As i often play games with two (live or on BGA/Yucata sites), even when a game is meant for larger count of players, i’ve decided to share a list of my best games meant for larger number of players which can be played with two. Most often i play with two because of a faster gameplay. Because when playing on the Internet it already takes very long as you take a turn or few per day. So this way you are not forgetting what you were going to do in the game, your turns come faster. Also, some games, in my opinion, have too much chaos and luck when playing with larger count of players.
10. Firenze
I often play this game with three. But it is also much fun with two. There is still plenty of space for competition with a fewer count of players. Also, when you only have one opponent you can have some long-term strategies without fearing, that someone will grab the card you need or take the spot you want on a tower.
9. The Palaces of Carrara
Same as with Firenze, this game is well enough with 3 players, but when you play with two there is a wider strategic space. Also the game lasts a bit longer and you manage to build more buildings, while when playing with three the game often ends unexpectedly.
8. Voluspa
The game is interesting enough with 3 players as well, because you can always have a better turn while two others fight with each other. But this game is very simple and fast, so in general i tend to want to play it with only two. Then it gives a feeling like you are playing chess or a similar game.
7. Seasons
As i have mentioned in the previous post i like to play this game with only two, because with a larger number of players it becomes hard to get resources you want and to plan your turns ahead sticking to your chosen game plan.
6. Cacao
The recently discovered game which plays very well with various numbers of players. That’s why it is on this list.
5. Santiago de Cuba
I’ve tried this game with a few players and i wasn’t amazed by it. Although i still sometimes play it with 3 players, but i think it works the best with two. Because in that case it is easier to control the situation on board, to plan your turns ahead. With a larger count of players you just can’t know whether you’ll be able to land on a spot you want or not.
4. The Downfall of Pompeii
Or just “Pompeii”. Again, i like this game with 3 or 4 players. But with two players it is more tactical, there is more space on the board for your figures to place, to plan paths for your figures to move and it is easier to plan how you will block your opponent.
3. Zooloretto: The Dice Game
One of the most played games of mine and i still don’t get bored with it 🙂 And also probably 95% of all sessions i have played were with two players. As with the other games i think that the tactics here suffer from the bigger chaos with a larger number of players. There is no place for the interesting “mind game” with an opponent, when you try to entice or block him. With 3 or 4 players you are just relying on luck and trying to grab whatever resources are left without any deeper strategy.
2. Thunderstone
It’s no surprise that this game takes the second spot, as it is my best game of all times 🙂 As many other deck building games, it works well with two players. I have played this game with 3, but i still more willing to play it with just one opponent. It’s interesting to compete with him for a better pray in the dungeon. When an opponent slays a better prey, you know that you will have an opportunity to take the next one, while you wouldn’t have such opportunity when playing with three. Also the mercenaries decks do not become empty so quickly, as well as other stuff and weapons selection. So you have time to build an interesting better deck, some interesting “engine”.
1. Tokaido
I’ve been playing this game with only 3 or 4 players for a long time and i haven’t even thought about a game with two, until one time there weren’t enough players wanting to join the game on BGA site and i started a game with two. So i’ve found out that the two players variant is very interesting and fierce 🙂 When you play with 3-5 players, you have to put your own figure on a spot you want your opponent to block from getting on to, even when this spot is not good for you and maybe you need some other spot even more. So it is hard to block and often you harm yourself more in the process. In a game for two a dummy player is introduced, which figure is moved ahead by a player who is farthest on a track. This dummy player is not gathering points, but it’s blocking spaces on which he is placed. So, his main usage is to block spots your opponent needs without wasting your own turns. Annoying your opponent in the process 🙂 This is so far the only game i know, which has a clever, simple and useful usage of a dummy player.