; if the path consists solely of trees of the color being scored, the player scores two points per card. If a player doesn't have the most value for a color, she scores zero points for a path that begins and ends with that color. Whoever has the most points wins."

58. Hive

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Hive- A Game Crawling With Possibilities

• High quality
• Soldier ants and grasshoppers
• Made by Gen42 games honored for excellence by Mensa select
• Dr.Toy product of excellence award winner
• International gamer awards winner

Description

"Hive is a highly addictive strategic game for two players that is not restricted by a board and can be played anywhere on any flat surface. Hive is made up of twenty two pieces, eleven black and eleven white, resembling a variety of creatures each with a unique way of moving.

With no setting up to do, the game begins when the first piece is placed down. As the subsequent pieces are placed this forms a pattern that becomes the playing surface (the pieces themselves become the board). Unlike other such games, the pieces are never eliminated and not all have to be played. The object of the game is to totally surround your opponent's queen, while at the same time trying to block your opponent from doing likewise to your queen. The player to totally surround his opponent's queen wins the game."

57. Onitama

Onitama Board Game

• 2 minutes to learn, 10 minutes to play, a lifetime to master
• Second game in the dice tower essentials Line of games approved by Tom Vasel
• A game of elegance and simplicity

Description

"Onitama is a two-player, perfect information abstract game with a random starting set-up. On a 5×5 board, both players start with five pawns on their side, with the main pawn in the middle.

Each player has two open cards that each display a possible move for any of his pieces. There is a fifth card that cannot be used by either player. On a player's turn, he chooses one of his cards, moves one of his pieces according to the chosen card, then replaces the card he used with the fifth card. The other player then chooses one of his cards, moves accordingly, and exchanges that card with this fifth card — which is, of course, the card the first player just used.

Moving onto one of the opponent's pawns removes that pawn from the game. Taking the opponent's main pawn, or moving your main pawn into your opponent's main pawn's starting space, wins you the game.

"Onitama is a two-player, perfect information abstract game with a random starting set-up. On a 5×5 board, both players start with five pawns on their side, with the main pawn in the middle.

Each player has two open cards that each display a possible move for any of his pieces. There is a fifth card that cannot be used by either player. On a player's turn, he chooses one of his cards, moves one of his pieces according to the chosen card, then replaces the card he used with the fifth card. The other player then chooses one of his cards, moves accordingly, and exchanges that card with this fifth card — which is, of course, the card the first player just used.

Moving onto one of the opponent's pawns removes that pawn from the game. Taking the opponent's main pawn, or moving your main pawn into your opponent's main pawn's starting space, wins you the game."

56. Mage Wars Arena

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Mage Wars Arena Board Game

• Players can play as a Wizard, Warlock, Beast master or Priestess; each with their own unique strategies and style of play. The game is fast-paced and exciting, with tough tactical decisions every turn
• Build a custom spell book for your mage, with over 300 spells to choose from!
• New outdoor Arena Board and 2 new beautiful Spell book designs
• Everything you need to play is in the box
• For 2 players age 13 and up

Description

"What would it be like for Mages of vastly different schools and philosophies of magic to come together in an arena and fight to the death? How would an Illusionist battle a Druid? Or a Warlock fight a Beastmaster? Or a Priestess fare against a Wizard?

Mage Wars — redubbed Mage Wars Arena in 2015 to distinguish it from Mage Wars Academy — pits powerful Mages against each other in deadly arena combat. Each Mage uses his own fully-customizable book of spells to achieve total victory over his opponent. Summon mighty creatures to do battle in your name; cast powerful spells to attack your foe and thwart his every plan and strategy; use hidden enchantments to turn the tables and rule the day; adorn yourself with mighty weapons, armor, and arcane artifacts – all of this and more await you in the arena of Mage Wars!

Mage Wars is a tactical board game, a combination of a card game and miniatures game, combining the best elements from each genre. The game is played on an arena game board divided into square areas called ""zones"", which regulate movement and the placement of objects. Each Mage (player) starts in a corner of the arena, opposite his enemy.

Each player holds a spellbook, from which spell cards are pulled out as they are cast during the game. This has the feel of being a real Mage, turning the pages of your tome of magic, as you plan your strategy each turn. A point system allows you to choose spells for your spellbook, with more powerful spells and spells outside your schools of training costing more points. You have full access to cast any spell you want each turn, allowing for an unprecedented level of rich strategy and tactics. Many of these spells – such as creatures, equipment, and enchantments – are placed on the board and become objects in the game. Creatures can move around the arena, and attack each other and the enemy Mage. Attacks deal damage, as well as interesting special effects such as Burn, Corrode, Stun, Daze, Push, Cripple, Paralyze, etc. Creatures can be destroyed when they receive too much damage, or can be controlled by powerful curses and enchantments, or contained by walls and other creatures.

Every Mage comes from a different school of magic, each with unique spells and strategies:

The Beastmaster will try to rush and swarm the enemy with his hordes of animals, buffed by his nature enchantments.
The Warlock will go right for the throat, armed with his powerful Lash of Hellfire, Helm of Fear, and Demonhide Armor. Along the way to the enemy Mage, he'll use his curses and fire attacks to contain and destroy enemy creatures.
The Wizard is a trickster, a master of meta-magic: countering, stealing, redirecting, and destroying enemy spells and mana. He's also a master of teleportation and portals/gates.
The Priestess will defend with knights and angels and powerful healing and protection spells. She'll wear down the enemy, then overwhelm them in the end.

The base game comes with all you need to get started: spellbooks, extra spells to customize with the spellbooks, arena game board, dice, markers, etc.

New Mages will be released every few months to add new spells, powers, and variety to the game. The game is NOT collectible, but is fully customizable!"

55. Antiquity

Description

"These fields no longer yield grain the way they used to," complains the farmer. "We should settle new lands before our food runs out. Why don't we start farming olives, like our neighbors?"

The cart-driver nods: "Ever since them city folks started worshiping San Giorgio I have to travel further and further to new building sites. I'm on my way now to the new inn they built. I'll change horses there and deliver this load," he gestures towards the pile of wood in the cart with his head "to the sea beyond. Gonna start some fisheries there. It is said we'll conquer those olive-farmers before long. But their land is even more polluted than ours."

The farmer nods his head in reply. As the cart starts moving again, he returns to the field to harvest the last bushels of grain, growing between the stumps of what used to be a lush forest — three turns ago.

Antiquity is a strategy game for 2-4 players. It is set in an environment loosely modeled on Italy in the late Middle Ages. Players choose their own victory condition: they can focus on population growth, trade, conquest, or city building by choosing their patron saint.

Each strategy requires a completely different style of play. Or you can choose to adore Santa Maria, the most powerful saint of all — but you'll be expected to build a civilization twice as impressive as any other player.

While your economy is constantly improving, with more and more advanced cities bringing new options each turn, the land around your cities is slowly being depleted, forcing you to travel further and further to gather your raw materials — until finally, there is no more land left to farm. Let's hope one of you has won the game before that time!"

54. BattleLore (Second Edition)

BattleLore 2nd Edition

• A board game of tense, squad-based battles for two players
• Command armies in the heat of battle
• Create new scenarios in every game, or engage in a narrative campaign
• Players can muster new armies to suit their play styles
• Harness the military intelligence of the Daqan Lords or the brutality of the Uthuk Y'llan

Description

"Prepare for fantasy battles beyond your wildest imagination with the onslaught of BattleLore Second Edition. Set in the fantasy realm of Terrinoth, BattleLore Second Edition is a two-player board game focused on squad-based battles between the hardy defenses of the Daqan Lords garrison in Nordgard Castle and the unleashed ferocity of the demon-worshipping Uthuk Y'llan. You must strategically command your troops and use the power of lore to tip your battles in your favor.

In every game, you will create new maps and scenarios, before mustering a new army for each game, so you can tailor your army to suit your favored play style. Command armies of fearsome warriors and deadly creatures, and lead them against the enemy in this intense game of warfare and military strategy. By seizing victory points from objectives on the battlefield and by eliminating enemy units, a skilled commander can raise his banners as the victor over the borderlands of Terrinoth!

BattleLore Second Edition comes with a game board, ninety-two detailed figures, forty-three map overlay pieces, more than one-hundred fifty cards, rules, four custom dice, and everything else you need to win the borderlands of Terrinoth!"

53. Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage

Description

"This game uses the very popular card system which first appeared in Avalon Hill's We the People game to detail the struggle between Carthage's Hannibal and the Roman Republic in approximately 200 BC.

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is an asymmetrical card driven game for 2 players set in times of epic struggle between ancient Rome and Carthage. It presents a conflict between two super-powers of Antiquity from classical Clausewitzian perspective, according to which a power only reverts to military operations when there is no other way to achieve the goal: political dominance.

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage has been designed by one of the most acclaimed designers in the World, Mark Simonitch. Players use Strategy Cards for multiple purposes: moving generals, levying new troops, reinforcing existing armies, gaining political control of the provinces involved in the war, and introducing historical events. When two armies meet on the battlefield, a second set of cards, called Battle Cards, are used to determine the winner. Ultimately both players seek victory by dominating both fronts: military and political.

The 20th Anniversary of the release of this classic game will see the release of a new, revised, updated, and expanded game entitled Hannibal & Hamilcar. This new edition reimplements the Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage game, and includes the Hamilcar: First Punic War expansion. See the Hannibal & Hamilcar entry for details of the 2017 revamped game."

52. Watergate

Sale

Watergate

• 2-Player card-driven game about the notorious political scandal
• Play as the Journalist and gather evidence to link informants to the President
• Play as Nixon and gain momentum to make it to the end of your presidential term
• History of Watergate included with the game (not needed to play)
• Learn to Play video-link included

Description

"In the two-player game Watergate, one player represents the Nixon administration and tries not to resign before the end of the game while the other player represents The Washington Post and tries to show the connections between Nixon and some of his informers."

51. Battle Line

GMT Games Battle Line

• For 2 players
• Takes 20-30 minutes to play
• 60 Troop cards, 10 Tactics cards, 9 red Plastic pawns, Rulebook

Description

"Two opponents face off across a 'battle line' and attempt to win the battle by taking 5 of 9 flags or 3 adjacent flags. Flags are decided by placing cards into 3 card poker-type hands on either side of the flag (similar to straight flush, 3 of a kind, straight, flush, etc). The side with the highest 'formation' of cards wins the flag.

This is a rethemed version of Schotten Totten with different graphics and wooden flag bits in place of the boundary stone cards. Game play is identical, except the cards run from 1 to 10 (not 9), you hold seven cards in your hand (not 6), and the rule that stones may only be claimed at the start of your turn is presented as an "advanced variant". Also the tactics cards were introduced by Battle Line; these cards were only added to later editions of Schotten-Totten."

Top 50 Two Player Board Games

50. Summoner Wars: Master Set

Description

"Summoner Wars is a fast-playing, action-packed card game for 2-4 players in which they take on the role of Summoners: powerful beings who harness the power of mysterious Summoning Stones to lead their race to conquest on the war-torn planet of Itharia. These Summoners wield terrible magic on the battlefield, freezing their foes in place, draining their enemies of power, and even bringing rains of fire down from the heavens. But most notoriously, they summon their great race's hordes of warriors to the battlefield, to clash in the never-ending struggle for supremacy. A Summoner is both mage and general, and must combine their wizardly might with clever tactics to defeat the enemy Summoner on the opposite side of the battle."

49. Exit: The Game – The Abandoned Cabin

Description

"Everyone meant to use the cabin only as a shelter for the night, but come the morning the door has been secured by a combination lock, with no one knowing the combination of numbers that will let them leave. The windows are barred as well. An enigmatic spinning code dial and a mysterious book is all that you have to go on. Can you escape from this abandoned cottage?

