Our Favourite Board Games for Couples
It's a gloomy, rainy evening in November, and you're both fed up with doom-scrolling. You haven't spoken for an hour, and you're wondering how you can break the cycle. Put down the phones and pull out one of these great board games. They play brilliantly with two people, and they are fun ways to disconnect from tech and reconnect with your partner. These three are some of our favourites.
Board Games That Couples Will Love
1
Habitats
A gorgeous, cute and cosy game, Habitats will have you both chatting about animals and holidays while you pootle around in your Jeep.
20-40 mins
8/10
Easy
In Habitats, you drive your Jeeple around a market and find animals to add to your preserve. You must put them next to their favourite habitats and then protect them with watchtowers. You can earn points from the number of animals in the right habitats, and from tourists, campsites and watchtowers.
The artwork is gorgeous, and the rules are super simple, so you'll spend less time explaining things and more time playing and chatting. The theme also inspires chats about safaris, holidays and anything related to animals.
Why you'll both love Habitats:
It's extremely easy to learn
The game is very replayable, so you'll want just one more round...
Habitats is very pretty to look at
There is direct interaction when driving around the market, so you'll want to nab that perfect animal
It's the perfect game to inspire conversations about your next adventure together
Where to buy:
2
Gwent: The Legendary Card Game
Gwent is a much more competitive experience for two people than Habitats. If you are a couple that love a bit of a scrap, then this game is perfect for you!
20-30 mins
8.5/10
Easy/Medium
Gwent is a superb strategic card game where two people battle to win the best of three rounds. Each round, players use cards from their hand to try to outpower their opponent, tactically passing their go to catch their opponent out.
We really enjoyed playing against each other, and it became a real battle of wills. It's nuanced, clever and well-balanced, which led to periods of contemplative silence or energetic banter.
Choose this if you enjoy being competitive together; avoid if one of you can't stand losing!
Why you'll love Gwent: The Legendary Card Game:
This game is simple to learn and very competitive
Unlike other types of board games, you're actively competing against each other every round
It's very faithful to the computer game - so if one of you is a Geralt fan, this is a great choice
The games are pretty quick and really replayable. Mini tournaments are definitely on the cards.
This is a great game to break the monotony and get the banter going.
Where to buy:
3
Railroad Ink
If you don't want to set up on the gaming table and you just want a cosy night chatting on the sofa, then Railroad Ink is a great option. It's a small, self contained, roll and write that needs no space to play.
30 mins
7/10
Easy/Medium
In Railroad Ink, players roll special dice and then draw their railways and roads onto a wipe-clean playmat. Players win by creating the most complete and well-connected road and rail system. Gameplay is very simple, and it is a quick game to learn. It doesn't take up any room and can be played without needing a table.
This is a great choice for couples, because it means they can relax on the sofa, get a glass of wine (or cups of tea in our case) and play for 30 minutes in a very cosy atmosphere. This isn't a super competitive game; it's just two people drawing railways, and it's jolly lovely for it!
Why you'll love playing Railroad Ink together:
The game is quick and easy to learn.
It's a super cosy experience, sitting together, rolling dice and scribbling away on your pads.
It's the kind of game that doesn't get in the way of a lovely conversation.
It's not competitive; players win, but that's almost a side effect of drawing nice roads and railways.
Whenever we've played this together, it's almost felt like a cooperative experience, commiserating over poor dice rolls or misplaced connections or congratulating a good network. It's about the joint experience rather than the individual.
Where to buy:
Why we've chosen these board games for couples
These aren't our absolute favourite two-player board games, but they are games that we love playing when we want to have a chat, some tea, no phones and time catching up. They are cosy, enjoyable, and easy to play, and they complement the conversation rather than getting in the way of it.
Gwent may be competitive, but you'll enjoy nattering about each move and comparing strategies at the end. Railroad Ink will have you sketching away with the wipe-clean markers while chatting through your day, and Habitats will get you talking about your next holiday or that safari you always wanted to go on. Each game is quiet, contemplative and fun.
Our Recommendation
We recommend Habitats as our first choice board game for couples. You will enjoy putting your phone away and taking your Jeeple for a drive through the market to build your preserve. And you'll be chatting away as you pop animals in their favourite habitats. It's small, easy to learn and an incredibly cosy game.
Where to Buy:
More Board Gaming Guides
The Best Board Games for Holidays
Whether you're sitting in Scotland and it's hammering it down outside, or you're by the pool in Malaga finding ways to wile away the time, it's great having a good board game you can squeeze into your luggage.
These games are all fun, replayable and tiny enough to pop into carry-on!
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