TDG: Cody's Top Ten Two Player Games (February 2024)

[@TheFactoryBCG]

Great list. Spacer Empires 4X has been on my list to play since I got into board games 4 years ago. Love Twilight Struggle and I think it is one of those everyone should try at least once but I do prefer to play digital version (on big screen with board set out in front of me for the feel). I love C&C games too. I will be defo be checking out Struggle for Europe and An Attrition of Souls. For me, I have found lately I have been drawn to smaller 2 players games like Onitama (my chess killer), Whitehall Mysteries, The Hunt, Cairn.. these I would play multiple times. Also Targi, Watergate (I love love this one), Paladins of the West Kingdom, DC Deck Builder, C&C Ancients and of course Twilight Struggle as mentioned. I also last night played Scythe 2 player and it was so relaxing... very surprised.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Thanks!

[@dabearz27]

Cody, you should really try the Europe in Turmoil games. I think you would really enjoy the subject matter coupled with the Twilight Struggle-like gameplay...especially the second one. Both are excellent two player games.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

I’ve heard good things. Thanks.

[@seanobrien798]

Awesome list. Thanks for the list of some great games. Some of my favorite two player games are, in no order, War of the Ring, Paths of Glory, US Civil War, Star Wars Rebellion, Hannibal & Hamilcar (Ares version with 1st and 2nd Punic Wars), and 878 Vikings.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Some great games there. You play 878 primarily two player?

[@seanobrien798]

I've only played 878 as a two-player game. Due to the fact I've only found one other person who wants to play it...at least so far.@@TheDiscriminatingGamer

[@MaxwellSchmalzried]

I’ve only played games from that series 2 player as well.

[@plhutchinson597]

Almost the perfect list if only Rising Sun was on it!😀

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

@@plhutchinson597 You play RS two player?

[@Demiarioch]

"When do ya need me and what do I wear?" LOL!!!! Hey thanks for this review. I am not a fan of the new Start Wars stuff but your review of "Star Wars Rebellion," has me on the edge. If I get it it'll be my first SW game - so thanks for that. As a life long ST fan "Star Trek Fleet Captains," sounds awesome. As a single dad of a daughter I am most intrigued with "Votes for Women." Basically dude, you just added 7 games to my budget. What, you're not following inflation?. Anyway, thanks so much for these awesome reviews!! They are really helpful to help wade through the universe of games out there.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Thank you. Happy to help.

[@danmillar6323]

Nice to see Space Empires on here, I also prefer it at 2 players. I agree with your comments on the combat and "4 player" modes for Rebellion and I have to echo what other people have said and strongly recommend War of the Ring. It's my personal favorite 2 player game, very different rules-wise but gives that same feeling Rebellion does just for Lord of the Rings instead of Star Wars. The subpar rulebook is a challenge to get through though so if possible try to find someone to teach it to you.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Thanks!

[@kevinbertram4828]

That is a list of ten great games. Great work, Cody!

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Thank you, sir. Much appreciated. (And thank you for the great games!)

[@martafdez6761]

Fantastic list. I like a lot the veteran Heroscape, 2 armies of painted miniatures from times( vikings, wwIi, Robots...) fighting , modular plastic boardgame in 3D, a lot of dices...

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Fantastic!

[@TotallyNotElPresidente]

My honest opinion is that #1 should be Star Wars Rebellion/War of the Ring. Yes, the games play differently, but the FEELING of both games is so similar (and awesome) that I mentally group them together.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

I've got to give War of the Ring another chance at some point.

[@crokinoledk]

Thank you Cody for the upload and this fantastic list! But must admit I’m little disappointed 😉, that you haven’t placed “Napoleon the Waterloo campaign, 1815” neither “Company of Heroes” on the list. The first one is your best block game ever and second best Napoleonic game, the latter was your best game of the year in 2021 and second best WWII game ever (til 2021 at least) Cheers 😊

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Yeah. It is what it is. Also, I always tell people, my "favorites" are always in flux. Thanks.

[@crokinoledk]

@@TheDiscriminatingGamer I know, know. Just teasing, Champ. It wasn’t an easy task 👍🏻

[@kaiax33]

Great as always!

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Thanks!

