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Multiplayer games that claim you can play them 2 player.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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The check is in the mail. One size fits all. This won't hurt a bit. Your table will be ready in a minute. Plays 2-6 players. Ok, we all have a few pet peeves when it comes to gaming. For some of us it's slow players. For others it's those folks who instead of rolling the dice gently on the table fling them so they go rolling off the table every time. For me it's the classic publisher's "plays 2-6 people". It's the gamers version of the check is in the mail. This is the problem. Most games sell better when they're more flexible on how many people can play them. A strict 4 player game for example has a more narrow appeal than one that can be advertised to play 2-6. So game companies understandably really like it when a game is designed with a very wide range in number of players. However in many cases this results in the classic round peg in a square hole. A designer designs a really good game for 4 or 5 players but then the publisher asks for special rules for 2 players so they can get that desired range. I actually had one designer (who shall remain nameless) admit to me once on a game that was listed as 2-6 players that he had never even play tested the 2 player rules. He simply wrote them in about an hour for inclusion into the rule book after the publisher requested them. Ok, this isn't a horrible problem that threatens the entire gaming hobby. Like I said, it's a simple little pet peeve of mine and a minor one at that. However it does often leave people scratching their heads on a game. Yeah, it says it plays 2 plays....but does it really play 2 players or is it a round peg in a square hole? This list is not about games designed to be played with 2 players. It's a list about popular games designed to be played with 4 or 5 players. Games that also have special rules that allow them to be played with 2 players. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. many I have no idea about because I've never tried to play them 2 player. The purpose of this list is to help the average gamers who here on BGG sees all these wonderful 4-5 player games but may not have a consistant 4-5 player game group. They would like to play games like Puerto Rico and Caylus but don't know if these popular titles honestly and truly work as 2 players. So I leave the answers for you. Are these games really good for 2 players or are they round pegs in a square hole?
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Posted Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:52 am
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
I've only recently been exposed to this game but quickly learned why it's so popular. It's a great strategy game with a very wide appeal. It's also the reason for this this. I've been thinking about playing it with my wife, perhaps this weekend, but I question how well it actually plays as a 2 player game. Looks promising for 2.
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2.
Board Game: Goa
[Average Rating:7.81 Overall Rank:21]
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 4
Really fun game in my opinion. But 2 players? In my mind this one is a strict 4 player game. I just can't see it played with 2.
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3.
Board Game: Caylus
[Average Rating:7.98 Overall Rank:10]
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
I've only played it twice so far and really enjoyed it both times. Played it with 4 players each time but I think this one might actually work with 2.
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4.
Board Game: Citadels
[Average Rating:7.31 Overall Rank:92]
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 7
I love playing this one with 5 players. What's funny with this one is that someone recently posted on BGG that they love this game and only played it 2 player with their wife. They said they can't imagine how it would play with 4 or 5.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 6
Ok, I've actually never played this one but I hope that changes some day. I have seen it played a number of time and every time was 4 or 5 players. Does this one work with 2 or is it a round peg in a square hole?
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 4
I own this one but haven't had a chance to play it yet. Claims to be 2-4.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
I seriously question this one working with 2.
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8.
Board Game: San Juan
[Average Rating:7.42 Overall Rank:71]
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 4
This one I know works very well with 2 and is part of the reason why I think Puerto Rico will as well. Someone recently told me that they also bought two copies of this game so to have a bigger game deck. Doesn't effect the game at all but makes for a lot less shuffling with more cards.
I do wish Puerto Rico used the art they have on these cards for the buildings. I've seen where someone has made PR building tiles you can download from BGG featuring the artwork from here.
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9.
Board Game: Genoa
[Average Rating:7.41 Overall Rank:88]
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
Just picked this one up but haven't played it. Hearing all the talk about this game being a trading game it makes me wonder if it really works well with 2.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 1 - 8
I would think with this one 2 players would more likely mean 2 players playing 2 characters each for 4 characters total. However that still counts.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
Here's a game that I think works better with fewer players and yes it does work with 2...sort of. The problem with this game with 5 is hunters can get bored. If your hunter is out at sea there isn't much for you to do so you move and then watch other players as they do encounters and such. I've noticed 5 player games tend to move slowly.
