The definitive ranked list of the best date night board games. There are many different emotions that you want on a good date. You want joy, hope, all that good stuff, and a way you could bring that is board games. There is a flavor for any occasion whether you need laughs or just satisfying puzzles there is something for everyone. These are not necessarily “date” games by any stretch, they are just board games that will bring value to your intimate evening. Whether it is your 1st date or your 100th, these are great choices. These are our top 10 best date night board games.
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#10 | Patchwork
Patchwork makes the list of the best date night board games because it is just a light and friendly 2 player puzzle strategy game. You are both drafting Tetris shape like tiles to build your personal quilt. This is a game of pattern building and space management. If you like the abstract strategy sector of board games and you are just looking for something lighthearted to play, this is a great choice.
You compete against another to build the most aesthetic patchwork quilt on a personal 9×9 game board. To start play, all the patches are laid out at random in a circle with a marker placed directly clockwise of the 2-1 patch. On a turn, a player either purchases 1 of the 3 patches standing clockwise of the spool or passes. Lots of complexity ensues and it is up to you to masterfully put together these odd patch pieces into strategic point clusters that give you big points. For 2 players, games run 15 – 30 minutes.
FOR MORE: Patchwork Page | How To Play Patchwork | Games Like Patchwork | Buy Patchwork on Amazon
#09 | 7 Wonders: Duel
7 Wonders: Duel makes the list of the best date night board games because it is a good one to get a light oneupsmanship out of your systems. This is another game that is built for specifically for 2 players and has you both competing over similar resources. You are off taking care of your own thing, so it is not super aggressive, but there are still some mild manor things you can do to poke your opponent, like beating them to something they were clearly going for. It is a really fun game that just happens to have a great dynamic for 2 people.
In Duel, players are not drafting cards simultaneously from hands of cards, but from a display of face-down and face-up cards arranged at the start of each round. A player can take a card only if it’s not covered by any others, so timing comes into play as well as bonus moves that allow you to take a second card immediately. As in the original game, each card that you acquire can be built, discarded for coins, or used to construct a wonder. For 2 players, games run about 30 minutes,
FOR MORE: 7 Wonders Duel Page | Games Like 7 Wonders Duel | Buy 7 Wonders Duel on Amazon
#08 | Onitama
Onitama makes the list of the best date night board games because it is a respectful and strategic showdown. It fits into that great category of having a little interaction but not being too aggressive, something important for any date night if you want things to end without fighting. Like a few others here, this is just a solid game that is in a space that is perfect for any pair of players.
Each player has two open cards that each display a possible move for any of his pieces. On a player’s turn, they choose a card, move a piece based on that, then replace it with a card that the other play just used. Moving onto one of the opponent’s pawns removes that pawn from the game. Taking the opponent’s main pawn, or moving your main pawn into your opponent’s main pawn’s starting space, wins you the game. For 2 players, games run 15 – 20 minutes.
FOR MORE: Onitama Page | Games Like Onitama | Buy Onitama on Amazon
#07 | Ticket To Ride
Ticket To Ride makes the list of the best date night board games because it is that general people pleaser. Whether it is date night 1 or date night 100, this has the scalability to grow with the players and their intimacy levels. There is plenty of resources for you to go off on your own, but if you want to be a little more cutthroat, you have that option. This is one of the iconic board games that you can pull off the shelf in most occasions, and this is one.
You are a train tycoon with your sites set on building a great rail system across the United States. Players sit around a board of the US, with many empty possible routes connecting cities across the country. In each game everyone has a secret route they need to complete and only you know what you need to do. Each turn you can either take different colored train cards or build routes using them. Complete more goals and build more impressive routes for victory. For 2 – 5 players, games last 30 – 60 minutes.
FOR MORE: Ticket To Ride Page | How To Play Ticket To Ride | Ticket To Ride Review | Games Like Ticket To Ride | Buy Ticket To Ride on Amazon
#06 | Hive
Hive makes the list of the best date night board games because it is basically a more lighthearted Chess meets Go. The ancient classic board games, like the latter games mentioned, have a stigma attached to them. If you busted them out on date one, your partner may assume you were a mathematician, excentric billionaire or a supervillain. Hive is about bugs moving around. It has a deep strategy in there, but on the surface, it is very accessible.
