Games are a great activity to do with your partner while you’re in a long distance relationship. There are thousands of games out there for all skill levels and interests.
Specifically, a lot of real-life board games have been converted into digital versions, so you don’t have to be in the same room to enjoy them
In the past several years, there’s been something of a board game renaissance, with plenty of new and exciting ideas and themes. Don’t feel like you have to keep pulling out Monopoly and Scrabble all the time!
Here’s a list of great two-player board games that can be played online.
- Settlers of catan
- Ticket to ride
- Pandemic
- Carcassone
- Risk
- Twilight struggle
- Gloomhaven
- Terraforming Mars
- Arkham Horror
- Dominion
- Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
- Agricola
- 7 Wonders: Duel
- Exploding Kittens
- Star Realms
- Android: Netrunner
Wait, how much is this all going to cost?
In most cases, nothing!
For most of these games, there are web-based versions of the game that don’t require any money to play. Other games have “long distance” variations, so you can still play online over video chat.
If you’d rather pay for some dedicated software, check out Valve’s Steam Store. You’ll find plenty of titles available here.
Do we both need to buy the game?
Not necessarily!
If only one of you buys the game on Steam, you can still play together using Steam’s Remote Play feature.
One person runs the game on their machine, and the other will “connect” to that PC and be able to play as if they were sitting right there.
There’s a little setup involved, but once you get it going, it’s easy to remember the steps. And you can save on buying the game twice!
1. Settlers of Catan
Chances are you’ve heard of this one. In this game, you and your partner take on the role of settlers in the land of Catan. You’ll both attempt to build and develop land holdings, while trading with each other and gathering resources to win.
Ways to play remotely
Check out the official site for the mobile app, browser version, or Steam version. There are also sites that have “Catan-alikes” out there where you can play with friends, and also add computer-controlled players.
2. Ticket to Ride
This is a game that’s really easy to learn and quite enjoyable to play as well. Players attempt to build railways and connect cities by collecting and matching railway cards. Get points by building specific routes, and also by making the longest railway line.
Ways to play remotely
You can find a web version on the official site. You can also pick it up on Steam or find it on your mobile app store.
3. Pandemic
Playing this in 2020 feels pretty relevant right now! Work together with your partner to manage and control the spread of deadly viruses that sweep across the world. I really like the concept and also the emphasis on teamwork and collaboration.
Ways to play remotely
I found this game on Steam. There are a couple of add-ons for the game as well.
4. Carcassone
This game is another modern classic that has resulted in several spin offs based on its formula. Use your little Meeples to claim French cities, monasteries, and farms. Quite simple and relaxing to play.
Ways to play remotely
It looks like you can play this online here in your browser. There’s also a version available on Steam, and you can find it on your phone’s app store too.
5. Risk
This one has been around for a while, but it stands the test of time and is still pretty good fun. There is a fair bit of dice rolling in this game (hence the title) so if you’re not too big on games that emphasize random chance, you may want to reconsider this one.
Ways to play remotely
There are a lot of Risk variations out there. You can find a web-based version on this website. Steam also offers a desktop version.
6. Twilight Struggle
This 2-player board game has topped board game ranking lists in the past. You and your partner play as opposing forces in the Cold War. Place influence in countries, stage coups, engage in the Space Race, and trigger historical events to turn the tide in your favor.
Be warned—this game is complicated and will take a few tries to get a handle on all the mechanics and become familiar with all the things you can do. However, if you stick with it, it can be really rewarding.
Ways to play remotely
You can buy it on Steam here, or you can find it on your phone’s mobile app store.
7. Gloomhaven
This is a fantasy co-operative board game where you crawl dungeons, discover new locations, enhance your abilities, and plunder loot.
As you play through the game, you’ll make decisions that will influence the story’s outcome, like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style book.
The physical game weighs in at almost 22 lbs / 10 kg, so there’s definitely a benefit to playing this one online!
