Are you trying to find the best cooperative board games for 2 players? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together the top 14 options that will keep you entertained for hours or days on end.
Forbidden Island
While more players can join in, this is a great option for two players who want to work together to try to get off of a sinking island before it is too late. The game is action-packed and a lot of fun, requiring players to put aside their interests to help each other before the island sinks.
- Durable pieces are great for years of play.
- High-quality graphics add to the fun and visual interest of the game.
- The short playing time of just 30 minutes makes it easy to fit in a game.
- It is great for ages 10 and up.
- It requires cooperation, strategic thinking, and problem solving.
Codenames Duet
Ideal for players who love language and words, this game is a new spin on the classic Codenames and designed for just two players. There are 400 all-new words that can be used with the original game if desired, allowing this game to double as an expansion pack.
- Fast setup allows for the game to get started right away without a lot of downtime.
- Players take turns working together trying to find their undercover agents without uncovering any assassins.
- Appropriate for younger players, making it a great game for a parent and child.
- The game moves quickly, which is great for players who are interested in speed.
- It is perfect for helping younger players practice language skills.
Pandemic
In this highly popular game, players must work together as members of a disease control team to try to keep deadly diseases from spreading. By working together and using actions to treat hotspots, players can help stop the spread of disease or lose together while trying.
- It is great for ages eight and up, especially when working with an adult.
- Each team member has various strengths that he or she can rely on to help stop the diseases.
- Durable cards and markers last for years and are durable enough for younger players to handle them without damage.
- Bright colors and impressive graphics make the game highly enjoyable.
- The game is paced very quickly to keep players interested.
Mysterium
Not all two-player cooperative games have high replay value but this one does. It requires all players to work together to investigate and follow a storyline with ghosts, weapons, and plenty of suspects to choose from.
- Players work together to uncover who committed a crime.
- One player works by leading the other to the culprit.
- Understanding what ghosts are trying to say is key as players must rely on all of their senses and intuition to try to defeat the game.
- More cooperation between players will result in a more successful game.
- All players assume different roles in the game, allowing them to enjoy the fun in a new and different way.
The Grizzled Cooperative Card Game
This fast-paced game only takes 30 minutes to complete but leaves players exhausted. An experience unlike any other, players are immersed in WWI and must work together to survive the trenches. It’s only by playing and working together that players can win.
- Up to five players can enjoy the game at once.
- Multiple tiles, cards, and tokens make the game fun and interactive.
- Soldiers must work to protect each other as the game’s success depends on everyone’s survival.
- Multiple rounds make the game move quickly and prevent boredom.
- Rather than focusing on the battles in the war, this game focuses on the friendship and camaraderie between soldiers, putting a unique twist on a war game.
Dead Men Tell No Tales
By using an action point system, this game turns out to be a great cooperative game that is a lot of fun and is highly engaging. All players will enjoy trying to avoid explosions, reach treasure chests, and defeat skeletons that are trying to attack.
- Fast action and a lot of disruptions in the game make this a fun option for players who want something exciting.
- Each time the game is played, it will be different, thanks to the use of tiles that stack up and affect the game.
- The ever-changing game and multiple pieces make it exciting.
- It is perfect for up to five players.
- The longer play time of 6 to 75 minutes makes it ideal for a game night.
Mansions of Madness
This Lovecraftian board game has four different campaigns to choose from, allowing players to pick the perfect game for the time that they have. With an included conversion kit to allow the use of first-edition components, this is a great follow-up purchase.
- It has more than 500 detailed components to make the game incredibly immersive.
- The companion app is required but is easy to download on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.
- The game is ever-expanding with new characters and monsters as well as multiple scenario maps to play.
- The app helps solve puzzles, collect weapons, and fight death.
- Players work together to guide their character across map tiles in order to confront monsters and collect treasure.
Ghost Stories
This cooperative game allows players to act as Taoist priests who must protect their village against hungry ghosts. The dark forces of Wu-Feng were defeated in the past but they are now descending on the village, ready to avenge their deaths and defend the ashes of their leader.
- Players work together to protect their village, responding to threats as they arise.
- If all priests are killed, then the players lose.
- Players will also lose if the ghosts make the villagers flee or if they are able to raise their leader from the dead.
- There are four difficulty levels to choose from.
- Each of these priests has unique powers to help fight the massive variety of ghosts.
TIME Stories
The unique premise of this game allows players to relive the past. Thanks to gorgeous artwork, a refreshing take on the classic board game, and fully immersive scenarios, it will be a new experience every time that the game is played.
- Agents in this game work together in different realities or worlds to complete missions.
- Since players can attempt missions as many times as they need to, there is very little stress in the game.
- Gorgeous components and illustrations set this game apart from others.
- Every scenario has new characters, rules, surprises, and a new world to explore.
- Each player can determine how much roleplay he or she wants to use when playing this game.
And Then We Held Hands
In this game, players must work together to complete objectives and travel to the center of the board. By fulfilling emotional objectives though discarding cards and moving, players rely on nonverbal clues from their partner to succeed.
- Each player must empathize with his or her partner in order to have the best chance of success with this game.
- The card-splaying mechanism allows players to adjust their perspective when they need new options.
- Players must make it to the center of the board and stay in a balanced state.
- Although the gameplay is quiet, it is a very emotional game that requires players to remain in tune with each other to succeed.
- Having a strategy that can change during the game is a smart way to succeed.
One Deck Dungeon
Rather than spending long hours setting up a game, this game is ready to go from the start. There are four ways to use cards, allowing players to enjoy the full immersive experience of a larger and more advanced game quickly and without hassle.
- Intuitive dice mechanics as well as thematic abilities and skills allow the game to flow quickly.
- It offers great replay value due to the need for strategy in order to win.
- Choosing new characters and opting for various dungeons when playing makes each game unique.
- There is a lighter option for players looking for a fun dungeon crawl.
- Every character class has its own pros and cons to consider when playing the game.
Aeon’s End
A cooperative deck building game, this fun game plays more as if it is a video game than a card game. Since the deck doesn’t get shuffled, players must understand the role of deck management in order to make good decisions.
- During each game, players face new enemies with their own set of skills and abilities.
- Each player has his or her own set of spells, abilities, and smarts to try to win.
- All players work to transform energy into spells to help with their defense.
- Variable turn order system simulates the energy and chaos experienced in battle.
- Careful card discarding is necessary to ensure that players won’t run out of energy later in the game.
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu
Lovers of the classic game Pandemic will enjoy this fun new twist. The custom figures and die help to bring the fantastical reality of Cthulhu to life and make this game even more enjoyable and immersive.
- Players work together as investigators to find and seal portals to a cosmic prison.
- Not only are players racing against the clock but also against their growing insanity.
- Incredible artwork is bright and features impressive drawings that improve the overall gameplay and feel.
- Each player must balance the moves that he or she makes with how it will benefit their teammates to make the best decision.
- Simplified rules make this game easy to understand but the difficult challenges keep players coming back for more.
Escape: The Curse of the Temple
In this fun game, players work together to try to escape a collapsing temple, which would cause everyone to lose. Since the escape is played in real time and all players are taking turns at the same time, the game is very fast-paced and incredibly exciting.
- The included soundtrack helps to make the game feel even more real-time and immersive.
- Times helps keep players on track and ensure that the game ends on time, adding a feeling of urgency.
- Optional expansions make the game even more involved and difficult.
- Since all players either win or lose together, there is a real sense of urgency in the game.
- Rolling dice makes the game movement easy for everyone to understand.