In Exit: The Game – The Abandoned Cabin, players must use their team spirit, creativity, and powers of deduction to crack codes, solve puzzles, collect objects, and earn their freedom bit by bit."

48. Seasons

Libellud Seasons

• Features: Superior artwork, Tons of different strategies of game play, 3 different difficulty levels in one game
• Manage your energy between seasons and adapt your game play
• Mix cards to create unique combinations to give you more chances to win
• For 2 to 4 players
• 60 minutes of playtime

Description

"The greatest sorcerers of the kingdom have gathered at the heart of the Argos forest, where the legendary tournament of the 12 seasons is taking place. At the end of the three year competition, the new archmage of the kingdom of Xidit will be chosen from among the competitors. Take your place, wizard! Equip your ancestral magical items, summon your most faithful familiars to your side and be ready to face the challenge!

Seasons is a tactical game of cards and dice which takes place in two phases:

The first phase "Prelude" consists of a card draft: the goal during this phase will be to establish your own 9-card deck for the main part of the game and with it the strategy.

Once the Prelude is complete, each player must separate their 9 cards into 3 packs of 3 cards. They will begin the second phase of the game with their first pack of three cards, then gradually as the game progresses, they will receive the other two packets of three cards.

Next comes the Tournament: at the beginning of each round a player will roll the seasons dice (dice = number of players +1).

These cubes offer a variety of actions to the players:

• Increase your gauge (maximum number of cards you may have placed on the table and in play)
• Harvesting energy (water, earth, fire, air) to pay the cost of power cards
• Crystallizing the energy (during the current season) to collect crystals. Crystals serve both as a resource to pay for some cards, but also as victory points in the end.
• Draw new cards

Each player can choose only one die per turn. The die not chosen by anyone determines how many fields the "time track" would move forward.

In addition, all the dice are different depending on the season. For example, there are not the same energies to a particular season. Throughout the game, players will therefore have to adapt to these changes – also the ""exchange rates"" of energy to crystals vary during seasons – the energy not present on the dice in any given season is also the best paid during the season

At the end of the game, the crystals are summed with victory points granted by the cards (minus some penalties, where applicable). The highest score wins."

47. Hanamikoji

Description

"Welcome to the most famed Geisha street in the old capital, Hanamikoji. Geishas are elegant and graceful women who are skilled in art, music, dance, and a variety of performances and ceremonies. Greatly respected and adored, Geishas are masters of entertainment.

In Hanamikoji, two players compete to earn the favor of seven illustrious Geishas by collecting each Geisha's preferred performance item. With careful speculation and a few bold moves, can you outsmart your opponent to win the favor of the most Geishas?

Jixia Academy features the same gameplay as Hanamikoji, but with different artwork."

46. Imperial Settlers

Sale

Portal Games Imperial Settlers, Multi-Colored

• Easy to learn strategy board game for 1 to 4 players, age 10+, with a playing time of 45 - 90 min.
• Great to play with the family or to enjoy as a solo game.
• Choose your empire - Roman, Japanese, Barbarian or Egyptian, each with its own thematic deck of cards. Construct buildings to strengthen your economy, find mines and fields to gather resources, build barracks and training grounds to train soldiers.
• Engine building civilization game with 4 asymmetrical factions and 220 cards, providing huge replay-ability.

Description

"Settlers from four major powers of the world have discovered new lands, with new resources and opportunities. Romans, Barbarians, Egyptians and Japanese all at once move there to expand the boundaries of their empires. They build new buildings to strengthen their economy, they found mines and fields to gather resources, and they build barracks and training grounds to train soldiers. Soon after they discover that this land is far too small for everybody, then the war begins…

Imperial Settlers is a card game that lets players lead one of the four factions and build empires by placing buildings, then sending workers to those buildings to acquire new resources and abilities. The game is played over five rounds during which players take various actions in order to explore new lands, build buildings, trade resources, conquer enemies, and thus score victory points."

45. 1960: The Making of the President

Description

""Sometimes the history of a nation can be defined by the relationship between two individuals. The Election of 1960 is the story of two men, John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. One is the scion of a wealthy, politically powerful family from New England. The other is the son of a Quaker grocer in Whittier, California. While they belong to opposing political parties, they start out as friends. The complex development of that friendship, however, would shape a pivotal presidential election and cast a long shadow over American history for the remainder of the 20th century.

"In 1960: The Making of the President, you take on the role of one of these great protagonists vying for the right to lead his country into the heart of the Cold War. However, it is not just foreign policy that poses a challenge to American leadership; this is also an era of great social turmoil and progress. As the United States continues to build upon the promise of its founding, candidates must contend with the question of civil rights and balance their positions on social justice against the need for valuable Southern electoral votes. Of course, the ever-present issue of the economy also rears its ugly head, and both Nixon and Kennedy will compete to be the candidate with the voters' pocket books in mind.

"The contest is fought out on an electoral map of the United States as it stood in 1960—a map where Louisiana and Florida share the same number of electoral votes, as do California and Pennsylvania. Using a card-driven game system, all the major events which shaped the campaign are represented: Nixon's lazy shave, President Eisenhower's late endorsement, and the 'Catholic question' are all included as specific event cards. The famous televised debates and final election day push are each handled with their own subsystems. Candidates vie to capture each state's electoral votes using campaign points in the four different regions of the country. At the same time, they must build momentum by dominating the issues of the day and attempt to gain control of the airwaves.

"As with any election campaign, the challenge is to adapt your game plan as the ground shifts out from under you. There are never enough resources or time to do everything, but you need to make the tough calls to propel yourself into the White House. This fast-playing strategy game for two players challenges you to run for the most powerful elective office in the world, at one of its most unique crossroads. Will you recreate history, or rewrite it? 1960: The Making of the President provides you the opportunity to do both.""

44. Hero Realms

Hero Realms Bundle: Base Game, Character Packs, Boss Decks, Ruins of Thandar, Ancestry, Journeys, The Lost Village and Storage Box

• This Bundle includes the Hero Realms adventure deck building base game and all its expansions, INCLUDING the large storage box.
• As rival forces conspire to destroy your realm, the time for heroes is now. Cast powerful spells, perform mighty feats, and gather legendary champions at your side. Defeat your opponents, and prove your valor!
• Each character pack replaces a player's personal deck or With the Ancestry pack, Play as a Dwarf, Elf, Ogre, Orc, or Smallfolk! Your lineage grants you powerful new abilities and unique items
• The Journeys set includes 4 expansion packs. Conquest and Discovery add the new quest and artifact types. Quests are secret objectives players may complete to earn artifacts! Hunters and Travelers add new champions and actions to the game
• 90 Minutes / 1-5 Players / Ages 12+

Description

"Hero Realms is a fantasy-themed deck-building game that is an adaptation of the award-winning Star Realms game. The game includes basic rules for two-player games, along with rules for multiplayer formats such as Free-For-All, Hunter, and Hydra.

Each player starts the game with a ten-card personal deck containing gold (for buying) and weapons (for combat). You start each turn with a new hand of five cards from your personal deck. When your deck runs out of cards, you shuffle your discard pile into your new deck. An 80-card Market deck is shared by all players, with five cards being revealed from that deck to create the Market Row. As you play, you use gold to buy champion cards and action cards from the Market. These champions and actions can generate large amounts of gold, combat, or other powerful effects. You use combat to attack your opponent and their champions. When you reduce your opponent's score (called health) to zero, you win!

Multiple expansions are available for Hero Realms that allow players to start as a particular character (Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Thief, or Wizard) and fight cooperatively against a Boss, fight Boss decks against one another, or compete in a campaign mode that has you gain experience to work through different levels of missions."

43. YINSH

Rio Grande Games Yinsh

• 2 players
• 30 minutes to play
• Western theme
• Part of the Gipf project
• Combinable with any game in the series

Description

"In YINSH, the players each start with five rings on the board. Every time a ring is moved, it leaves a marker behind. Markers are white on one side and black on the other. When markers are jumped over by a ring they must be flipped, so their color is constantly changing. The players must try to form a row of five markers with their own color face up. If a player succeeds in doing so, he removes one of his rings as an indication that he has formed such a row. The first player to remove three of his rings wins the game. In other words, each row you make brings you closer to victory-but also makes you weaker, because you have one fewer ring to play with. Very tricky!"

42. Carcassonne

Sale

Carcassonne Board Game (BASE GAME) | Family Board Game | Board Game for Adults and Family | Strategy Board Game | Medieval Adventure Board Game | Ages 7 and up | 2-5 Players | Made by Z-Man Games

• STRATEGY GAME - PLAN YOUR WAY TO VICTORY: Develop the landscape of a medieval fortress city one tile at a time. Whether blocking a city's growth or connecting with your opponent's road to share the points, Carcassonne provides plenty of ways to use your cunning and outsmart your opponents.
• ONE STEP AT A TIME TILE-PLACEMENT GAME: Players fill in the countryside around the medieval fortified city, choosing from tiles that depict cities, roads, monasteries, and fields; each new tile creates an ever-expanding board on which players can then add their followers.
• JACK OF ALL TRADES: Followers can take many different roles (knights, monks, farmers, or thieves) determined by the type of tile on which they're placed. Each role scores points differently, so you'll need careful planning to make the best use of your followers.
• HOW TO ACHIEVE VICTORY: Players score points by having followers on tiles as features are completed. The player who makes the most strategic placements of tiles and followers will score the most points and win the game.
• HIGH REPLAYABILITY: With its simple yet rich game mechanics and eighty-four tiles that can be configured into numerous combinations, Carcassonne appeals to beginners and veteran gamers alike. LOOKING FOR NEW ADVENTURES? Try our many expansions (Note: Expansions require Carcassonne Base Game to play). Average Playtime: 45 minutes.

Description

"Carcassonne is a tile-placement game in which the players draw and place a tile with a piece of southern French landscape on it. The tile might feature a city, a road, a cloister, grassland or some combination thereof, and it must be placed adjacent to tiles that have already been played, in such a way that cities are connected to cities, roads to roads, etcetera. Having placed a tile, the player can then decide to place one of their meeples on one of the areas on it: on the city as a knight, on the road as a robber, on a cloister as a monk, or on the grass as a farmer. When that area is complete, that meeple scores points for its owner.

During a game of Carcassonne, players are faced with decisions like: ""Is it really worth putting my last meeple there?"" or ""Should I use this tile to expand my city, or should I place it near my opponent instead, giving him a hard time to complete their project and score points?"" Since players place only one tile and have the option to place one meeple on it, turns proceed quickly even if it is a game full of options and possibilities."

41. Go

Description

"By all appearances, it's just two players taking turns laying stones on a 19×19 (or smaller) grid of intersections. But once its basic rules are understood, Go shows its staggering depth. One can see why many people say it's one of the most elegant brain-burning abstract games in history, with players trying to claim territory by walling off sections of the board and surrounding each other's stones. The game doesn't end until the board fills up, or, more often, when both players agree to end it, at which time whoever controls the most territory wins.

The earliest mention of Go (appears in the "Analects" of Confucius (551-479 BC), while the earliest physical evidence is a 17×17 Go board discovered in 1952 in a tomb of the former Han dynasty (206 BC- 9 AD). There is a tangle of conflicting popular and scholarly anecdotes attributing its invention to two Chinese emperors, an imperial vassal and court astrologers. One story has it that Go was invented by the legendary Emperor Yao (ruled 2357-2256 BC) as an amusement for his idiot son. A second claims that the Emperor Shun (ruled 2255-2205 BC) created the game in hopes of improving his weak-minded son's mental prowess. A third says the person named Wu, a vassal of the Emperor Jie (ruled 1818-1766 BC), invented Go (as well as games of cards). Finally, a fourth story suggests that Go was developed by court astrologers during the Zhou dynasty (1045-255 BC).

