What are some good 2 player board/card games

[MerricB]

This is Thurn and Taxis: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/21790

This is Carcassonne: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/822

This is Lost Cities: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/50

It'd be a good idea to investigate the reviews & comments on each game; just follow the links to bgg that I've provided.

Cheers!

 

[Seonaid]

Thurn & Taxis looks and sounds a lot like Power Grid (which is 2 to 6 players). Anyone play both and care to comment?

 

[MerricB]

I haven't played Power Grid, but PG is a long (2 hour), complicated game, while T&T is a short (half hour) simple game. Looking at the rules summary for PG, I don't think there's much comparison.

Cheers!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Thanks for the links Merric. If I added Ticket to Ride to the list of choices would you pick that over the other games?

Olaf the Stout

 

[MerricB]

Thanks for the links Merric. If I added Ticket to Ride to the list of choices would you pick that over the other games?

In this instance (a game you can play with your wife): Yes. It's a really inspired game, and very obvious as to how it works - which I consider important in this instance.

Ticket to Ride: Europe - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/14996
At the beginning of the game, you get a number of tickets: each lists two stations that you have to connect together.

During the game, you pick up cards in a number of colours (white, black, yellow, red, wild, etc.) When you have enough of a single colour, you play them to claim a route of the same colour. (Some routes can be taken by any colour). To connect the stations on your tickets, you may need 2, 3, 4, 5 or even more routes.

You score points whenever you claim a route (the longer routes are worth more), and place markers on the route to show that it's yours. When someone runs out of markers (trains), the game ends.

Players then get bonus points for each ticket they completed, and lose points for each ticket left uncompleted. Whoever has the most points wins!

TTR: Europe is more friendly than the other variants primarily because of Stations, which allow you to use a route someone else placed (instead of being blocked and being forced to lose points).

<-- click here!

A Game Turn:
Do one of the following:
* Pick up 2 colour cards from the 5 available (they're replaced as they're taken)
* Claim a route by playing a set of matching colour cards (a route that is 4 long requires 4 cards)
* Draw 3 new ticket cards, and keep at least 1.
* Play a station (by discarding a set of 1-3 colour cards).

Cheers!

 

[Wycen]

Not to hijack, but does anyone have suggestions for a game that is like Dungeons and Dragons, but not Dungeons and Dragons? For example Order of the Stick could fit, but the DnD Minis game is out.

Looks like our group is having some fatigue, I might lose a player and the other DM is getting fed up with some of our (in)actions. We are thinking about taking a break, but not wanting to veer too far from the target.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The simplest good FRPG I know- the Melee/Wizard/The Fantasy Trip line- is long out of print.

 

[MerricB]

Not to hijack, but does anyone have suggestions for a game that is like Dungeons and Dragons, but not Dungeons and Dragons? For example Order of the Stick could fit, but the DnD Minis game is out.

Descent is the closest fit. A "big box" FFG product, it includes unpainted plastic monster & hero miniatures, treasure & skill cards, overlord cards, a number of different hero sheets, interlocking dungeon tiles, dice and several scenarios/adventures. 2-5 players.

One player takes the role of the Overlord (DM), and moves the monsters as well plays cards from the overlord deck - which can spawn more monsters, affect attacks, or represent traps.

The other players are the heroes. They have strengths in different areas (Melee, Ranged and Magic), and random skills that help those areas. Thus, each game is different. (There's about 16 different heroes).

A player in his turn can (a) attack twice, (b) move twice, (c) move and attack or (d) move/attack and take a special action (heal, guard, aim, etc.)

Combat involves rolling special dice; three results: damage, range and "surges". Damage is reduced by armour, and anything else comes off health. There are quite a few special abilities to modify this, of course.

Cheers!

 

[MerricB]

Descent - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/17226

Cheers!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I bought Carcassonne on friday night. I read the rules on the way home on the train and I really don't think my wife will like it. It just sounds too strategic and not enough "fun" for what she would be into. She said that she'd still give it a go and play a game with me but I don't have very high expectations. Oh well, at least I can still play it with my gaming group.

Given my response to Carcassonne, does anyone think that my wife would like any of the other games that have been suggested? If not I may just stick with something like Scrabble or Jenga. Relatively simple but at least we can both enjoy them.

Olaf the Stout