First Date Board Games | 6 Board Games to Play on a First Date

[@foodpoisoning2]

My wife and I do our "first date" every year. We went and ate pizza, went to see Christmas lights, and got milkshakes afterwards on our first date. So, we do that as a tradition

[@FostertheMeeple]

Love this! Thanks for sharing!

[@jkledis]

Not only do you give interesting information about games - but you make me split a gut!! I love you two! 😍

[@FostertheMeeple]

Honestly Jim, I know the video is a success if we make you laugh! We did it!

[@nicoleredheart1872]

Did you guys know that they just released the Valentine's Day version of Patchwork? I wasn't sure if you guys knew that or if you were joking about it. I just saw the Valentine's Day version of Patchwork at my local game store. Too funny! Keep up the great work guys!!

[@FostertheMeeple]

We know now!!! We definitely were not aware haha

[@nicoleredheart1872]

The Valentines Day Patchwork box says “For two Lovers”… might have to cover up the box if it’s just the first date… of course if it’s a first date with board games they’ll probably fall in love anyway … hahaha

[@Harpdog.TonyWatson]

There now is a Valentines version of Patchwork.

[@FostertheMeeple]

We know this now! Thanks for letting us know!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Jeff, she ate all your food on the first date out? Well, thankfully that stopped after the first date! *snicker snicker*

[@FostertheMeeple]

Right?!? If only I had the foresight to know I’d be hoarding food in secret the rest of my life!

[@ryanbanwart5547]

Nice job again guys! My wife and I are 18 years past our first date but enjoyed your suggestions. Thanks!

[@FostertheMeeple]

You’re welcome Ryan! Congrats on 18 years!

[@susanscandles]

I know I’ve said this before but when I go on utube and see new video from you two, I get so excited and all else put aside.

[@FostertheMeeple]

And we appreciate hearing it every time!

[@malvinafis6907]

Tranquility is a really good one. I am playing it back and forth on BGA

[@FostertheMeeple]

Yea the BGA adaptation is really good!

[@blackboardgaming5348]

We're actually planning a 'I've got a game for that' Valentines Day edition for our next video! Great minds! And still hilariously priceless!

[@FostertheMeeple]

YAY!! Can't wait to watch!

[@kumanight]

Cascadia is my go to first date game right now. Has a warm theme, great art and it doesn't take much brainpower to play. Also, I don't think I've ever seen Crokinole in a gamestore here in Vancouver :P

[@FostertheMeeple]

Cascadia is a good one - we just haven't played it enough! (Only once on TTS)

[@JakeJackPot_]

This is a great idea for a video!! All i need now is a date... Also cool to see a set change

[@FostertheMeeple]

Haha the set change was driven by laziness to move equipment around!

[@davebelcher3307]

Point Salad and A Little Wordy are two games my wife and I enjoy playing together. And Patchwork is always a given.

[@FostertheMeeple]

We really need to give point salad a try!

[@sroswell22]

Love this! My partner and I were best friends first so we both knew we were extreme board game nerds and could get away with more crunchy games. So our first date game was century golem and i love that game at 2. But one I think is great is Aqualin because it’s very light and puzzle-y but gives you something to do with your hands. Second chance and tea dragon society are also very relaxing games at two players.

[@FostertheMeeple]

We have played Century Golem, but not played the other ones mentioned!

[@PrinceImraPhil]

This is extremely off-video topic, but I've been straining my eyes trying to read the awesome-looking comic book shelf behind you. I got Watchmen, but not much else. Maybe The Fade Out over there on the left? Great video as always! If I'd played a board game with my now-wife on our first date, there may not have been a second one. Especially because Disney Villainous didn't exist in 2008 haha

[@FostertheMeeple]

Haha. I can help!! There’s Sandman (in its entirety), the walking dead 1-19, saga 1-6, V for Vendetta, Maus, Locke & Key 1, and dragonball 1-3 (3 in 1s)

[@PrinceImraPhil]

@@FostertheMeeple Well, I was way off!

[@WobblebearTrail]

Ahh I would love to get Project L! I just can't find it anywhere right now. Hopefully soon! Great list and video!

[@FostertheMeeple]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@jgutkind]

It would be nice if when you recommend a game that your able to buy it.