[@Lebatron1970]

Julius Caesar would be a top ten for me. Easy setup and takedown is a nice bonus on top of the great gameplay. Plus if you are a fan of Roman history this one is a no brainer.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

It’s a great game, for sure.

[@CastleArchon]

Still have to give Space empires a try. I seen Talon in the thumbnail, how far was it from making the list? Twilight Struggle is solid.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Talon would have been #11.

[@varovaro1967]

Too many space games for me… but that’s just my taste. Thank you as always.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

To each their own. Thank you.

[@MagicMan508]

Wish I could say it's a good list. But I never played any of these games, so I have no idea. I've been wanting to play Star Rebellion for a while, but nobody i know has it, and it's a lot of $$$. But you should have put memior 44 on this list.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Memoir is a great game, but C&C Napoleonics is the superior C&C game.

[@peterixon8708]

Thanks Cody. You said enough for me to now go buy two of the games reviewed.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Happy to help. Which ones?

[@peterixon8708]

Votes for Women and An Attrition of Souls. Like you, I'm a Star Wars Rebellion tragic, love Commands & Colors and I owned all the versions of Space Empires at one stage (don't now; rationalised my collection to make space in my war game room).

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

@@peterixon8708 Fantastic!

[@joshyaks]

You might be the only person in history to describe Verdun as "really a lot of fun"! ;)

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Ha! I wasn't there.

[@richardgalati1323]

I ran a 6 player game of Space Empires a while back at a con with 2 maps.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Interesting. How did it go?

[@richardgalati1323]

@@TheDiscriminatingGamer it was a lot of fun. It was 3 teams and players on both maps had to discover warp zones to get to the other map. Had a picture of the game posted on the front page of the C3I online magazine page. This was several years ago that I did this.

[@MihaiMihai-fw7do]

War of the Ring with all the expansions is a better experience than Rebellion (more decisions every step and harder decisions every step) and... how can I put it so you believe me. It is not a reskin, it is a completly different game, no rules in common. It will be your number one, please play it !

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Reskin of what?

[@MihaiMihai-fw7do]

@@TheDiscriminatingGamer people believe war of the ring is rebellion with horses bows and steel swords

[@imnottellingyoumyname3050]

You ever consider putting a war game in one of these lists?

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

I guess it depends on what your definition of wargame is. (I hear some backward folk only think hex and counter games are wargames - weird).

[@aleksandarjevremovic2384]

Thx! I like discovering new games. This is my list (in order of preference and I have only nine games for two players): Twilight Struggle Rebellion Sky Team Watergate Sleeping Gods Memoir '44 7Wonders Duel Undaunted N.A. Santorini

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Haven’t played Sky Team yet but heard good things. Thanks!

[@aleksandarjevremovic2384]

You should try sky team, super fast play around 20 minutes​@@TheDiscriminatingGamer

[@attiladukai2121]

Great list. I miss the good ol Battlelore 2. Naturally it is your falt that I bought it =P Rebellion is on my wish list for a long time. But it's a bit too long and complex to play with my wife. We would rather play Forbidden Stars with others.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

FS is a great game. I hope you get a chance to play Rebellion.

[@attiladukai2121]

@@TheDiscriminatingGamer For sure we will try it out. With the expansion the battle system is similar to Forbidden Stars, what is our current favorite game. My wife usually devour all of us with the Nids (a faction from the fanmade edpansion). GF9 Dune is a close second, or rather our favorite game too, but we play FS a bit more. So a wargame like Rebellion would be neat for us.

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

@@attiladukai2121 In don’t know that id consider Rebellion a wargame. It has war elements, but it’s really about the missions.

[@lukec1146]

Hi Cody, you've become one of my go tos for advice and cost me mucho dinero haha . I'm curious as to why you've only played one COIN game?

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

@@lukec1146 I was always a little intimidated. I’ve played three now, and hoping to hit more soon.

[@lukec1146]

I've just about worked out Falling Sky and it is impressive in it's mechanics but, despite being one of the easier COIN games, intimidating is the right word. At the moment it feels like being in love with a gal that's out of my league haha.​@TheDiscriminatingGamer

[@melisalongfellow7289]

Ola! 😛💣💚

[@TheDiscriminatingGamer]

Bonjour!