Written by Ed Carter, Staff Writer
With the holidays around the corner, and the prices to travel outrageous, a lot of folks may be home for the holidays. But there is more to do than play Monopoly or Uno, There is a whole plethora of board games out there. From science fiction, superheroes, fantasy, and even your favorite films. For those who will be staying in, here are some great 2-player games, that are affordable, compact, and easy to learn, yet challenging. If you are interested in any of them, you can read my full reviews. These are not in any particular order so there is not a number one out of them. In fact, any of them could be a number one game. So without further delay, let’s dive in.
SUMMONER WARS
2 players
Tactical combat, cards, fantasy, dice rolling
Published by Plaid Hat Games
One of the most famous combat card games is Magic the Gathering but is far from the only one. In Summoner Wars, each player controls a powerful wizard and his army of soldiers and heroes in a battle to the end where only one remains. The game uses a prebuilt deck and the cards are moved on a battle map much like miniatures would. Combat is resolved using dice. The game has a simple turn order and with the prebuilt decks, there is no need to build your own, though that is an option for advanced players.
The asymmetrical powers of each Summoner are unique and provide an exciting challenge for players. Using cards as miniatures reduces the table space and the cost, as well. This is a fantastic 2-player fantasy combat game that I thoroughly enjoy anytime I get it out.
A 2-player starter set is about $25 and is available online and from the games website, plaidhatgames.com
UNMATCHED
2-4 players
Customized card decks, miniatures, tactical combat
Published by Restoration Games
Ever wondered how Robin Hood would do in a fight against Bigfoot, or even your favorite Marvel superheroes against each other, or say, the Raptors from Jurassic Park? Well in Unmatched you can. While Unmatched has team player rules, the game is best played one versus one. Each player uses a custom deck of cards to move and attack their opponent with a custom miniature and tokens for their sidekicks. In unmatched, players use their cards to defeat their opponent. The first one whose health is zero, loses.
Unmatched is one of those rare games that I give a 10/10 for several reasons you can read about in my full review. I can’t recommend this one high enough to the point of saying if you don’t have a set; why? A 2-player set is around $25-$30 and is available online, from Restoration Games, or at your friendly local game store.
STAR WARS: THE DECKBUILDING GAME
2 players
Card combat, adjustable powers, deckbuilding.
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
It’s “Star Wars,” so enough said right? Well for some yes, but for others, you may need a little bit more. First off, this is a deck-building game where the main mechanic is you use your cards to fight your opponent and acquire more cards. Each player starts with a basic set of 10 cards with the same abilities. As the game progresses, players gain more powerful cards in their personal deck and use them to attack the bases of their opponent. The first one to destroy 3 bases, wins. All of the cards needed to play are included, plus the cubes to track damage and spending.
This is a fantastic card c0mbat game in the Star Wars Universe: The Rebels vs the Empire. There are custom cards for heroes, equipment, and mercenaries to hire and gather to build your arsenal to defeat the other side. I love deck-building games because all of the cards you need are right in the box; no hunting for exclusive or rare power cards. This one is compact and takes very little table space at all.
You can find it online for about $30 and I have seen it even in Barnes and Noble and other retailers and of course from the Fantasy Flight Games website directly.
Star Realms
1-4 players
Deck building, combat, space-themed
First off, this is the granddaddy of Space deck builders, it is a big influence on the Star Wars deck-building game. The 2 ability card system of attack and purchase came from Star Realms. Star Realms is its own IP with the 4 factions instead of 2. In addition, players can use cards from any faction they want in Star Realms. The object is to defeat your opponent by reducing their authority to zero. Players use their cards to attack and purchase more powerful cards to achieve victory. Each of the 4 factions has a focus, so building a strategy of cards that take advantage of those faction bonuses and combinations can determine how well your deck performs. For a challenging 1 versus 1 space-themed deck builder, you won’t go wrong with Star Realms. You can get the new starter box that plays 4 for about $25 or a 2-player set for around $10 instead. I recommend the 4-player box, it has a great storage tray, a game board, and a newer version of tracking authority. You can find it at retail stores, online, and at your local game store.
Dice Throne
1-4 players
Dice rolling, card-driven abilities, combat
If Unmatched is the best card-driven arena 2-player combat game, then Dice Throne is the dice one. Now with Dice Throne Marvel, the game’s popularity has skyrocketed. It is a brilliant easy-to-learn game that can have you up and rolling in minutes. Each turn, players draw cards, and roll dice to match combinations on their player board, to attack and defend. Cards add enhancements or abilities to modify dice. The object is to defeat your opponent, and the first one to zero health losses. Unlike Unmatched, basic Dice Throne has no board or miniatures to use, just your player board and customized deck and dice. I say basic, as Dice Throne adventures, allows a different style of play that does use miniatures.
Like all of the other games, look for it online, Barnes and Noble, and at your local game store.
Wrapping it up
Like I said I did not include a lot of different themed games (Dominion, Magic the Gathering, and other LCG/CCG games). My list was focused on accessibility and affordability. Besides Summoner Wars, I have seen all of these in retail stores like Barnes and Noble; all of them can be found online on Amazon. I have seen each one under $25 so not a very expensive investment for hours of enjoyment. Until next time, Happy gaming and keep moving those meeples!
Happy gaming and keep moving those meeples!
Hi, I’m Lynn, and I Make.
Props, Cosplay, Scale Models, Home Projects, and just about anything else that involves me Making.
Eldwenne’s Fantasy™ and Wire Wrapture Artistically Twisted ™
Jodi invites you to explore your well-being with designs from Wire Wrapture Artistically Twisted™ and to declare your favorite fandom proudly with designs from Eldwenne’s Fantasy™.
A riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a warm tortilla, served to you fresh using patented space-age technology. all games played on this channel are using original hardware and software whenever possible.
They offer a premium selection of tabletop, board, card, miniature, and roleplaying games. Enjoy delicious food and hand-crafted coffee drinks in a comfortable and inclusive environment.
A positive podcast about video games. Chris and Ashley go over the video games we love.
*Bigs thanks to*
Chris and Lynn
Dustin Hatchett
Ron Peterson
If you like what you see, please consider joining our Patreon Family.
For as little as $1 a month, you can really help us out.