[@FostertheMeeple]

@@jgutkind it’s available at our local FLGS? It would be pretty difficult to know what games are available at any given time to everyone when making recos. Apologies if it caused any issues for you!

[@WobblebearTrail]

@@jgutkind Board game availability fluctuates so much. It would be impossible to monitor that. Especially region to region around the world. I know some games that I can easily find where I am at while others I would be scare to find it. This game recently came out and is between prints so I know more are coming out soon. @fosterthemeeple provided great recommendations of games that are able to be found. Maybe right not this second but there is a large chunk of games that can't be found. It is the nature of the board game industry and it is not their fault

[@corihulet739]

I'm sitting here by myself, playing Patchwork on Steam while I watch, while my husband of 34 years is puttering around outside. The honeymoon is over! Nah, he's not that into board games, to say the least, but has been a really good sport about playing my new games. We got in 2 rounds of Carcassonne, today, before he went outside, our first time playing (except me on an app years ago) and we each won one game. The Steam app sold me on Patchwork and I have the physical version ordered.

[@FostertheMeeple]

It is all about compromise!! Thanks so much for sharing this!

[@kimoro9643]

our first time ever in a board game cafe, (at the Boardroom Game Cafe!) they got us to play Patchwork and Santorini and it was just perfect 💗 10 years too late to be our first date, but it was our first date at a boardgame cafe 😜 how about a list now on the games you definitely shouldn’t play on a first date!

[@FostertheMeeple]

We may just have to do that!

[@michaels3789]

I am grateful for this list and for the timing of this video. I will be going on a first date in about two weeks. 😁

[@FostertheMeeple]

Good luck!!! Hope you have a blast :)

[@nathanrossi6126]

#1! Thanks for more materiallllll!

[@FostertheMeeple]

#1 YOU DID IT!

[@crivgil]

Great video, for my first date I would be love to play Dice throne

[@FostertheMeeple]

Oh thats a good choice!!

[@nicoleredheart1872]

Great list! Great date idea for singles too! Another good fit would be Forbidden Island. That was one of the first games my husband and i got into. It's cooperative, easy to learn and it's a blast!!

[@FostertheMeeple]

Haven't played that one yet!! Will have to give it a try

[@nicoleredheart1872]

@@FostertheMeeple Don't listen to the boardgamegeek score. I think most people were playing it incorrectly because some of the how to play videos leave a little be out which makes it too easy. The game is actually difficult and it has a wonderful sense of dread as all of the islands are sinking underneath your feet and you are trying to escape together with the treasure. Give it a shot for sure! We LOVE IT!!

[@nicoleredheart1872]

Easy to learn hard to beat!!

[@elink2k1]

I think the first miss for me is Santorini too... hmmm... mean and it feels too rigid. Maybe an Azul would be good since there is no hidden info. I was thinking about coops too like an escape card game I think would be awesome... staring closely at a card together, our eyes lock... 32!!!! GET CARD 32!!! I really do love dexterity games as well. We have top golf with angry birds... so cute and fun. There is Black Light Bowling. Put-put golf. We have ax-throwing here too... so much fun while drinking... lol. I know these are not board games but these are great leads into a person who might like to try board gaming. You feel them out over an hour of ax-throwing and see if they might need board games introduced to them.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Ax throwing, then dive straight into some gloomhaven

[@nathanrossi6126]

This was right before the Pandemy (and before I got into hobby games); we played Unstable Unicorns for the first 5 dates. Not a great game by any means, but it was a ball at the time! Tranquility was definitely a top 5 game for me last year! Ditto your recommendation!

[@FostertheMeeple]

It's been a long time since we've played Unstable Unicorns!!

[@joshfrench5858]

Ah yes February 14th is fast approaching. International solo board gaming day. If someone serves turkey and stuffing and board games wrapped in fancy paper it would be my favourite holiday.

[@FostertheMeeple]

I also love Turkey and stuffing and board games !

[@dennisdonetti1675]

My first date with my wife was playing monopoly while I was not exactly sober. She must really love me to stay with me after that.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Hahah love indeed!

[@smashbroz4580]

I don’t think I want to live in a world or even with a significant other that doesn’t love back to the future….the movie. I will have to try the board game, looks cool. Forever and ever, let’s make this last forever! You guys are fun

[@FostertheMeeple]

Breaking into song is one of our favourite things!