With 3 players however each player plays 2 hunters and always has things to do each round. I think this game definately works best with 3.
The game plays the same with 2 but it leaves the hunter player with 4 characters to run and that's a bit much for one person.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
Never played this. Never even seen it played. However it's a popular game so I've included it. Seems obviously a 4-5 player game from the game photos and description. Does it still work with only 2?
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 4
A new game on the market that I expect I'll be playing at my Thursday night game group soon. Saw a copy of it a few days ago and really liked the artwork on it. Obviously designed as a 4 player game but it looks like it might work with 2.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 4
Never played it but from the looks of it I expect it works rather well with just 2.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 4
Haven't played but I suspect if you have 2 players and like Blue Moon you would simply play the regular Blue Moon which is a 2 player game rather than break out this 4 player game and play it with 2.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
Ok, cheating a bit here because this one hasn't been released yet. Says it works with 2 but being an auction game I suspect 2 players wouldn't be a good way to play it.
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Brian Morris
United States
Overland Park
Kansas
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Number of Players: 2 - 5
Another popular title I haven't played yet. 2 to 5 but I would imagine the gameplay with 2 would lack what makes it such a popular 4 player game.
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Nick Fisk
United Kingdom
Stoke on Trent
Staffordshire
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On the box: 2 - 5 Players
In reality, this game is a lot of luck-pushing fun with 5 players (and maybe 4), but is a complete waste of time with 2 or 3.
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19.
Board Game: Masons
[Average Rating:6.68 Overall Rank:530]
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Nick Fisk
United Kingdom
Stoke on Trent
Staffordshire
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Another new release from Hans im Glück that came out at the same time as Thurn & Taxis.
This plays really well from 2-4 players, and so far plays pretty differently every time as well.
I keep plugging this whenever I can, in an effort to get it a bit more attention!
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Tony Nardo
United States
Ellicott City
Maryland
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Galaxy: the Dark Ages is labelled for 2-5 players. However, two player games tend to turn lopsided rather quickly once one player controls the Myrmidons.
The Myrmidon power allows its governor to randomly toss half an opponent's cards from the victim's hand to the victim's reserve. During part of the playtest phase, there was an extra constraint on the Myrmidon power: "The victim may not already have half (fractions rounded up) or more of their cards in the Reserve."
With this constraint, a player beaten down by the Myrmidon power could maintain a viable hand. Without it, the two player game quickly devolves into one player limping by on drawn cards while the other takes control of the game.
I don't know if the constraint was deliberately dropped or simply fell victim to rules configuration management glitches. But for two player games, I'd call it a necessary addition.
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21.
Board Game: Vinci
[Average Rating:7.30 Overall Rank:134]
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Jenny Nguyen
Australia
Sydney
NSW
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It says 3-6 on the box but it does contain rules for 2 players (much like Keythedral does). Unfortunately the 2 player variant as usual - is a load of crap with players having to choose the best possible move for the dummy players. I don't particularly mind dummy players in games as such but if I recall correctly in a 2 player game of Vinci each player must control 1 dummy player. Not fun! But then again this game isn't all that fun to begin with  .
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Kurt Nellis
United States
Kirkland
Washington
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I really enjoy this with 4 players, but with 2 it's very boring. You don't see enough cards to do anything really interesting and the "Hunt" cards are mostly useless since it's unlikely your opponent will play a demon card at the same time as you. Again, not broken, just not much fun.
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Stven Carlberg
United States
Atlanta
Georgia
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Saint Petersburg, rated for 2-4 players, actually does work quite well with two players! If you enjoy the money management, card counting, and aristocrat nabbing with 3 or 4, you should enjoy it also with 2.
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24.
Board Game: Risk
[Average Rating:5.61 Overall Rank:4779]
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Joe Scoleri
Afghanistan
(Currently far from) Herald
California
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The earliest example?
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Joe Scoleri
Afghanistan
(Currently far from) Herald
California
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Or was this the first "sure, yeah, you can play this with 2 players" hustle?
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Posted Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:52 am
I'm sure the aforementioned couple well give you some positive feedback.