Couple games
The best couple games are short, a bit competitive and easy to start, like Speed with a deck of cards, 7 Wonders Duel on the table or a round of Would You Rather on the sofa. Here are 30 couple games with the rules in one line each, sorted by what you have: nothing, a deck of cards, a board game, a list of questions, a phone, a night out or a video call.
Twenty Questions
One of you thinks of a person, place or thing. The other gets 20 yes or no questions to guess it.
Full rulesNo board games at home? Switch that chip off. The deck only picks from the kinds of game you leave on.
Draw a card and let the deck pick tonight's game. Switch off what you don't have at home, and it only picks games you can play right now.
- Games
- 30
- Players
- 2
- Sorted by
- What you have
30 couple games and how to play them
Every game here works with exactly two players. Where we have a full guide, the name links to it. Looking for games with a drink in hand? We keep those in drinking games for two.
Couple games with no equipment
5- Twenty Questions: one of you thinks of a person, place or thing. The other gets 20 yes or no questions to guess it.
- Two Truths and a Lie: say three things about yourself, one of them made up. Your partner has one guess to spot the lie.
- One Word Story: build a story together one word at a time. The first one to laugh or pause too long loses the round.
- Fortunately, Unfortunately: take turns adding a line to a story, starting with fortunately or unfortunately. Keep it going as long as you can.
- Alphabet Categories: pick a category like films or foods and take turns naming one for each letter from A to Z. First to get stuck loses.
Card games for couples (one standard deck)
4- Gin Rummy: ten cards each. Draw and discard to build sets and runs, and knock when your unmatched cards add up to 10 or less.
- Speed: both of you play at the same time onto two piles in the middle, one higher or one lower. First to get rid of all their cards wins.
- Egyptian Ratscrew: flip cards onto one pile in turn and slap the pile when you see a double or a sandwich. Whoever ends up with every card wins.
- Crazy Eights: match the top card by suit or number, and eights are wild. First to empty their hand wins.
Board games for couples
5- 7 Wonders Duel: a two player version of 7 Wonders. Draft cards from a shared pyramid to build a civilisation, and win by points, science or military.
- Patchwork: a two player game where you buy fabric pieces and fit them onto your own quilt board. Leftover gaps cost you points.
- Codenames Duet: the two player, cooperative Codenames. You give each other one word clues to find your agents before time runs out.
- Jaipur: a two player trading card game. Collect and sell goods at the market before the price drops.
- Lost Cities: a two player card game by Reiner Knizia. Play cards in rising order to fund expeditions, but every expedition you start costs points until it pays off.
Question games for couples
5- Matching Questions: both of you answer the same question secretly, then reveal at the same time. A point for every match.
- The Newlywed Game: one of you answers questions about the other, who has already written the real answer down. Score the matches.
- 21 Questions: take turns asking each other 21 questions that both of you have to answer honestly.
- This or That: rapid fire choices like beach or mountains. Guess your partner's pick before they say it.
- Would You Rather: two impossible options, you both pick and defend your choice. Agree and you both score.
Couple games on one phone
5- Guess the Song: real music clips play and you race to pick the right title. Keep score over ten songs.
- The Timeline: place real music clips in order by the year they came out. Take turns, and whoever places the most clips right wins.
- One Second: guess the song from a split second of music. Play the daily round and compare scores at dinner.
- Truth or Dare: the app draws a truth or a dare for each of you in turn, so nobody has to think of the next one.
- Roulette: spin the wheel and take the dare it lands on, or the penalty. Agree on the penalty before you spin.
Couple games for a date out
3- Mini Golf Bet: before you start, each of you names a prize, like who picks the next film. Lowest score claims theirs.
- Photo Scavenger Hunt: write five things to photograph, like a yellow door or a dog in a jumper. First to find all five picks dessert.
- Menu Roulette: at a new restaurant, you each order for the other without asking. Score the dish out of ten.
Online couple games for long distance
3- Watch Party Bingo: start the same film at the same time and make a bingo card of five things you think will happen. First full row wins.
- Video Call Pictionary: one of you draws on paper and holds it up to the camera while the other guesses. Swap after each word.
- Online Chess: play a game on any chess app or website over a call. Loser plans the next video date.
Which couple game should you play?
The right game depends on your evening more than on the rules. Use this as a starting point.
| Your situation | Start with | Then try |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet night in, nothing at home | Two Truths and a Lie | One Word Story, Would You Rather |
| You have a deck of cards | Speed | Gin Rummy |
| You want a proper board game | 7 Wonders Duel | Patchwork, Jaipur |
| You want to get closer | Matching Questions | 21 Questions |
| You both love music | Guess the Song | The Timeline |
| You're on a video call | Video Call Pictionary | Watch Party Bingo |
| Friends are coming over | The Newlywed Game | Truth or Dare |
How to turn any evening into a game night for two
- Pick a prize firstWho chooses the takeaway, who does the dishes, who picks the next date. A small prize makes any game better.
- Play one fast and one slow gameStart with something quick like Speed or Guess the Song, then move to a longer one like 7 Wonders Duel or a question game.
- Best of threeOne game is luck. Best of three settles it, and the loser gets to choose the next game.
- End with a questionFinish on a question game, so the evening ends with talking, not keeping score.
Game night for two, on one phone
Dronk has 16 party games in one app. For two, start with Guess the Song or The Timeline, where you race each other with real music clips, then move on to Truth or Dare or Would You Rather when the music stops.
Get Dronk free on iPhone
What makes a good game for couples
A good couple game is not the same as a good party game. With two players, there is nowhere to hide, so the best ones share a few things.
- Short rounds. Games that last 10 to 30 minutes leave room for a rematch, which is half the fun.
- Something to talk about. Question games and music games give you stories and memories, not just a winner.
- Built for two. Many board games for three or more feel empty with two. Games designed for two, like 7 Wonders Duel or Patchwork, don't.
- A loser who doesn't mind. Pick small, silly prizes. Nobody should lose a game and a fight on the same night.
Questions people ask
What are good games for couples?
For a night in, Speed or Gin Rummy with one deck of cards, a board game built for two like 7 Wonders Duel, or a question game like Would You Rather. This page has 30 couple games sorted by what you have at home.
What card games can a couple play?
Gin Rummy, Speed, Egyptian Ratscrew and Crazy Eights all work with two players and one standard deck. Speed is the fastest, Gin Rummy the one you can play for years.
What are the best board games for couples?
Games designed for two players are the safest bet: 7 Wonders Duel, Patchwork, Jaipur, Lost Cities and the cooperative Codenames Duet.
What are question games for couples?
The easiest is the matching game: you both answer the same question secretly and score a point for every match. Our questions for couples page has 130 questions to play it with.
What games can long distance couples play online?
Watch a film at the same time and play bingo on what happens, draw and guess over a video call, play chess online, or both play the same daily music round and compare scores.
What are drinking games for couples?
Higher or Lower, Never Have I Ever and Truth or Drink all work for two. We collected them in drinking games for two, and a sip of anything, water included, counts.
Keep the night going
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