A Go set, consisting of a very general-purpose grid and colored stones, can also be used to play a variety of other abstract strategy games, such as Connect6, Go-Moku, and Pente."

40. Star Realms: Colony Wars

White Wizard Games Star Realms: Colony Wars

• Colony Wars is a stand-alone expansion for the hit Star Realms deckbuilding game.
• Colony Wars can be played as a stand-alone 2 player game or combined with the original Star Realms Deckbuilding Game to support an additional 1-2 players.
• This box contains a complete 2 player game with rules and 128 cards, including an all new 80 card track deck.
• English (Publication Language)

Description

"Colony Wars is a deckbuilding game in the Star Realms series which is both a standalone box set for two players (featuring an 80-card trade deck, as in the original) and an expansion for the base Star Realms set that allows it to be played as a four-player game.

In Colony Wars, as in Star Realms, players will start with a fleet (deck) of 10 basic ships, and can spend Trade to acquire more powerful ships and bases from a central trade row of 5 cards. This row is continuously replenished by random draws from the trade deck. Many ships and bases deal Combat damage which you can use to attack your opponent and/or destroy their bases. When you reduce your opponent's Authority to zero, you win."

39. Santorini

Spin Master Games Santorini Strategy Based Family Board Game for Kids & Adults, Ages 8+, Up to 6 Players

• Santorini is a strategy-based board game that's exhilarating and intellectually challenging! Play together and make family game night even more fun!
• Play against an opponent or team up and play two against two.
• Race to build your way to the top of a stack of blocks! Use builder pieces and move one space in any direction.
• Each player is dealt a God Card to be used strategically. When you find yourself in a tight spot, break or bend the rules!

Description

"Santorini is a re-imagining of the purely abstract 2004 edition. Since its original inception over 30 years ago, Santorini has been continually developed, enhanced and refined by designer Gordon Hamilton.

Santorini is an accessible strategy game, simple enough for an elementary school classroom while aiming to provide gameplay depth and content for hardcore gamers to explore, The rules are simple. Each turn consists of 2 steps:

1. Move – move one of your builders into a neighboring space. You may move your Builder Pawn on the same level, step-up one level, or step down any number of levels.
2. Build – Then construct a building level adjacent to the builder you moved. When building on top of the third level, place a dome instead, removing that space from play.

Winning the game – If either of your builders reaches the third level, you win.

Variable player powers – Santorini features variable player powers layered over an otherwise abstract game, with 40 thematic god and hero powers that fundamentally change the way the game is played."

38. Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan

Description

"The battle of Sekigahara, fought in 1600 at a crossroads in Japan, unified that nation under the Tokugawa family for more than 250 years.

Sekigahara allows you to re-contest that war as Ishida Mitsunari, defender of a child heir, or Tokugawa Ieyasu, Japan's most powerful daimyo (feudal lord).

The campaign lasted only 7 weeks, during which each side improvised an army and a strategy with what forces their allies could provide. Each leader harbored deep doubts as to the loyalty of his units – for good reason. Several daimyo refused to fight; some even turned sides in the midst of battle.

To conquer Japan you must do more than field an army – you must be sure it will follow you into combat. Cultivate the loyalty of your allies and deploy them only when you are confident of their allegiance. Win a battle by gaining a defection from the ranks of your opponent.

Sekigahara is replete with unusual mechanics:

No dice are used
Cards represent loyalty and motivation. Without a matching card, an army will not enter battle.
Allegiance is represented by hand size, which fluctuates each turn.
Battles are a series of deployments, from hidden unit stacks, based on hidden loyalty factors. Loyalty Challenge cards create potential defection events.

Sekigahara is a 3-hour block game based on the Japanese campaign waged in 1600. The 7-week war, fought along Japan's two major highways and in scattered sieges and backcountry skirmishes, elevated Tokugawa Ieyasu to Shogun and unified Japan for 265 years.

Sekigahara is designed to offer an historically authentic experience within an intuitive game mechanic that can be played in one sitting. Great effort has been taken to preserve a clean game mechanism. (Despite a healthy amount of historical detail, the ruleset is a brief 6 pages.) Chance takes the form of uncertainty and not luck.

No dice are used; combat is decided with cards. Blocks = armies and cards = motivation. The combination of army and motivation produces impact on the battlefield. Armies without matching cards don't fight. Battles resolve quickly, but with suspense, tactical participation, and a wide range of possible outcomes.

Legitimacy is represented by hand size, which fluctuates each week according to the number of castles a player holds. Certain events deplete legitimacy, like force marches and lost battles. Recruitment, meanwhile, is a function of a daimyo's control over key production areas. Objectives (enemy units, castles, resources) exist all over the map.

The initial setup is variable, so the situation is always fresh. Concealed information (blocks and cards) lends additional uncertainty. In this way the game feels like the actual campaign.

Blocks are large and stackable. Every unit on the board is visible at once, and the strategic situation is comprehensible at a glance. Components use authentic clan designations and colors, and have a Japanese feel.

True to history, the objectives (castles and economic centers) and forces (armies of allied daimyo) are dispersed. Support for one front means neglect for another. The player is pulled between competing priorities. Each side wonders where his opponent wants to fight, and where he is unready. There is a great deal of bluff in the game.

Each player must rally the several daimyo of his coalition, managing the morale and motivation of each clan. The forces are dispersed, and while there are reasons to unify them, the objectives are also dispersed, and the timeframe compact, so skirmishing will occur all over the island."

37. Codenames: Duet

Description

"Codenames Duet keeps the basic elements of Codenames — give one-word clues to try to get someone to identify your agents among those on the table — but now you're working together as a team to find all of your agents. (Why you don't already know who your agents are is a question that Congressional investigators will get on your back about later!)

To set up play, lay out 25 word cards in a 5×5 grid. Place a key card in the holder so that each player sees one side of the card. Each player sees a 5×5 grid on the card, with nine of the squares colored green (representing your agents) and three squares colored black (representing assassins). Three of the nine squares on each side are also green on the other side, one assassin is black on both sides, one is green on the other side and the other is an innocent bystander on the other side.

Collectively, you need to reveal all fifteen agents — without revealing an assassin — before time runs out in order to win the game. Either player can decide to give the first one-word clue to the other player, along with a number. Whoever receives the clue places a finger on a card to identify that agent. If correct, they can attempt to identify another one. If they identify a bystander, then their guessing time ends. If they identify an assassin, you both lose! Unlike regular Codenames, they can keep guessing as long as they keep identifying an agent each time; this is useful for going back to previous clues and finding ones they missed earlier. After the first clue is given, players alternate giving clues."

36. Aeon's End: War Eternal

Indie Boards and Cards Aeons End War Eternal Board Games

• Aeon's end: War eternal is a cooperative deck building game for 1-4 players that feels like an epic video game boss battle
• Aeon's end: War eternal is a standalone game that includes everything needed to play
• Aeon's end: War eternal is compatible with aeon's end. The depths and the NAMELESS expansions
• Every game you will face a different nemesis, each with a unique set of abilities requiring a different strategy to defeat

Description

"Gravehold remains the last bastion of The World That Was. As the otherworldly incursions from the creatures known only as The Nameless intensify, a cadre of strange survivors emerge from the void itself. Will they be Gravehold's salvation or its undoing?

War Eternal is a standalone game compatible with the cooperative deck-building game Aeon's End. Players struggle to defend Gravehold from The Nameless and their hordes using unique abilities, powerful spells, and an all-new cast of dynamic characters. Featuring a number of innovative mechanisms, including a variable turn order system that simulates the chaos of an attack and deck management rules that require careful planning, War Eternal can be played alone or combined with other Aeon's End content for a game experience like no other."

35. Combat Commander: Europe

Description

"Combat Commander: Europe is a card-driven board game covering tactical infantry combat in the European Theater of World War II. One player takes the role of the Axis (Germany) while another player commands the Allies (America or Russia). These two players will take turns playing one or more "Fate" cards from their hands in order to activate his units on the mapboard for various military functions.

Players attempt to achieve victory by moving their combat units across the game map to attack their opponent's combat units and occupy as many objectives as possible. The degree to which a player succeeds or fails is measured by a scenario's specific "Objective" chits, the destruction of enemy units, and the exiting of friendly units off the opponent's board edge.

A game of Combat Commander is divided into several measures of Game Time. There is no sequence of play to follow, however: each Time segment is divided into a variable number of Player Turns, each of which may consist of one or more Fate Card "Orders" conducted by the active player. Fate Card ""Actions"" may generally be conducted by either player at any time. ""Events"" — both good and bad — will occur at random intervals to add a bit of chaos and uncertainty to each player's perfect plan.

SCALE: Each hex of a Combat Commander map is roughly 100 feet of distance (about 30 meters). Each complete Player Phase abstractly represents several seconds of real time. Each complete measure of Game Time abstractly represents several minutes of real time.

Each unit in the game is approximated as either a single Leader, a 5-man Team, or a 10-man Squad. Radios — and individual weapons larger than a pistol, rifle or BAR — are represented by their own counters."

34. Sagrada

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Sagrada - Board Game by Floodgate Games

• Draft dice & use the tools-of-the-trade to carefully construct your stained glass window masterpiece.
• Each player will build a stained glass window by building up a grid of dice on their player board
• Each board has some restrictions on which color or shade (value) of die can be placed there.
• Dice of the same shade or color may never be placed next to each other.
• Dice are drafted in player order, with the start player rotating each round, snaking back around after the last player drafts 2 dice.

Description

"Draft dice and use the tools-of-the-trade in Sagrada to carefully construct your stained glass window masterpiece.

In more detail, each player builds a stained glass window by building up a grid of dice on their player board. Each board has some restrictions on which color or shade (value) of die can be placed there. Dice of the same shade or color may never be placed next to each other. Dice are drafted in player order, with the start player rotating each round, snaking back around after the last player drafts two dice. Scoring is variable per game based on achieving various patterns and varieties of placement…as well as bonus points for dark shades of a particular hidden goal color.

Special tools can be used to help you break the rules by spending skill tokens; once a tool is used, it then requires more skill tokens for the other players to use them.

The highest scoring window artisan wins!"

33. Paths of Glory

Description

"They called it the Great War. In over four years of titanic struggle, the ancient Europe of Kings and Emperors tore itself to pieces, giving birth to our own violent modern age. The bloody battles fought in the trenches of the Western Front, the icy plains of Poland, the mountains of the Balkans, and the deserts of Arabia, shaped the world we know today. We are all orphans of the Great War.

Paths of Glory: The First World War, designed by six-time Charles S. Roberts awards winner, Ted Raicer, allows players to step into the shoes of the monarchs and marshals who triumphed and bungled from 1914 to 1918. As the Central Powers you must use the advantage of interior lines and the fighting skill of the Imperial German Army to win your rightful 'place in the sun.' As the Entente Powers (Allies) you must bring your greater numbers to bear to put an end to German militarism and ensure this is the war 'to end all wars.' Both players will find their generalship and strategic abilities put to the test as Paths of Glory's innovative game systems let you recreate all the dramatic events of World War I."

32. Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

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Portal Games Detective , Blue

• Complex detective investigation using clues general knowledge and Antares Database
• 5 crime cases to solve all interconnected and telling one compelling story
• A fully cooperative immersive game night experience
• 1 to 5 Players ages 16 and up
• 120 to 180 minutes playing time.Can be played on video conferencing

Description

"In Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game you are going to solve FIVE different cases and find out what connects them, you are going to BREAK THE 4th WALL by using every resource you can, you are going to browse the game's DEDICATED DATABASE simulating your agency's resources, you will enter a city maze of old mysteries and fresh CRIME, and you will be able to COOPERATE with other agents or solve the mystery on your own.

Take the job of a real detective in a modern setting! In Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game, 1-5 players take on the role of investigators, solving mysterious crimes while working as an Antares National Investigation Agency team members. This board game tell rich stories – stories you will participate in. Let's hope that you will be able to deduce the end, before there is another crime… The game will challenge you with five different cases, that have to be played in order. Seemingly unconnected at first, they will unveil an immersive meta-plot based on facts and fiction alike.

Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game brings classic, card-based, puzzle-solving gameplay into the 21st century with the introduction of online elements. You will gain access to the online Antares database that contains data about suspects, witnesses, and documentation from arrests and trials related to your case. Use every tool at your disposal to solve these crimes – consult the Internet, check the facts and constantly discover new clues. You are not playing a detective; you ARE a detective!"

31. Res Arcana

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Res Arcana

• By acclaimed designer tom lehmann (race for the galaxy)
• Innovative resource growth and transformation gameplay
• Multiple strategies, and endless replayability
• Beautiful artworks and presentation

Description

"In a high tower, an Alchemist prepares potions, using vials filled with otherworldly fluids. In a sacred grove, a Druid grinds herbs for a mystical ritual. In the catacombs, a Necromancer summons a bone dragon… Welcome to the world of Res Arcana!

In it, Life, Death, Elan, Calm, and Gold are the essences that fuel the art of magic. Choose your mage, gather essences, craft unique artifacts, and use them to summon dragons, conquer places of power, and achieve victory!

Designed by Tom Lehmann and richly illustrated by Julien Delval, Res Arcana offers a unique gaming experience!"

30. Commands & Colors: Ancients

Description

"From the designer (about his Commands and Colors system, C&C: Ancients, and Memoir' 44):

Commands & Colors: Ancients depicts warfare from the Dawn of Military History (3000 BC) to the opening of the Middle Ages (400 AD). Quite an ambitious undertaking for one game, yet Commands & Colors by design is a unique historical game system which allows players to effectively portray stylized battles from this time in history. The 15 battles, showcased in the scenario booklet, although stylized, focus on important terrain features and the historical deployment of forces in scale with the game system. The battles include Bagradas, Cannae, and Zama.

The scale of the game fluctuates from battle to battle. For some scenarios, an infantry unit may represent a legion of fighters, while in other scenarios a unit may represent just a few brave warriors. But the tactics you need to execute conform remarkably well to the advantages and limitations inherent to the various units, their weapons, terrain and time.

Unlike its older brother, Battle Cry by Avalon Hill Games, Inc., Commands & Colors: Ancients is moderately more complex and contains additional historical details without the battlefield clutter. Most scenarios will still play to a conclusion in less than an hour.

The command card system, drives movement, creates a true fog of war and presents both challenges and opportunities. There are four types of command cards: Leadership cards, Section cards, Troop cards and Tactic cards.

The battle dice system resolves all combat efficiently and quickly. Each battle die has one Light, one Medium, one Heavy, one Leader, one Flag and one Swords symbol.

The game mechanics, although simple, will still require strategic card play, historical tactics, timely dice rolling, and an aggressive yet flexible battle plan, to achieve victory."

29. Memoir '44

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Days of Wonder Memoir '44

• 17 historical scenarios
• Easy to learn and fast-paced
• Historical World War II game
• 17 historical scenarios
• Easy to learn and fast-paced

Description

"Memoir '44 is a historical boardgame where players face-off in stylized battles of some of the most famous historic battles of World War II including Omaha Beach, Pegasus Bridge, Operation Cobra and the Ardennes.

Memoir '44 includes over 15 different battle scenarios and features a double-sided hex game board for both beach landings and countryside combat. Each scenario mimics the historical terrain, troop placements and objectives of each army. Commanders deploy troops through Command and Tactic cards, applying the unique skills of his units — infantry, paratrooper, tank, artillery, and even resistance fighters — to their greatest strength.

By design, the game is not overly complex, says Memoir '44 designer, Richard Borg. The game mechanics, although simple, still require strategic card play, timely dice rolling and an aggressive yet flexible battle plan to achieve victory. In addition to the large, double-sided gameboard, Memoir '44 includes 144 amazingly detailed army miniatures – including historically accurate infantry, tanks and artillery; 36 Obstacle pieces, 60 illustrated Command cards, 44 Special Terrain tiles, and 8 Custom Wooden dice.

Memoir '44 is designed for 2 players but easily accommodates team play. And with Memoir '44 Overlord scenarios, players can use multiple boards and up to 8 players to conduct large scale operations, experiencing the challenges of troop coordination and military chain of command on a large scale battlefield. Average game length is between 30 and 60 minutes, encouraging match play where players can command first one side and then the other.

The Memoir '44 series consists of the base game and a number of expansions.

This game is based upon Richard Borg's Command and Colors system."

28. Chronicles of Crime

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Lucky Duck Games Chronicles of Crime

• Chronicles of Crime is a cooperative game of crime investigation, mixing VR experience and board gaming.
• With the same physical components (board, locations, characters, and items), players will play various scenarios to solve as many different crime stories as they can.
• Each scenario can be its own session or play multiple scenarios in a row!
• They will start the app, choose the scenario they want to play, and follow the story. The goal is to catch the killer of the case they have been given in the shortest possible time.
• Each component (locations, characters, items, etc.) has a unique QR code, which will activate and trigger different clues and stories depending on the scenario selected using Scan&Play technology!

Description

"Chronicles of Crime is a cooperative game of crime investigation, mixing an app, a board game and a touch of Virtual Reality.

With the same physical components (board, locations, characters and items), players will be able to play plenty of different scenarios and solve as many different crime stories.

Players start the app, choose the scenario they want to play, and follow the story. The goal being to catch the killer of the current case in the shortest time possible.

Using the Scan&Play technology, each component (locations, characters, items, etc.) has a unique QR code, which, depending on the scenario selected, will activate and trigger different clues and stories. That means players will be able to get new stories way after the game is released simply by downloading the app's updates, without any shipping of new physical components involved.

The VR experience only requires a mobile phone. Players simply put the VR glasses (optional buy) onto their mobile device, and put the VR glasses on their nose, holding their mobile device in front of their eyes, to immerse themselves in the game's universe and search for clues in a virtual world.

The game comes with 1 tutorial and 5 scenarios, but more can be downloaded directly inside the app!

Each session last around 1h to 1h30 minutes and many scenarios are connected to each others in order to tell a much bigger story."

27. Jaipur

Jaipur Board Game (New Edition) | Strategy Game for Adults and Kids | Two Player Trading Game | Fun Tactical Game | Ages 10 and up | 2 Players | Average Playtime 30 Minutes | Made by Space Cowboys

• SUBTLE TRADING GAME: In Jaipur, players take on the roles of two of the city's most powerful traders seeking to become the Maharaja's personal trader by amassing more riches than their opponent. This new edition features an exclusive metallic collectible coin.
• STRATEGY GAME: Collect and exchange goods at the market then sell them for rupees. Arrange a larger sale to receive a reward. The camels have no sale value but are very useful for trading, especially when you want a lot of goods from the market.
• COMPETITIVE TWO PLAYER GAME: Out-trade your opponent to obtain the Maharajah's favor. At the end of each round, the richest trader receives a Seal of Excellence. The first player to collect 2 Seals of Excellence wins the game.
• EASY TO LEARN: Blending strategy and luck, Jaipur is a fast-paced game that is simple to learn while offering plenty of depth to dedicated players.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This board game for adults and family is designed for 2 players and is suitable for ages 10 and older. The average playtime is 30 minutes.

Description

"You are one of the two most powerful traders in the city of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, but that's not enough for you because only the merchant with two "seals of excellence" will have the privilege of being invited to the Maharaja's court. You are therefore going to have to do better than your direct competitor by buying, exchanging, and selling at better prices, all while keeping an eye on both your camel herds.

Jaipur is a fast-paced card game, a blend of tactics, risk and luck. On your turn, you can either take or sell cards. If you take cards, you have to choose between taking all the camels, taking one card from the market, or swapping 2-5 cards between the market and your cards.

If you sell cards, you get to sell only one type of good, and you receive as many chips for that good as the number of cards you sold. The chips' values decrease as the game progresses, so you'd better hurry! On the other hand, you receive increasingly high rewards for selling three, four, or five cards of the same good at a time, so you'd better wait!

You can't sell camels, but they're paramount for trading and they're also worth a little something at the end of the round, enough sometimes to secure the win, so you have to use them smartly."

26. That's Pretty Clever!

Description

"Choose your dice well in Ganz schön clever to enter them into the matching colored area, put together tricky chain-scoring opportunities, and rack up the points. The dice you don't use are as important as what you do because every die that's smaller than the chosen one can be used by the other players, keeping everyone in the game at all times."

Top 25 Two Player Board Games

25. The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

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The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game | Adventure Game | Strategy Game | Cooperative Game for Adults and Teens | Ages 14+ | 1-4 Players | Average Playtime 30-90 Minutes | Made by Fantasy Flight Games

• COOPERATIVE ADVENTURE GAME: This epic card game puts players in control of some of the greatest heroes and artifacts of Middle-earth. Select heroes, gather allies, acquire artifacts and coordinate your efforts to face Middle-earth's most dangerous fiends. Work together to overcome the obstacles drawn from the encounter deck to complete the quest and claim victory!
• START YOUR JOURNEY: The Core Set includes 226 cards that can be used to assemble a wide variety of decks right out of the box. Included are three perilous quests that, along with countless combinations of settings and enemies, offer near-limitless replayability.
• FORM YOUR FELLOWSHIP: Build a party from a set of 12 hero cards and focus your decks on any combination of four distinct spheres of influence: Leadership, Lore, Spirit, and Tactics. Each sphere offer unique benefits to the party, so choose wisely!
• EXPAND YOUR GAMES: Add more variability to your games with the 60-card Adventure Packs (sold separately). These expansion packs will introduce new quests, heroes, allies, attachments, events, and encounters, allowing players to fully customize their game and continue their fight against the Dark Lord!
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This epic adventure board game for adults and teens is made for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately 30 to 90 minutes.

Description

"The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative adventure game in which the players attempt to complete a scenario, each with three heroes of their choice and a deck of allies, events and attachments to support them. Each round, players send their heroes and allies to quest or to fight with enemies that engage them. However, as the heroes and allies exhaust after questing, defending, or attacking, the players' options are typically insufficient to deal with everything at once. Therefore, players need to determine whether it is more urgent to quest and make progress in the scenario while the enemy forces gain power, or to take down enemies while making no progress, not knowing what will come next.

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is the base game of a Living Card Game for which new adventure packs are released monthly. The base game contains three scenarios, twelve famous characters from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien (including Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Denethor and Eowyn), and four pre-constructed player decks. Players can either use one of these decks or construct their own deck to increase their chances to be successful in the more challenging scenarios. The monthly adventure packs contain a new scenario, a new hero, and new player cards to be used in their deck. The base game is for 1-2 players, but with an additional base game the scenarios can be played with up to four players.

Although this game is set in Tolkien's Middle Earth, the scenarios do not represent scenes from the books, but rather take place in the seventeen years from Bilbo's 111th birthday until Frodo's departure from the Shire.