[@michaeldarling7169]

I think I've mentioned Obsession before. That's our game of romance as our separate estates try to get one of the wealthy Fairchild clan to engage in courtship with our offspring. Jane Austen would swoon. And talk about romance! Jeff went out into the cold, dark world to get supplies for his lady to make coffee on a wood stove?!?!?!? There are scads of romance novelists who WISH they could write something that awesome. :) You guys are so stinkin' cute. Thanks for the fun content!

[@FostertheMeeple]

We just got notification that obsession is on route!!! Thank you for acknowledging my valiant efforts out into the wilds!!

[@michaeldarling7169]

@@FostertheMeeple While Obsession isn't detailed enough to ask the Butler to bring you coffee, you two will want to go after the Service tiles. Already looking forward to you two stealing staff from each other or spreading rumours to swipe reputation. Take that, Gentry!

[@timborocksloud]

Woof...Jeff looking like he went 2 rounds with Mike Tyson at the beginning there..You warmed up well. Strong work, my man. Luckily, I've been married for 20 years to the greatest woman in the world, so I haven't had to worry about first dates for a long time. BUT, I would think Silver Bullet would be a GREAT first date game, quick simple, and if the other person gets butt hurt the first time you play the creature and rearrange their cards, you know that's not the person you want to be with :). Codenames Duet, simple to teach, great conversation starter. Fun video as always guys.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Silver Bullet WOULD be a great choice!

[@inoutsoccer11]

Love letter (Batman edition) is our go to date night game. Portable and fun!

[@FostertheMeeple]

Great game! Even though Jamie is not a love letter fan

[@JohnnyMcNabb63]

You need to take a look a Room and Board KZbin. They are doing a top 10 of “Second Date” games. Love his channel. You videos go great with each other.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Will check it out!

[@theSolemnBard]

We met up at a coffeeshop, I brought a box of Looney pyramids and taught her Zendo, then we wandered an art festival. We had the same date with different games every year for 11 years, until Covid cancelled the festival

[@theSolemnBard]

Games on subsequent years include Jaipur, Triumvirate, San Juan, and Codenames: Duet

[@FostertheMeeple]

Aww love this! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@Lyrics9Lives]

Have you guys played the cute dexterity game Ice Cool?

[@FostertheMeeple]

Not yet!! But we definitely hope to soon!

[@chrismcpherson666]

I paused the video to give Jamie(spelling?) her flowers for continuously promoting Patchwork. For the most part I tend to lean towards Jeff type games but Patchwork is in my top 3 all time and I think we have influenced at least 3 couples to pickup a copy. Jeff is holding down the other end of the spectrum for me with his support of Terraforming Mars. My wife loves both and would probably have each in her Top 10, if not higher. Thanks for the content.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Best part of this hobby is how diverse games are, tastes are and that there is something for literally everyone. Thanks so much for watching!

[@tabletalkreviews]

I prefer Onitama over Santorini for an abstract chess like feel. Kingdomino was another one of my go-tos.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Haven’t played Onitama yet!!

[@emihorcada371]

"Feelings with face" hahahaha :)

[@FostertheMeeple]

Haha she’s constantly throwing curveballs

[@woundsdrone]

Not my first date, but my first BG Cafe date with my wife we also played Patchwork, we played Cat Lady (because we are cat owners). There was a third game too but unfortunately I can’t remember what it is 😩

[@FostertheMeeple]

We have to give Cat Lady a try someday

[@andyleggett18]

So, I went through a stage, last time I was single, where my go to first hangout/date activity was Scrabble. So, when I first met Rich, we played Scrabble... um, without our clothes.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Who won? ;) haha

[@andyleggett18]

@@FostertheMeeple I did.

[@cristianword7799]

There is a patchworks valentines day edition.

[@FostertheMeeple]

We haven’t seen it here locally yet!

[@BillySpenc]

find your lobsters!

[@scottmcfarlane7524]

Patchwork is a great 1st date game...the Valentine's day is out looks better then the OG but every version after has been better

[@FostertheMeeple]

I don’t think it’s available in Canada yet!

[@allbutgrey]

Great list meeples! Im waiting for Dylann to enter the comments and disagree with your thoughts on the mind 👀😜

[@FostertheMeeple]

I am eagerly awaiting his arrival

[@JonTripp115]

I assumed every enclosed building in Canada has at least one Crokinole board.

