Current Favorite Two Player Games
As lockdown inches nearer and nearer to it’s two year anniversary, and we are still trying our best to stay home as much as possible with the newest surge, I’m sure like me you feel completely out of things to do at home. Here in LA the weather is actually pretty warm which adds a great list of socially distant outdoor activities, but I know in some places winter is going strong. So I thought today I would share a few of my favorite games that have been helping me get through the quarantine times.
I know some people aren’t “games” people… but I very much am! My grandma was a playing card aficionado in her time. She always knew the latest popular card games and would teach me and my family on our summer vacations together. She even owns a 7 card automatic shuffler if that gives you any clue into my gaming upbringing! I should also mention the games listed below are not the complicated type of board games where you setup a game night and spend hours navigating through a long storyline (I’m looking at you, Catan). Not that I have anything against that, every once in a while! These are more fast paced card, dice, and tile games that can be played over and over again while chatting or watching tv.
In case you’re unfamiliar, I’ve included a very simple summary of how each game is played below. Happy gaming! xo Rachael
1. SKYJO
So that brings us to the first game, and my current favorite. If you are within my quarantine bubble, you have probably been challenged to a game of skyjo in the last year. I’ve been told this game is similar to the playing card game Golf (I’ve never played that before though so I can’t confirm). The basic premise is to turn over your board of 12 cards (3 rows of 4 cards) and have the lowest score. The deck includes cards from -2 all the way to 12 and you take turns pulling from the draw pile to replace cards on your board or to risk it and replace cards you have yet to turn over in hopes for a lower number. One fun trick of the game is if you make a row of 3 of the same number, you get to discard the whole row so its a game of risks and luck.
2. COBRA PAW
The simple concept of this memory game is to be the first to put your finger on the tile that correctly matches the two symbols rolled on the dice. You get to keep the tiles that you are the first to match correctly and the first to six tiles wins. The trick though is that the tiles you keep are still in the game, so they can be stolen back by your competitor if they are rolled and identified first.
3. SPOT IT
Spot It is similar to Cobra Paw in that this game is a “first to identify” style game. There are several different ways the game can be played (shown in the included instructions) but the general point is to be the first to identify two of the same objects on two side by side cards. Every card has one item that matches (even if you SWEAR you do not see any matches…I know this from experience!) This is a super fast paced series of a few different mini games.
4. DUTCH BLITZ
Dutch Blitz may be the most complicated as far as rules/setup but once you understand the game it is a faced past card game you’ll play over and over. Each player has their own deck of cards. You begin with a stack, or “blitz pile”, and a row of face up “post piles” in front of you. Long story short, the point of the game is to be the first to get rid of all your “blitz pile” cards by moving them to your “post piles” or the “dutch piles” which are played in the middle of the table. All players play at the same time which makes this an anxiety-filled fast pace game.
5. SUSHI GO
This adorable card game is a pick and pass style game where you have a hand of cards and you have to decide what style of sushi you are going to try to go for. Each style is worth a different amount. You then choose which cards to hold onto and which to pass onto the next player. Several rounds are played and points are tallied up in the end.
6. PHASE 10
Phase 10 is a fairly classic card game, the object to be the first to complete all 10 phases. A phase is a certain combination of cards that needs to be collected and laid down (ex. two sets of three, one run of eight, etc). If you do not complete the current phase but another player does, you remain on the same phase for the next round while they move onto the next. It can become very competitive, but don’t be discouraged if you fall behind, you can easily catch up!
7. BLOKUS
This strategy game includes a board with a bunch of Tetris-shaped pieces. Players take turns laying down pieces, but the trick is that your piece has to be touching at the corner with another of your own pieces, which becomes complicated as another player working from the other side of the board moves into your territory.
8. BOGGLE
Another classic but timeless game, Boggle is a word game where dice are shook and rolled into a tray displaying a grid of letters. Players must then try to come up with as many words as possible (more points for longer words) constructed from the adjacent letters. Words found by both players do not count, so you want to find the most unique longest words possible for the most points.
9. RUMMIKUB
Another tile style game, Rummikub is played by collecting and laying down sets of numbered tiles either in groups or runs. Once sets have been played in the middle of the table, players are not only able to create new sets but they can also play off of current sets in an attempt to get rid of all of their tiles.