The scenarios from saga-expansions do represent scenes from the books. Saga-expansions will form the Campaign Mode so that you can play all the saga quests that deal with the trilogy (+ Hobbit) together in one marathon campaign."

24. Targi

Description

"Theme and overview:

Unlike in other cultures, the desert Tuareg men, known as Targi, cover their faces whereas women of the tribe do not wear veils. They run the household and they have the last word at home in the tents. Different families are divided into tribes, headed by the 'Imascheren' (or nobles). As leader of a Tuareg tribe, players trade goods from near (such as dates and salt) and far (like pepper), in order to obtain gold and other benefits, and enlarge their family. In each round their new offerings are made. Cards are a means to an end, in order to obtain the popular tribe cards.

Gameplay:

The board consists of a 5×5 grid: a border of 16 squares with printed action symbols and then 9 blank squares in the centre onto which cards are dealt. Meeples are placed one at a time on the spaces at the edges of the board (not including corner squares). You cannot place a meeple on a square the opponent has a meeple on already, nor on a square facing opponent's meeple. Once all meeples are placed, players then execute the actions on the border squares the meeples are on and also take the cards from the centre that match the row and column of the border meeples.

The game is predominantly scored and won by playing tribal cards to your display. These give advantages during the game and victory points at the end. Usually cards are played (or discarded) immediately once drawn. A single card can be kept in hand but then requires a special action to play it (or to discard it to free the hand spot for another card). Each card has a cost in goods to play. Goods are obtained either from border spaces or from goods cards.

The display (for scoring) consists of 3 rows of 4 cards that are filled from left to right and cannot be moved once placed (barring some special cards). There is also a balance to be found between the victory point score on the cards themselves (1-3 VP per tribal card) and in the combinations per row (a full row of 4 identical card types gets you an additional 4 VP, and a full row of 4 distinct card types gets you 2 VP).

The winner at the end of the game is the player with the most victory points."

23. Star Realms

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Star Realms: Deckbuilding Game

• Fun Amazingly rich yet easy to learn game play
• Portable The whole game comes in a deck box that can fit in your jacket pocket
• Expandable One copy supports 2 players Add additional copies for multi player games of up to 6 players
• Beautiful Rich full color artwork brings this science fiction universe to life
• English (Publication Language)

Description

"Star Realms is a spaceship combat deck-building game by Magic Hall of Famers Darwin Kastle (The Battle for Hill 218) and Rob Dougherty (Ascension Co-designer).

Star Realms is a fast paced deck-building card game of outer space combat. It combines the fun of a deck-building game with the interactivity of Trading Card Game style combat. As you play, you make use of Trade to acquire new Ships and Bases from the cards being turned face up in the Trade Row from the Trade Deck. You use the Ships and Bases you acquire to either generate more Trade or to generate Combat to attack your opponent and their bases. When you reduce your opponent's score (called Authority) to zero, you win!

Multiple decks of Star Realms and/or Star Realms: Colony Wars, one for every two people, allows up to six players to play a variety of scenarios. Also, in the newest version, there are new ways to play that allow up to 6 players with modes like Boss, Hunter, and Free for All. You can also add Star Realms Colony Wars to the deck to make it 4 players. This is the first game of the Star Realms series."

22. Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game

Star Wars: X-Wing

• A game of tactical space combat in the Star Wars universe for two players
• Take control of the most advanced starfighters in the galaxy
• Contains three detailed, painted miniatures: one X-wing and two TIE fighters
• Build your squadron selecting from thirteen Ship cards and five Upgrade cards
• Straightforward quick-play rules will have you battling in mere minutes

Description

"Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game is a tactical ship-to-ship combat game in which players take control of powerful Rebel X-wings and nimble Imperial TIE fighters, facing them against each other in fast-paced space combat. Featuring stunningly detailed and painted miniatures, the X-Wing Miniatures Game recreates exciting Star Wars space combat throughout its several included scenarios. Select your crew, plan your maneuvers, and complete your mission!

Whatever your chosen vessel, the rules of X-Wing facilitate fast and visceral gameplay that puts you in the middle of Star Wars fiercest firefights. Each ship type has its own unique piloting dial, which is used to secretly select a speed and maneuver each turn. After planning maneuvers, each ship's dial is revealed and executed (starting with the lowest skilled pilot). So whether you rush headlong toward your enemy showering his forward deflectors in laser fire, or dance away from him as you attempt to acquire a targeting lock, you'll be in total control throughout all the tense dogfighting action.

Star Wars: X-Wing features (three) unique missions, and each has its own set of victory conditions and special rules; with such a broad selection of missions, only clever and versatile pilots employing a range of tactics will emerge victorious. What's more, no mission will ever play the same way twice, thanks to a range of customization options, varied maneuvers, and possible combat outcomes. Damage, for example, is determined through dice and applied in the form of a shuffled Damage Deck. For some hits your fighter sustains, you'll draw a card that assigns a special handicap. Was your targeting computer damaged, affecting your ability to acquire a lock on the enemy? Perhaps an ill-timed weapon malfunction will limit your offensive capabilities. Or worse yet, your pilot could be injured, compromising his ability to focus on the life-and-death struggle in which he is engaged…

The Star Wars: X-Wing starter set includes everything you need to begin your battles, such as scenarios, cards, and fully assembled and painted ships. What's more, Star Wars: X-Wing's quick-to-learn ruleset establishes the foundation for a system that can be expanded with your favorite ships and characters from the Star Wars universe."

21. The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

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The Lord of the Rings Journeys in Middle-earth Board Game | Strategy Game | Adventure Game for Adults and Teens | Ages 14+ | 1-5 Players | Avg. Playtime 60+ Mins | Made by Fantasy Flight Games

• EPIC ADVENTURE GAME: Form your Fellowship and set out on your own adventures in this fully-cooperative, app-supported board game set in the fantastical land of Middle-earth! As the dark forces gather, players band together to unravel mysteries, make courageous choices, and fight against the evil that threatens the land.
• STRATEGY GAME: You and your friends become heroes of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, preparing your skills and testing your might and wisdom in combat against the encroaching darkness. Each of the iconic characters you can choose to embody have their own special abilities to contribute to your Fellowship, giving each one a distinct identity for your campaign.
• COOPERATIVE GAME: Throughout Journeys in Middle-earth, you must work together with the rest of your party to survive a series of perilous adventures that sees you battling powerful foes, discovering lost treasures, uncovering forgotten lore and more.
• HIGHLY VARIABLE: No matter how many times you play a particular adventure, no two experiences will be the same. The Journeys in Middle-earth app procedurally generates a portion of each scenario from the very beginning, including the size and layout of the map, the enemies and allies that are encountered, side quests you may encounter, and the events that plague your heroes.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This epic adventure board game for adults and teens is made for 1 to 5 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately one hour.

Description

"Embark on your own adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien's iconic world with The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth, a fully co-operative, app-supported board game for one to five players! You'll battle villainous foes, make courageous choices, and strike a blow against the evil that threatens the land — all as part of a thrilling campaign that leads you across the storied hills and dales of Middle-Earth.

Each individual game of Journeys in Middle-Earth is a single adventure in a larger campaign. You'll explore the vast and dynamic landscapes of Middle-earth, using your skills to survive the challenges that you encounter on these perilous quests. As you and your fellow heroes explore the wilderness and battle the dark forces arrayed against you, the game's companion app guides you to reveal the looming forests, quiet clearings, and ancient halls of Middle-Earth, while also controlling the enemies you encounter. Whether you're venturing into the wild on your own or with close companions by your side, you can write your own legend in the history of Middle-Earth."

Top 20 Two Player Board Games

20. Grand Austria Hotel

Description

"In the thick of the Viennese modern age, exquisite cafés are competing for customers. Inspiring artists, important politicians, and tourists from all over the world are populating Vienna and in need of a hotel room. This is your opportunity to turn your little café into a world famous hotel. Hire staff, fulfill the wishes of your guests, and gain the emperor's favor. Only then will your café become the Grand Austria Hotel.

The start player rolls the dice, sorting them by the rolled number and placing them on the corresponding action spaces. On a turn, a player chooses one of the six actions and carries it out. The number of the available dice in the corresponding action spaces determines how much the player gets from the action. They then remove one of the dice and can carry out additional actions. With the different actions, a player can get the necessary drinks and dishes, prepare the rooms, or hire staff.

But no hotel can grow without guests. To choose wisely which guests to attract and to complete their orders brings some important bonus actions. The staff cards also have different advantages, but the game ends after seven rounds and no player can do everything they want, so whoever makes the right decisions and finds the best way to create bonus actions will win.

With 116 different cards and a new set-up in each game, Grand Austria Hotel provides a huge replay value. Each game stands on its own and demands new tactics and strategies."

19. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

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Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective - The Thames Murders & Other Cases Board Game | Mystery Game for Teens and Adults | Ages 14+ | 1-8 Players | Average Playtime 90 Min. | Made by Space Cowboys

• NEW STANDALONE IN THE SERIES: As members of the Baker Street Irregulars, players try to solve the most heinous crimes by roaming the streets of London in search of clues. Will you visit the crime scene? Meet Inspector Lestrade? The decision is in your hands and each clue you find will bring you a step closer to the truth
• MYSTERY BOARD GAME: Solve mysterious cases by interviewing suspects, searching newspapers and walking the streets for clues. Once you have completed your investigation, compare your detective skills to the master sleuth himself, Sherlock Holmes
• COOPERATIVE GAME: Players work together as a team of detectives to gather clues and solve mysteries. The dynamics of this game make it a perfect choice for game night with friends and family. Whether you're playing alone or with up to eight players, you'll need everyone's wits to work together and solve the case
• TEN EPIC CASES TO SOLVE: Solve 10 mysteries in Victorian London - The Mummy's Curse, The Munitions Magnate, The Pilfered Paintings, The Thames Murders, and others! Unravel the string of intrigues, answer a series of questions and solve some of the strangest cases of the most famous detective ever
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This thrilling detective board game for adults and teens can be played with 1 to 8 players and is suitable for ages 12 and older. Average playtime is about 90 minutes

Description

"Have you ever had the desire to walk the streets of Victorian London with Sherlock Holmes in search of Professor Moriarty? To search the docks for the giant rat of Sumatra? To walk up Baker Street as the fog is rolling in and hear Holmes cry out, "Come, Watson, come! The game is afoot!"? Now you can! You can enter the opium den beneath the Bar of Gold, but beware, that may be Colonel Sebastian Moran lurking around the corner. You can capture the mystery and excitement of Holmes' London in this challenging and informative game. You, the player, will match your deductive abilities against your opponents and the master sleuth himself, Sherlock Holmes.

In Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, you are presented with a mystery to solve, and it is then up to you to trace the threads of evidence through the byways and mansions of nineteenth century London. You will interview suspects, search the newspapers for clues, and put together the facts to reach a solution.

Why were two lions murdered in Hyde Park? Who is responsible for the missing paintings from the National Gallery? Who murdered Oswald Mason and why? These are just a few of the cases that will challenge your ingenuity and deductive abilities.

This is not a board game: No dice, no luck, but a challenge to your mental ability. The game has been thoroughly researched for Holmesian and Victorian accuracy so as to capture a feeling of that bygone era."

18. Patchwork

Description

"In Patchwork, two players compete to build the most aesthetic (and high-scoring) patchwork quilt on a personal 9×9 game board. To start play, lay out all of the patches at random in a circle and place a marker directly clockwise of the 2-1 patch. Each player takes five buttons — the currency/points in the game — and someone is chosen as the start player.