[@FostertheMeeple]

It is usually part of the building agreements. "Building Section 1.1A: Must have Crokinole board"

[@garyleelarson]

I don’t know, been married to my awesome wife for 26 years. If our first date was a board game, she would have probably passed on me. Been loving following you guys to help us find games that work for the both of us like patchwork and of course we had to get Villainous, thanks to Jaime!

[@FostertheMeeple]

Haha well good thing it was a board game first date situation Gary!

[@BoxedMeeples]

Libby and I played Star Wars Rebellion on our second date! It was probably a bit much for me as I'd only played party games at that point ! Ha ha We will be playing Patchwork Valentine Edition on love day ❤

[@FostertheMeeple]

Rebellion on your second date!!! BOLD. Ya love to see it. Who won?

[@BoxedMeeples]

@@FostertheMeeple shockingly Julian actually won !

[@ianoble]

You guys are so weird...and I love it. ♥

[@FostertheMeeple]

Hahaha thank you - we accept our weirdness

[@DrFrankenolly]

Just for fun you guys should make a “first and last” date game list. Games that would ruin a night whether due to how mean or competitive the game is or awkward or whatever. I think you could have some good laughs about this topic. 😂

[@FostertheMeeple]

This is a good idea! Adding it to the idea bucket.

[@OrangeCrushD84]

Come on Jefferny(jajaja), it's time for a first date to Mcdonalds and take santorini with you to re-sweep Jaime off her feet :D What says love more than a big mac and game? lol

[@FostertheMeeple]

Now all I want is a Big Mac

[@hugotavaresgomes9539]

my recomendation would be: Junk art: brainless fun, no complicated rules, laughts. Arboretum: beautiful and relaxing, a bit of brain power, but elegant. Time line: great conversation starter, zero brain power. Love letter: Ice breaker, quick for two. Klask!: who dosent love air hokey? Santa monica: for something a bit longer, but beautiful. Micromacro: if you have table space and will not drink or eat.

[@Lyrics9Lives]

I think MicroMacro is a great idea for a date! You could actually put it up on the wall, and still have snacks and drinks.

[@FostertheMeeple]

I feel like Arboretum would be a big fight - but maybe thats the goal? hahaha

[@hugotavaresgomes9539]

@@FostertheMeeple now thinking about it, maybe yes. But is elegant.

[@erickulchycki9531]

Every good Canadian household has crokinole.

[@FostertheMeeple]

You’re not wrong

[@northabbot7116]

Cascadia!

[@FostertheMeeple]

We haven't played it enough to recommend! Only once so far on TTS - but we had a blast with it!

[@joshuahearn2388]

"We just needed coffee"

[@FostertheMeeple]

Always!

[@bryanscollick8305]

I think Gloomhaven is a perfect first date game. If she comes back for a second date, marry her. Simple! 😂😂😂

[@FostertheMeeple]

Hahah go big or go home!

[@ericcorson1436]

My first date with my wife...ummm...Cards Against Humanity. Doh! Just kidding. Can you imagine how that would go down. I believe the first game we played together was Pictionary with her family. A fun ice breaker for boring family functions. Now, 25 years later, the sky is the limit as most of us gamers have unlimited gaming options. Can’t wait until my kids first dates.

[@FostertheMeeple]

Love it!

[@j3ffmcmuffin]

Would you guys be married if your first date was the Villainous tournament I just rewatched a couple of days ago? :)

[@FostertheMeeple]

Hahaha very debatable!

[@rolling.reggie]

Lol we have been together 5 years and are engaged yet I watched this entire video xd

[@FostertheMeeple]

Wooo when's the big day?? Thanks as always for watching!

[@VictorLovesToys]

Legos?! As a gamer who’s more into legos, 👍

[@FostertheMeeple]

LEGOS ARE LIFE

[@thecuriousboardgamer]

4:09... Ew.

[@malvinafis6907]

Uuhhhh. Different background. Interesting.

[@malvinafis6907]

Jamie, why no Love counter on this video? Would have been so fitting ;)

[@FostertheMeeple]

Keeping you on your toes!

[@FostertheMeeple]

Agreed!