The object of the game is to totally surround your opponent’s Queen Bee whilst at the same time trying to stop your opponent from doing the same to you. The pieces surrounding the Queen Bee can be made up of a mixture of both your pieces and your opponent’s. The first player to surround their opponent’s Queen Bee Wins. For 2 players, games go for about 20 minutes.
FOR MORE: Hive Page | Games Like Hive | Buy Hive on Amazon
#05 | Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island makes the list of the best date night board games because it is one that you can play together. This is a cooperative adventure game so instead of being players against one another, it is everyone against the game. In this case, the enemy is the island and everyone involved must use their special ability to play their part on the team.
You and other players take turns moving your pawns around the ‘island’, which is built by arranging the many beautifully screen-printed tiles before play begins. As the game progresses, more and more island tiles sink, becoming unavailable, and the pace increases. Players use strategies to keep the island from sinking while trying to collect treasures and items. As the water level rises, it gets more difficult- sacrifices must be made.
FOR MORE: Forbidden Island Page | How To Play Forbidden Island | Forbidden Island Review | Games Like Forbidden Island | Buy Forbidden Island on Amazon
#04 | Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective makes the list of the best date night board games because it is another one you can do together that will give you both little wins along the way. This will get you all amped and associate winning with the other player. As you would imagine, you are solving mysteries together, so make sure you have a partner with who you want to do that with or at least patience.
You are presented with a mystery to solve, and it is then up to you to trace the threads of evidence through the byways and mansions of 19th century London. You will interview suspects, search the newspapers for clues, and put together the facts to reach a solution. For 1 – 8 players, games run about 1 – 2 hours.
FOR MORE: Games Like Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective | Buy Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective on Amazon
#03 | Codenames: Duet
Codenames Duet makes the list of the best date night board games because it is the 2 player version of one of the best-designed party games of all time. This version was built to specifically bring that interesting take on communication limits and guessing into a 1 on 1 player format. They did a great job here and have created a vehicle that will hand out plenty of laughs and good times.
Each round, one representative from each team look at a decoder card that signals hidden spies under a grid of 5×4 picture clues (the original was just words, pictures is where it is at). It is that representative’s job to give one-word clues that correspond to more than one clue. Getting them right frees your people and wins you the game, but don’t get your opponent’s cards or worse yet the secret guy who ends your game immediately. What is different about duet is that the 2 players are working together to find all the agents. A fun twist.
FOR MORE: Buy Codenames Duet on Amazon
#02 | …and then, we held hands
And Then, We Held Hands makes the list of the best date night board games because it is a co-operative game about finding balance. Players win by meeting in the center while in a balanced state and within one turn of each other – something quite difficult, and therefore very rewarding when achieved. This will help your bring that intimacy to the next level through achieving shared goals. It is both fun and rewarding.
Players take turns trying to fulfill the current common emotional objective by discarding emotion cards to move from node to node. They must do this without verbal communication, empathizing and always considering each other’s situation when making a move. A player can use their own cards or their partner’s, but if their move causes their partner to be unable to move, the players lose and the game ends. For 2 players, games go 30 – 45 minutes.
FOR MORE: Buy …and then, we held hands on Amazon
#01 | Fog of Love
For the top spot on the list of the best date night board games we had to go with a romantic themed game but it is a good one and will be very satisfying. In this hand management, storytelling and role playing game, you will stay true to your character and build a successful relationship. Then dump them. If you really want to merge the idea of being on a date with your game choices, then this is it. The romantic adventure may help you inspire your own situation.
You will create and play two vivid characters who meet, fall in love and face the challenge of making an unusual relationship work. Playing is like being in a romantic comedy: roller-coaster rides, awkward situations, lots of laughs and plenty of difficult compromises to make. The happily ever after won’t be certain, but whatever way your zigzag romance unfolds, you’ll always end up with a story full of surprises. For 2 players, games last 1 – 2 hours.