Ways to play remotely
There’s a version of this game on Steam that isn’t exactly a board game replica and more of an actual video game. However, it still has cooperative play.
8. Terraforming Mars
In this game, you’ll both be competing to make Mars a habitable planet. Carry out projects to increase oxygen, create bodies of water, raise the planet’s temperature, and more. Both players spend resources and compete for victory points to win.
I personally love the sci-fi genre, so this one looks like a lot of fun. I hope to give this one a go with my wife sometime!
Ways to play remotely
You can buy a digital version on Steam, or get it from your mobile app store.
9. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
This is a cooperative card game for fans of Lovecraft literature. As the Ancient Ones seek entry into our world, you and your partner play as investigators working together to unravel conspiracies and solve Eldritch mysteries.
This game has a mix of card playing and role playing, and can even be enjoyed solo.
Ways to play remotely
You can play this game on your browser via this website.
10. Dominion
This popular Medieval-themed card game spawned a whole bunch of similar card games. Each player builds and optimizes their own personal deck. They can use their cards to perform actions, or purchase cards from a common pool. The person with the most victory points wins.
Ways to play remotely
There’s an online version you can play in your browser here.
11. Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
J.R.R. Tolkien’s timeless work takes shape in this cooperative card game. Command famous characters and wield powerful artifacts as you seek to stem the tide of Sauron’s dark forces.
Ways to play remotely
The closest I could find is a version of the game available on Steam.
12. Agricola
Agricola is a “worker placement” game in the same vein as Carcassone with resource management. You and your partner play as farmers collecting resources, purchasing animals, building stables, and feeding your families. You lose points if you can’t feed your family, which puts extra stress on managing your resources.
Ways to play remotely
I found an online version of this game here.
13. 7 Wonders: Duel
This game is based on 7 Wonders, which has players gathering resources, developing trade routes, and building up a military, with the end goal of creating an architectural wonder.
7 Wonders: Duel is designed solely for 2 players and resembles its predecessor for the most part. Each player has wonder cards, which confer special abilities; however, only seven wonders can be built, leaving one person short.
Ways to play remotely
It looks like you can buy this on your mobile phone’s app store. I also found an alternative version on this site.
14. Exploding Kittens
This card game features artwork from Matthew Inman of the online comic The Oatmeal. It raised $8.7 million on Kickstarter, and is pretty fun to play, too.
Players take turns drawing from the deck. Whoever draws an Exploding Kitten loses. However, there are a limited number of Defuse cards to keep you in the game. Other cards allow you to either skip your turn, shuffle the deck, preview the next few cards on top, and so on.
Ways to play remotely
The official site provides rules on how to play over video chat. (You both need to have the physical game, though.)
You can also get this game via your mobile phone’s app store.
15. Star Realms
This is a 2 player card-based deck building game, similar to Dominion. You and your partner will use Trade to acquirer Ships and Bases. You can then use them to acquire even more Trade, or engage in Combat against your opponent. If you can reduce their Authority (i.e. “life” points) to zero, you win.
It’s a nice little game to just pick up and play, and it’s not too hard to learn, either.
Ways to play remotely
It’s available on Steam (you’ll need to pay for the multiplayer feature) and from your mobile phone’s app store.
16. Android: Netrunner
I’m a sucker for cyberpunk stuff, and I wanted to sneak this one in there.
Android: Netrunner is a two player competitive card game. One person is a Netrunner (i.e. a hacker) and the other person is a Corporation. The Netrunner’s goal is to try and steal corporate Agendas, whereas the Corporation tries to complete them successfully before they’re stolen or sabotaged.
This game is unique in that both players play their cards differently. The Netrunner attempts to break through the Corporation’s defenses and disrupt their operations. The Corporation aims to defend the Netrunner’s attacks, put them in traps, or drain them of cards.
There’s a bit of a learning curve; however, if you’re both want to try something new and are interested in the cyberpunk theme, this is a great game to check out.
Ways to play remotely
There’s an online version here that you can play in your web browser.