On a turn, a player either purchases one of the three patches standing clockwise of the spool or passes. To purchase a patch, you pay the cost in buttons shown on the patch, move the spool to that patch's location in the circle, add the patch to your game board, then advance your time token on the time track a number of spaces equal to the time shown on the patch. You're free to place the patch anywhere on your board that doesn't overlap other patches, but you probably want to fit things together as tightly as possible. If your time token is behind or on top of the other player's time token, then you take another turn; otherwise the opponent now goes. Instead of purchasing a patch, you can choose to pass; to do this, you move your time token to the space immediately in front of the opponent's time token, then take one button from the bank for each space you moved.

In addition to a button cost and time cost, each patch also features 0-3 buttons, and when you move your time token past a button on the time track, you earn "button income": sum the number of buttons depicted on your personal game board, then take this many buttons from the bank.

What's more, the time track depicts five 1×1 patches on it, and during set-up you place five actual 1×1 patches on these spaces. Whoever first passes a patch on the time track claims this patch and immediately places it on his game board.

Additionally, the first player to completely fill in a 7×7 square on his game board earns a bonus tile worth 7 extra points at the end of the game. (Of course, this doesn't happen in every game.)

When a player takes an action that moves his time token to the central square of the time track, he takes one final button income from the bank. Once both players are in the center, the game ends and scoring takes place. Each player scores one point per button in his possession, then loses two points for each empty square on his game board. Scores can be negative. The player with the most points wins."

17. Paladins of the West Kingdom

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Paladins of The West Kingdom Strategy Board Game, 1-4 Players, Ages 12 and Up, 90-120 Min Play Time, Most Victory Points Win, Build Outposts, Fortifications, Commission Monks, & Confront Outsiders

• 1-4 players ages 12+
• 90-120 minute playing time
• Enlist the help of your Paladins to defend your city From increasing threats
• Multiple paths to victory, thanks to the suspicion system, attribute tracks and wide array of potential townsfolk and Outsider combinations
• Just the right amount of player interaction, with no take-that mechanisms

Description

"Paladins of the West Kingdom is set at a turbulent time of West Francia's story, circa 900 AD. Despite recent efforts to develop the city, outlying townships are still under threat from outsiders. Saracens scout the borders, while Vikings plunder wealth and livestock. Even the Byzantines from the east have shown their darker side. As noble men and women, players must gather workers from the city to defend against enemies, build fortifications and spread faith throughout the land. Fortunately you are not alone. In his great wisdom, the King has sent his finest knights to help aid in our efforts. So ready the horses and sharpen the swords. The Paladins are approaching.

The aim of Paladins of the West Kingdom is to be the player with the most victory points (VP) at game's end. Points are gained by building outposts and fortifications, commissioning monks and confronting outsiders. Each round, players will enlist the help of a specific Paladin and gather workers to carry out tasks. As the game progresses, players will slowly increase their faith, strength and influence. Not only will these affect their final score, but they will also determine the significance of their actions. The game is concluded at the end of the seventh round."

16. Aeon's End

Aeons End 2nd Edition

• Aeon's end is a cooperative deck building game for 1-4 players that feels like an epic video game boss battle
• Your deck is never shuffled, a variable player order simulates the chaos of battle, and deck management makes all of your decisions meaningful
• Every game you will face a different nemesis, each with a unique set of abilities requiring a different strategy to defeat

Description

"The survivors of a long-ago invasion have taken refuge in the forgotten underground city of Gravehold. There, the desperate remnants of society have learned that the energy of the very breaches the beings use to attack them can be repurposed through various gems, transforming the malign energies within into beneficial spells and weapons to aid their last line of defense: the breach mages.

Aeon's End is a cooperative game that explores the deckbuilding genre with a number of innovative mechanisms, including a variable turn order system that simulates the chaos of an attack, and deck management rules that require careful planning with every discarded card. Players will struggle to defend Gravehold from The Nameless and their hordes using unique abilities, powerful spells, and, most importantly of all, their collective wits."

15. Five Tribes

Five Tribes

• For 2 to 4 players
• Takes 40 to 80 minutes to play
• Gamer game that's fun for all
• English (Publication Language)

Description

"Crossing into the Land of 1001 Nights, your caravan arrives at the fabled Sultanate of Naqala. The old sultan just died and control of Naqala is up for grabs! The oracles foretold of strangers who would maneuver the Five Tribes to gain influence over the legendary city-state. Will you fulfill the prophecy? Invoke the old Djinns and move the Tribes into position at the right time, and the Sultanate may become yours!

Designed by Bruno Cathala, Five Tribes builds on a long tradition of German-style games that feature wooden meeples. Here, in a unique twist on the now-standard "worker placement" genre, the game begins with the meeples already in place – and players must cleverly maneuver them over the villages, markets, oases, and sacred places tiles that make up Naqala. How, when, and where you dis-place these Five Tribes of Assassins, Elders, Builders, Merchants, and Viziers determine your victory or failure.

As befitting a Days of Wonder game, the rules are straightforward and easy to learn. But devising a winning strategy will take a more calculated approach than our standard fare. You need to carefully consider what moves can score you well and put your opponents at a disadvantage. You need to weigh many different pathways to victory, including the summoning of powerful Djinns that may help your cause as you attempt to control this legendary Sultanate."

14. Fields of Arle

Fields of Arle

• Designed by Uwe Rosenberg, creator of Agricola
• Contains high quality game board and game components
• For 1-2 players
• Ages 13 and up

Description

"Welcome to Arle
In Fields of Arle, created by Uwe Rosenberg, one to two players live as farmers in the small and peaceful town of Arle in East Frisia. The flax grown in the land surrounding the village makes it a profitable place to work and live. Fields of Arle takes players through four and a half years of this era of prosperity, with different opportunities available as the seasons change. Farm the land to capitalize on the demand for flax, or find other ways to make the most of the small town's prosperity.

Work the Land
Whether you delve into flax farming or leverage other areas of expertise, always make sure that you have the land to build up your village. Construct dikes to keep the waters at bay and expand your fields. Dry out bogs to harvest peat and then clear the land for cultivation. Create more fields for your livestock, buildings, or future crops; after that, you can decide whether to house animals or cultivate a forest for timber. Perhaps you'd like to take up some flax farming for yourself, or diversify and try out a little bit of everything.

Tools of the Trade
At the outset of each half year, you'll choose how you'd like to spend that time working. There are many ways to build your fortune. Use the Master space to increase the tools at your disposal, focus on the Cattle Trainer to make the most of your livestock, or build up your fleet of vehicles and ship out goods. Taking stock of your progress differs depending on the season. You may milk your existing livestock or care for a bunch of newborn animals. You could harvest your flax in the fall, and sheer your sheep in spring. At the end of each half year, you'll need to take stock of your progress by unloading your vehicles and feeding your family and animals, so keep an eye on the season and do your best to keep the farm growing and everyone well fed!

Travel and Prosper
Once you've made headway in clearing fields and stocking up goods, it's time to make your products available to potential buyers. The more vehicles you have, the more goods you can ship. Send things into the wide world to increase your Travel Experience and grant you points over the course of the four and a half years of the game. Build up your farm and your vehicles and get your goods out into the world to make the most of every season. There are many roads to success in Fields of Arle, so pick your path, work the land, and enjoy the friendly competition as you strive to make your fortune!""

13. Race for the Galaxy

Sale

Race for the Galaxy Card Game

• For 2-4 players
• 60 minute playing time
• Check out all the great expansions to Race for the Galaxy
• For 2 to 4 players
• Play time of 60 minutes

Description

"In the card game Race for the Galaxy, players build galactic civilizations by playing game cards in front of them that represent worlds or technical and social developments. Some worlds allow players to produce goods, which can be consumed later to gain either card draws or victory points when the appropriate technologies are available to them. These are mainly provided by the developments and worlds that are not able to produce, but the fancier production worlds also give these bonuses.

At the beginning of each round, players each select, secretly and simultaneously, one of the seven roles which correspond to the phases in which the round progresses. By selecting a role, players activate that phase for this round, giving each player the opportunity to perform that phase's action. For example, if one player chooses the settle role, each player has the opportunity to settle one of the planets from their hand. The player who has chosen the role, however, gets a bonus that applies only to them. But bonuses may also be acquired through developments, so you must be aware when another player also takes advantage of your choice of role."

12. Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Sale

Marvel Champions The Card Game (Base Game) | Cooperative Game | Strategy Card Game for Adults and Teens | Ages 14+ | 1-4 Players | Average Playtime 45-90 Minutes | Made by Fantasy Flight Games

• TEAM UP TO TAKE DOWN MARVEL'S FIERCEST VILLAINS: Marvel Champions: The Card Game is a cooperative card game where players work together to stop some of Marvel's most iconic villains. Pick your favorite Marvel hero and head into battle!
• WORK TOGETHER LIKE TRUE MARVEL HEROES: Each villain that players battle offers a unique set of challenges, attacks and events. To succeed, players will need to balance their hero's strengths and weakness with those of the heroes their friends are playing as. Teamwork will be essential to save the world!
• STRATEGY GAME: In every scenario, the heroes face a powerful villain pushing a unique scheme as well as their own personal enemies that can be shuffled into the encounter deck. Choose when to don your heroic identity and fight the villain directly and when to change into your alter-ego to rest and recuperate.
• HIGHLY VARIABLE: As a Living Card Game, continuing releases of Hero Packs and Scenario Packs give you new ways to play, while Campaign Expansions offer a larger addition to the game. Modular encounter sets provide plenty of replayability, as players can select a difficulty that fits how they want to play the game.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: Marvel Champions The Card Game is a cooperative card game for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. The game takes about 45 to 90 minutes to play.

Description

""With great power, there must also come great responsibility." –Stan Lee, Amazing Fantasy #15

Iron Man and Black Panther team up to stop Rhino from rampaging through the streets of New York. Captain Marvel and Spider-Man battle Ultron as he threatens global annihilation. Do you have what it takes to join the ranks of these legendary heroes and become a champion?

Jump into the Marvel Universe with Marvel Champions: The Card Game, a cooperative Living Card Game for one to four players!

Marvel Champions: The Card Game invites players embody iconic heroes from the Marvel Universe as they battle to stop infamous villains from enacting their devious schemes. As a Living Card Game, Marvel Champions is supported with regular releases of new product, including new heroes and scenarios."

11. Android: Netrunner

Android Netrunner LCG Revised Core

• With more than 240 cards, the revised core set immerses you in this age and its high-stakes cybercrime.
• In this future of monolithic Mega Corps and augmented runners, the all-encompassing Network is both one of humanity's greatest assets-and one of its deadliest battlefields.
• Every moment offers new choices, and the revised core set comes with everything two players need to dive deep into this acclaimed living card game!

Description

"Welcome to New Angeles, home of the Beanstalk. From our branch offices in this monument of human achievement, NBN proudly broadcasts all your favorite media programming. We offer fully comprehensive streaming in music and threedee, news and sitcoms, classic movies and sensies. We cover it all. Ours is a brave new age, and as humanity hurtles into space and the future with an astonishing series of new advances every day, NBN and our affiliates are keeping pace, bringing you all the vid that's fit to view.

Android: Netrunner is an asymmetrical Living Card Game for two players. Set in the cyberpunk future of Android and Infiltration, the game pits a megacorporation and its massive resources against the subversive talents of lone runners.

Corporations seek to score agendas by advancing them. Doing so takes time and credits. To buy the time and earn the credits they need, they must secure their servers and data forts with ""ice"". These security programs come in different varieties, from simple barriers, to code gates and aggressive sentries. They serve as the corporation's virtual eyes, ears, and machine guns on the sprawling information superhighways of the network.

