What are the best card games for two players? As enthusiastic fans of tabletop gaming and having a good time, the Gluey staffers often play a few rounds of card games with each other. There are a large number of card games out there and no doubt we’ve all forgotten about some that we really love.
In an effort to seek out the best two-player games, we’ve played and replayed card games from an age when we had to individually shuffle decks of cards by hand, to the blessed era of online shopping – which means we can get even more new games without going outside.
We’ve broken down this list into a few categories: trick-taking games, storytelling games, and party games. With so many card games out there for two, it’s highly likely we missed out on including your favorite, so be sure to leave us a comment!
Here are the best two player card games:
Cat in the Flock
Cat in the Flock is a great trick taking game. It takes The Fox in the Forest and mixes in some Catan so that there’s a bit more strategy. There’s also a bit of push your luck as you only know what cards you’re losing to after you’ve committed. All in all, it’s a well-balanced game that’s not too difficult for people who have just been introduced to the hobby.
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a two-player card game that puts you in the shoes of one of the investigators trying to keep Arkham safe from the Mythos. It takes a lot of cues from the LCG model used by Fantasy Flight Games, while also simplifying some aspects and making Arkham Horror a great stand alone game for someone who isn’t familiar with the other Arkham games.
Rivals for Catan
Rivals for Catan is a mini Catan (and expansions) that’s great for travelling. Instead of building a randomised board with different types of terrain, each game uses the same board with biomes of different strengths. Instead of using dice rolls, players bid for the right to build their hexes each round to create a more strategy-focused game that doesn’t change over time.
Exploding Kittens: 2-Player Edition
Exploding Kittens is a card game where you have to draw cards and hope you don’t pick up an exploding kitten. Players play cards in an attempt to ensure that their exploding kitten – if they have one – doesn’t explode. Rounds are quick and there are so many different expansions you’ll never play the same game twice. It’s a great game for anyone who’s played Cards Against Humanity – but isn’t as crass or juvenile.
Wizard Wars
A classic two player card game, Wizard Wars can be played with Settlers of Catan cards if you don’t have the official deck. The point of the game is to guess what card your opponent has which can get rather heated (in a good way) as you get more involved in your guesses.