In turn, runners need to spend their time and credits acquiring a sufficient wealth of resources, purchasing the necessary hardware, and developing suitably powerful ice-breaker programs to hack past corporate security measures. Their jobs are always a little desperate, driven by tight timelines, and shrouded in mystery. When a runner jacks-in and starts a run at a corporate server, he risks having his best programs trashed or being caught by a trace program and left vulnerable to corporate countermeasures. It's not uncommon for an unprepared runner to fail to bypass a nasty sentry and suffer massive brain damage as a result. Even if a runner gets through a data fort's defenses, there's no telling what it holds. Sometimes, the runner finds something of value. Sometimes, the best he can do is work to trash whatever the corporation was developing.

The first player to seven points wins the game, but not likely before he suffers some brain damage or bad publicity.

The Revised Core Set for Android: Netrunner released in late 2017 includes cards from the original Core Set released in 2012 as well as cards from the Genesis Cycle and Spin Cycle series of Data Packs. While the cards in this set have been released previously, the art on some of them is new."

Top 10 Two Player Board Games

What is the best board game for 2 players?

This is the list you've been waiting for! Let's unpack the best 10 board games for 2 players according to the board gaming community.

10. Underwater Cities

Sale

Rio Grande Games Underwater Cities

• For 1-4 players
• Ages 13+
• 90+ minute playing time
• Components: 1 Game board, 180 era cards, 83 resource tokens, 30 domes, 47 tunnel tiles, 16 metropolis tiles, 111 structure tokens, 4 player info cards, 4 player boards, 4 scoring cards, 4 assistant cards, 4 multiplier tiles, 12 action tiles, 1 action cloning tile, 1 era marker, 12 player markers, 8 government contracts, 25 special cards, 35 credit tokens, 1 rulebook
• Build and develop underwater metropolises by constructing kelp farms, desalination plants, laboratories and tunnels to connect them.

Description

"In Underwater Cities, which takes about 30-45 minutes per player, players represent the most powerful brains in the world, brains nominated due to the overpopulation of Earth to establish the best and most livable underwater areas possible.

The main principle of the game is card placement. Three colored cards are placed along the edge of the main board into 3 x 5 slots, which are also colored. Ideally players can place cards into slots of the same color. Then they can take both actions and advantages: the action depicted in the slot on the main board and also the advantage of the card. Actions and advantages can allow players to intake raw materials; to build and upgrade city domes, tunnels and production buildings such as farms, desalination devices and laboratories in their personal underwater area; to move their marker on the initiative track (which is important for player order in the next turn); to activate the player's ""A-cards""; and to collect cards, both special ones and basic ones that allow for better decision possibilities during gameplay.

All of the nearly 220 cards — whether special or basic — are divided into five types according to the way and time of use. Underwater areas are planned to be double-sided, giving players many opportunities to achieve VPs and finally win.""

9. Azul

Sale

Azul Board Game | Strategy Board Game | Mosaic Tile Placement Game | Family Board Game for Adults and Kids | Ages 8 and up | 2 to 4 Players | Average Playtime 30 - 45 Minutes | Made by Next Move Games

• TILE PLACEMENT GAME: Azul is a tile placement game in which players become artisans tasked with creating the most beautiful tiled mosaics. Compete for the highest score by claiming tiles and arranging them on your board to score points.
• STRATEGY BOARD GAME: Draft tiles from a central market and place them into rows on their boards. Earn extra points by collecting sets of the same color tile and creating particular patterns. Be careful - there are penalties for taking tiles that you can't use.
• COMPETITIVE AND CHALLENGING: Every tile you claim affects what your rivals can take next. Plan carefully to score big points while disrupting your opponents' plans. You'll have to make choices that help you without helping them too much!
• EASY TO LEARN: Strategic but simple to learn with subtle depth, Azul is a perfect gateway game for gamers new to board gaming or those looking to expand their collections. Randomized setup and drafting gameplay make Azul infinitely replayable.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This board game for adults and family can be played with 2 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 8 and older. The average playtime is 30 - 45 minutes.

Description

"Introduced by the Moors, azulejos (originally white and blue ceramic tiles) were fully embraced by the Portuguese when their king Manuel I, on a visit to the Alhambra palace in Southern Spain, was mesmerized by the stunning beauty of the Moorish decorative tiles. The king, awestruck by the interior beauty of the Alhambra, immediately ordered that his own palace in Portugal be decorated with similar wall tiles. As a tile-laying artist, you have been challenged to embellish the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora.

In the game Azul, players take turns drafting colored tiles from suppliers to their player board. Later in the round, players score points based on how they've placed their tiles to decorate the palace. Extra points are scored for specific patterns and completing sets; wasted supplies harm the player's score. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins."

8. Arkham Horror: The Card Game

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Arkham Horror The Card Game | Horror Game | Mystery Game | Cooperative Card Games for Adults and Teens Ages 14 and up | 1-2 Players | Average Playtime 1-2 Hours | Made by Fantasy Flight Games

• A LIVING CARD GAME OF ELDRITCH MYSTERY: Something evil stirs in Arkham, and only you can stop it. Blurring the traditional lines between roleplaying and card game experiences, Arkham Horror: The Card Game is the Living Card Game of Lovecraftian mystery, monsters and madness!
• HORROR GAME: As the Ancient Ones seek entry to our world, investigators work to unravel arcane mysteries and conspiracies. Their efforts determine not only the course of your game, but carry forward throughout whole campaigns, challenging them to overcome their personal demons.
• COOPERATIVE GAME: You and your friends become investigators within the quiet New England town of Arkham, Massachusetts. No matter what compels you or haunts you, you'll find both your strengths and weaknesses reflected in your custom deck of cards. These cards will be your resources as you work with your friends to unravel the world's most terrifying mysteries.
• HIGHLY VARIABLE: Each of your adventures in Arkham Horror: The Card Game carries you deeper into mystery. You'll find cultists, foul rituals, haunted houses, strange creatures and signs of the Ancient Ones straining against the barriers to our world. The basic mode of play in Arkham LCG is not the adventure, but the campaign.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: These scary games are designed for 1 to 2 players (or up to 4 with 2 Core Sets) and are suitable for ages 14 and older. Average game time is approximately 1 to 2 hours.

Description

"Something evil stirs in Arkham, and only you can stop it. Blurring the traditional lines between role-playing and card game experiences, Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a Living Card Game of Lovecraftian mystery, monsters, and madness!

In the game, you and your friend (or up to three friends with two Core Sets) become characters within the quiet New England town of Arkham. You have your talents, sure, but you also have your flaws. Perhaps you've dabbled a little too much in the writings of the Necronomicon, and its words continue to haunt you. Perhaps you feel compelled to cover up any signs of otherworldly evils, hampering your own investigations in order to protect the quiet confidence of the greater population. Perhaps you'll be scarred by your encounters with a ghoulish cult.

No matter what compels you, no matter what haunts you, you'll find both your strengths and weaknesses reflected in your custom deck of cards, and these cards will be your resources as you work with your friends to unravel the world's most terrifying mysteries.

Each of your adventures in Arkham Horror LCG carries you deeper into mystery. You'll find cultists and foul rituals. You'll find haunted houses and strange creatures. And you may find signs of the Ancient Ones straining against the barriers to our world…

The basic mode of play in Arkham LCG is not the adventure, but the campaign. You might be scarred by your adventures, your sanity may be strained, and you may alter Arkham's landscape, burning buildings to the ground. All your choices and actions have consequences that reach far beyond the immediate resolution of the scenario at hand — and your actions may earn you valuable experience with which you can better prepare yourself for the adventures that still lie before you."

7. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

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Cephalofair Games Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion Strategy Boxed Board Game for ages 12 & Up , Brown

• Playable as a stand-alone game or as an expansion to Gloomhaven
• Cooperative campaign game of tactical combat set in the Gloomhaven universe
• Players will assume the roles of 4 new hardened mercenaries and work together to fight through a new prequel campaign full of choices, challenges, and twists.
• New built in tutorials, learn-to-play guide, and play-surface scenario books allow players to jump into the action more quickly and easily than ever before.
• English (Publication Language)

Description

"Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a standalone game that takes place before the events of Gloomhaven. The game includes four new characters — Valrath Red Guard (tank, crowd control), Inox Hatchet (ranged damage), Human Voidwarden (support, mind-control), and Quatryl Demolitionist (melee damage, obstacle manipulation) — that can also be used in the original Gloomhaven game.

The game also includes 16 monster types (including seven new standard monsters and three new bosses) and a new campaign with 25 scenarios that invites the heroes to investigate a case of mysterious disappearances within the city. Is it the work of Vermlings, or is something far more sinister going on?

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is aimed at a more casual audience to get people into the gameplay more quickly. All of the hard-to-organize cardboard map tiles have been removed, and instead players will play on the scenario book itself, which features new artwork unique to each scenario. The last barrier to entry — i.e., learning the game — has also been lowered through a simplified rule set and a five-scenario tutorial that will ease new players into the experience."

6. 7 Wonders Duel

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7 Wonders Duel Board Game (BASE GAME) | Board Game for 2 Players | Strategy Board Game | Civilization Board Game | Fun Board Game | Board Game for Couples | Ages 10 and up | Made by Repos Production

• STRATEGY GAME: Experience an intense two-player struggle for supremacy in the ancient world! Challenge your opponent and bring your civilization to victory with Prestigious Buildings, Military Supremacy or Scientific Supremacy.
• TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CIVILIZATION: Decide to invest in science, military or prestige. If you fail to build defenses, your capital city may be destroyed, but ignore technology and your people may be left in the dark ages. Will your city achieve greatness, or will your opponent prevent you from completing all your Wonders?
• CIVILIZATION WAS BORN FROM EVOLUTION: One game of 7 Wonders Duel plays over the course of three rounds, called Ages, during which you will choose cards with increasingly powerful effects. Each card you choose will influence your general strategy.
• VICTORY CAN BE ACHIEVE IN THREE WAYS: By invading your opponent's capital, by achieving a monopoly on scientific advancement, or simply by crafting the city that will earn the most victory points in the end. But be warned: only seven of the eight Wonders in play can be built.
• 7 Wonders Duel allows multiple strategy opportunities which makes each game thrilling from beggining to end. Average Playtime: 30 minutes. LOOKING FOR NEW ADVENTURES? Try our 2 expansions: Pantheon and Agora (Note: Expansions require 7 Wonders Duel Base Game to play).

Description

"In many ways 7 Wonders Duel resembles its parent game 7 Wonders as over three ages players acquire cards that provide resources or advance their military or scientific development in order to develop a civilization and complete wonders.

What's different about 7 Wonders Duel is that, as the title suggests, the game is solely for two players, with the players not drafting cards simultaneously from hands of cards, but from a display of face-down and face-up cards arranged at the start of a round. A player can take a card only if it's not covered by any others, so timing comes into play as well as bonus moves that allow you to take a second card immediately. As in the original game, each card that you acquire can be built, discarded for coins, or used to construct a wonder.

Each player starts with four wonder cards, and the construction of a wonder provides its owner with a special ability. Only seven wonders can be built, though, so one player will end up short.

Players can purchase resources at any time from the bank, or they can gain cards during the game that provide them with resources for future building; as you acquire resources, the cost for those particular resources increases for your opponent, representing your dominance in this area.

A player can win 7 Wonders Duel in one of three ways: each time you acquire a military card, you advance the military marker toward your opponent's capital, giving you a bonus at certain positions; if you reach the opponent's capital, you win the game immediately; similarly, if you acquire any six of seven different scientific symbols, you achieve scientific dominance and win immediately; if none of these situations occurs, then the player with the most points at the end of the game wins."

5. The Castles of Burgundy

Ravensburger Castles of Burgundy Strategy Game for Ages 12 & Up - 20th Anniversary Alea - Trade. Build. Rule The Realm!, Model:26925

• A fun game for all the family to play together
• This item includes 164x six-sided tiles, 42x goods tiles, 20x silverlings (game's Currency), 30x worker tiles, 12x bonus tiles, 4x victory tiles, 8x playing pieces, 9x dice, 1x game board, 16x player boards, 1 x set of instructions
• This game is suitable for 2-4 players
• Suitable for ages 12 years and up.
• Playing time: 30-90 minutes.Skill Level: Intermediate.Number Of Players: 2 To 4

Description

"The game is set in the Burgundy region of High Medieval France. Each player takes on the role of an aristocrat, originally controlling a small princedom. While playing they aim to build settlements and powerful castles, practice trade along the river, exploit silver mines, and use the knowledge of travelers.

The game is about players taking settlement tiles from the game board and placing them into their princedom which is represented by the player board. Every tile has a function that starts when the tile is placed in the princedom. The princedom itself consists of several regions, each of which demands its own type of settlement tile.

The game is played in five phases, each consisting of five rounds. Each phase begins with the game board stocked with settlement tiles and goods tiles. At the beginning of each round all players roll their two dice, and the player who is currently first in turn order rolls a goods placement die. A goods tile is made available on the game board according to the roll of the goods die. During each round players take their turns in the current turn order. During his turn, a player may perform any two of the four possible types of actions: 1) take a settlement tile from the numbered depot on the game board corresponding to one of his dice and place it in the staging area on his player board, 2) take a settlement tile from the staging area of his player board to a space on his player board with a number matching one of his dice in the corresponding region for the type of tile and adjacent to a previously placed settlement tile, 3) deliver goods with a number matching one of his dice, or 4) take worker tokens which allow the player to adjust the roll of his dice. In addition to these actions a player may buy a settlement tile from the central depot on the game board and place it in the staging area on his player board. If an action triggers the award of victory points, those points are immediately recorded. Each settlement tile offers a benefit, additional actions, additional money, advancement on the turn order track, more goods tiles, die roll adjustment or victory points. Bonus victory points are awarded for filling a region with settlement tiles.

The game ends when the last player finishes his turn of the fifth round of the fifth phase. Victory points are awarded for unused money and workers, and undelivered goods. Bonus victory points from certain settlement tiles are awarded at the end of the game.

The player with the most victory points wins."

4. Spirit Island

Description

"In the most distant reaches of the world, magic still exists, embodied by spirits of the land, of the sky, and of every natural thing. As the great powers of Europe stretch their colonial empires further and further, they will inevitably lay claim to a place where spirits still hold power – and when they do, the land itself will fight back alongside the islanders who live there.

Spirit Island is a complex and thematic cooperative game about defending your island home from colonizing Invaders. Players are different spirits of the land, each with its own unique elemental powers. Every turn, players simultaneously choose which of their power cards to play, paying energy to do so. Using combinations of power cards that match a spirit's elemental affinities can grant free bonus effects. Faster powers take effect immediately, before the Invaders spread and ravage, but other magics are slower, requiring forethought and planning to use effectively. In the Spirit phase, spirits gain energy, and choose how / whether to Grow: to reclaim used power cards, to seek for new power, or to spread presence into new areas of the island.

The Invaders expand across the island map in a semi-predictable fashion. Each turn they explore into some lands (portions of the island); the next turn, they build in those lands, forming settlements and cities. The turn after that, they ravage there, bringing blight to the land and attacking any native islanders present.

The islanders fight back against the Invaders when attacked, and lend the spirits some other aid, but may not always do so exactly as you'd hoped. Some Powers work through the islanders, helping them (eg) drive out the Invaders or clean the land of blight.

The game escalates as it progresses: spirits spread their presence to new parts of the island and seek out new and more potent powers, while the Invaders step up their colonization efforts. Each turn represents 1-3 years of alternate-history.

At game start, winning requires destroying every last settlement and city on the board – but as you frighten the Invaders more and more, victory becomes easier: they'll run away even if some number of settlements or cities remain. Defeat comes if any spirit is destroyed, if the island is overrun by blight, or if the Invader deck is depleted before achieving victory.

The game includes different adversaries to fight against (eg: a Swedish Mining Colony, or a Remote British Colony). Each changes play in different ways, and offers a different path of difficulty boosts to keep the game challenging as you gain skill."

3. War of the Ring: Second Edition

Ares Games War of The Ring 2nd Edition, Multi-Colored (AGS WOTR001)

• For 2 4 players
• Takes about 2 hours to play
• A massive 70 x 100cm Game Board in two sections, 16 Action Dice, 5 Combat Dice and 76 Cardboard Counters
• Also included are 110 Event and Character Cards, Game Rules and 2 Player Aids
• 204 Plastic Figures representing Armies and Characters (more than 30 different sculptures)

Description

"In War of the Ring, one player takes control of the Free Peoples (FP), the other player controls Shadow Armies (SA). Initially, the Free People Nations are reluctant to take arms against Sauron, so they must be attacked by Sauron or persuaded by Gandalf or other Companions, before they start to fight properly: this is represented by the Political Track, which shows if a Nation is ready to fight in the War of the Ring or not.

The game can be won by a military victory, if Sauron conquers a certain number of Free People cities and strongholds or vice versa. But the true hope of the Free Peoples lies with the quest of the Ringbearer: while the armies clash across Middle Earth, the Fellowship of the Ring is trying to get secretly to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. Sauron is not aware of the real intention of his enemies but is looking across Middle Earth for the precious Ring, so that the Fellowship is going to face numerous dangers, represented by the rules of The Hunt for the Ring. But the Companions can spur the Free Peoples to the fight against Sauron, so the Free People player must balance the need to protect the Ringbearer from harm, against the attempt to raise a proper defense against the armies of the Shadow, so that they do not overrun Middle Earth before the Ringbearer completes his quest.

Each game turn revolves around the roll of Action Dice: each die corresponds to an action that a player can do during a turn. Depending on the face rolled on each die, different actions are possible (moving armies, characters, recruiting troops, advancing a Political Track).

Action Dice can also be used to draw or play Event Cards. Event Cards are played to represent specific events from the story (or events that could possibly have happened) that cannot be portrayed through normal game-play. Each Event Card can also create an unexpected turn in the game, allowing special actions or altering the course of a battle."

2. Twilight Struggle

Description

""Now the trumpet summons us again, not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are – but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle…"" – John F. Kennedy

In 1945, unlikely allies toppled Hitler's war machine, while humanity's most devastating weapons forced the Japanese Empire to its knees in a storm of fire. Where once there stood many great powers, there then stood only two. The world had scant months to sigh its collective relief before a new conflict threatened. Unlike the titanic struggles of the preceding decades, this conflict would be waged not primarily by soldiers and tanks, but by spies and politicians, scientists and intellectuals, artists and traitors. Twilight Struggle is a two-player game simulating the forty-five year dance of intrigue, prestige, and occasional flares of warfare between the Soviet Union and the United States. The entire world is the stage on which these two titans fight to make the world safe for their own ideologies and ways of life. The game begins amidst the ruins of Europe as the two new "superpowers" scramble over the wreckage of the Second World War, and ends in 1989, when only the United States remained standing.

Twilight Struggle inherits its fundamental systems from the card-driven classics We the People and Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage. It is a quick-playing, low-complexity game in that tradition. The game map is a world map of the period, whereon players move units and exert influence in attempts to gain allies and control for their superpower. As with GMT's other card-driven games, decision-making is a challenge; how to best use one's cards and units given consistently limited resources?

Twilight Struggle's Event cards add detail and flavor to the game. They cover a vast array of historical happenings, from the Arab-Israeli conflicts of 1948 and 1967, to Vietnam and the U.S. peace movement, to the Cuban Missile Crisis and other such incidents that brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation. Subsystems capture the prestige-laden Space Race as well as nuclear tensions, with the possibility of game-ending nuclear war."

1. Star Wars: Rebellion

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Star Wars Rebellion Board Game | Strategy Game for Adults and Teens | Ages 14+ | 2-4 Players | Average Playtime 3-4 Hours | Made by Fantasy Flight Games

• EXPERIENCE THE GALACTIC CIVIL WAR LIKE NEVER BEFORE: In Star Wars Rebellion, you control the entire Galactic Empire or the fledgling Rebel Alliance. Command starships, account for troop movements and rally systems to your cause.
• STRATEGY GAME: Players plot their turns secretly, carefully revealing their plans in turns as the galaxy's narrative unfolds. Iconic characters undergo important missions as you assign them, attempting to bring down the Empire's infrastructure or locate the hidden Rebel base.
• A GAME OF EPIC CONFLICT: As a Rebel player, lead daring strikes against Imperial production facilities or the Death Star itself as every turn brings the Rebels that much closer to victory. As an Imperial player, hire bounty hunters and spread your might across the galaxy as you search for the pesky Rebels and crush their pitiful Rebellion once and for all.
• IMMERSE YOURSELF INTO THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE: Featuring more than 150 plastic miniatures and two game boards that account for thirty-two of the Star Wars galaxy's most notable star systems, Star Wars Rebellion aspires to be as large and sweeping as the Star Wars universe itself.
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: Star Wars Rebellion is a strategy board game for 2 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Description

"Star Wars: Rebellion is a board game of epic conflict between the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance for two to four players.

Experience the Galactic Civil War like never before. In Rebellion, you control the entire Galactic Empire or the fledgling Rebel Alliance. You must command starships, account for troop movements, and rally systems to your cause. Given the differences between the Empire and Rebel Alliance, each side has different win conditions, and you'll need to adjust your play style depending on who you represent:

As the Imperial player, you can command legions of Stormtroopers, swarms of TIEs, Star Destroyers, and even the Death Star. You rule the galaxy by fear, relying on the power of your massive military to enforce your will. To win the game, you need to snuff out the budding Rebel Alliance by finding its base and obliterating it. Along the way, you can subjugate worlds or even destroy them.

As the Rebel player, you can command dozens of troopers, T-47 airspeeders, Corellian corvettes, and fighter squadrons. However, these forces are no match for the Imperial military. In terms of raw strength, you'll find yourself clearly overmatched from the very outset, so you'll need to rally the planets to join your cause and execute targeted military strikes to sabotage Imperial build yards and steal valuable intelligence. To win the Galactic Civil War, you'll need to sway the galaxy's citizens to your cause. If you survive long enough and strengthen your reputation, you inspire the galaxy to a full-scale revolt, and you win.

Featuring more than 150 plastic miniatures and two game boards that account for thirty-two of the Star Wars galaxy's most notable systems, Rebellion features a scope that is as large and sweeping as any Star Wars game before it.

Yet for all its grandiosity, Rebellion remains intensely personal, cinematic, and heroic. As much as your success depends upon the strength of your starships, vehicles, and troops, it depends upon the individual efforts of such notable characters as Leia Organa, Mon Mothma, Grand Moff Tarkin, and Emperor Palpatine. As civil war spreads throughout the galaxy, these leaders are invaluable to your efforts, and the secret missions they attempt will evoke many of the most inspiring moments from the classic trilogy. You might send Luke Skywalker to receive Jedi training on Dagobah or have Darth Vader spring a trap that freezes Han Solo in carbonite!"

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Paul Shapiro is Founder and Editor of Board Game Squad. He enjoys all types of games and experiences, but has a particular penchant for medium to heavy eurogames.

Board Games Designed For 2 Players

Source: https://boardgamesquad.com/best-two-player-board-games/

Posted by: trimration.blogspot.com

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