Want to add a little spice to your next date night? The next time you’re planning a cozy night in with your special someone, take things to the next level with a board, card, or DIY game. The couples who play together, stay together, after all!To give you a little inspiration, we listed our favorite 20 couple games to play with your partner. Game on!
Board Games
Paris: La Cité de la Lumière
If you’re looking for a beautiful two-player game for your next date night, you can’t go wrong with Paris: La Cité de la Lumière. Featuring a stunning design, this board game is as attractive as it is fun and you and your partner will have a ball trying to conquer it.
Set in 19th-century Paris, during the World’s Fair, this is a game of two halves. In the first half of the game, you have to build up the streets of the city with a variety of oddly shaped creations. Next, in the second half of the game, the aim is to place more of your buildings close to the street lights than your partner does to light up the city.
Tiny Towns
In Tiny Towns, you get your own 4x4 grid on which to build up your town. For each building you create, you will get a certain number of victory points with the goal being to out-score your partner. Use the resources—i.e. cards and pieces—available to you on the board and start building. The game ends when there are no more resources left for you to get.
I Should Have Known That
It’s time to test your trivia knowledge! I Should Have Known That is an easy-to-play game for couples or larger groups. Packed with infuriating questions that you should know the answer to, this is a date night game that will unleash your competitive side. Rather than getting points for each correct answer here, you lose points when you get one wrong.
With more than 400 questions, you should have hours of fun with your partner. Warning: You might get frustrated when you get these wrong! Especially with questions like, "How long did Sleeping Beauty actually sleep?" and "Is a penguin a bird?"
St. Noire
Love a good murder mystery? Here’s a date night game that will have you donning your detective’s hat. St. Noire is an Alexa-hosted, cinematic board game for adults. There’s been a murder in a small town and the killer has promised to strike again. Together with your partner listen to the audio track and play along on the board and card game. Will you figure out who the murderer is before the clock runs out?
Fog of Love
If you’re obsessed with rom-coms, Fog of Love is the perfect board game for your next date night. The two-player game sees you each take on a character in your own story. First, you create a persona by drawing cards. Read your cards and get to know your fictional characters. That’s important as you will be playing as this person (not yourself!).
After that, it’s time to start playing the game and go through different scenes as your characters. For example, you may play out a "Sunday Morning Date" or an "Awkward Situation" scene. The aim of the game is to create a unique and entertaining love story.
Romantic Games
Love Language: The Card Game
What makes the start of a relationship so thrilling is the endless questions you ask. With each answer, you come a little closer to uncovering the mystery of this new, intriguing person. However, when you’ve been together for some time, you often lose that sense of curiosity. That’s exactly where Love Language: The Card Game comes into play.
The set of 150 cards each focus on a specific category: Family, Intimacy, Couple, Individual, and Past & Future. You can choose to either focus on one specific topic or select cards from all of the above. Take turns picking a card and asking your partner the question on there. For example, the card may say, "What’s one memory that instantly makes you smile?" Have your partner answer and then take your turn!
We’re Not Really Strangers
We’re Not Really Strangers is a meaningful couples card game that helps you build a deeper relationship with your partner. Throughout the game, you take turns to answer a variety of questions such as, "What can I help you with?" and "How are you, really?" The key is to answer each as openly and honestly as possible. To spice things up, there are also wildcard questions throughout the deck, a couple "dig deeper" cards, and more.
36 Questions
Next up, boost your intimacy with the 36 Questions in Love game. Interestingly enough, these questions were first used as part of a study on creating closeness between people. Six months after the study, two of the participants got married, leading to whispers that the game could make people fall in love. Why not put that theory to the test for yourself?
The website has the original 36 questions as a click-through game that you and your partner can play together. To play the game, one of you has to read out the question, and then you both answer it. Switch roles for the next question, and so on. Starting off with light and fluffy inquiries, the questions get deeper the more you delve into the game.
Our Moments: Couples Edition
Sparking interesting conversations and learning more about your partner doesn’t come much easier than the Our Moments: Couples Edition game. Each card has a conversation starter that needs more than a one-word answer. For example, one question is, "If we could quit our jobs, what would we like to do?" To get started, take a card, read it out, and let the deep talking begin. There’s no time limit so you can keep going or move to the next fast.
Truth or Dare for Couples
When was the last time you played truth or dare? Chances are you haven’t given this one a whirl since your teenage sleepovers. Why not resurrect the game and play it with your partner? Truth or Dare for Couples is literally what it says on the tin. Packed with flirty and sexy questions, the cards are a fun way to pass the time. Pick "dare" and you’ll get a naughty little challenge to complete with your partner. Ready player one?
Uncommon Questions
Think you and your partner have covered every conversation topic? Think again. Uncommon Questions is a pack of 150 conversation starter questions, each of which is completely original and uncommon. The idea is simple: to start up new and interesting talks with your partner no matter how long you’ve been together.
The game rules are easy. Shuffle the pack and then draw a card. Read it aloud and let the conversation begin. Starters include "What goals are you proud of seeing your significant other achieve?" and "What is your favorite silly thing to argue about with your significant other?" Get started and the conversations you have may just surprise you.
Card Games
Machi Koro
No time to spare? Machi Koro is a fast-paced card game that is perfect for a date night treat. The aim of the game is to build a city and complete all of the top landmarks before your partner does. When it’s your turn, roll a die or two dice and see what landmarks or buildings you can create. But, beware! Sometimes your roll can help other players. The first one to erect all of their landmarks wins the game. Ready, set, go!
Jaipur
On paper, a two-player trading game where you assume the roles of merchants in Rajasthan sounds like a yawn-fest. But make no mistakes, Jaipur is a two-player, fast-paced card game that gets uber competitive quickly. To get started, each player is dealt a hand of five cards and a deck of five cards is laid upright.
The cards are either tradable commodities or camels. On your turn, you can do one thing: pick a new card, swap cards from the deck, or sell your wares. However, there’s a twist, the more a certain commodity is sold, the less valuable it becomes. You’d better act fast if you want to score the most points and win the game.
Monopoly Deal
Don’t have time for a full game of Monopoly? Try this mini card game instead. The aim of Monopoly Deal is to collect three complete property sets by trading with the deck and your partner. That may sound easy but along the way, there are debt collectors, deal breakers, and forced deals—all of which will mess up your plans. Deal the cards and take it in turns to make your move. Who will be the ultimate property buyer and who will lose?
Codenames Duet
While some couples love competing for the top prize, others enjoy working together. Should you and your partner fall into the latter category, Codenames Duet is an engaging, collaborative game you can play on your next date night. The aim of the game is to work as a team and figure out who the 15 agents are on the table.
To get started, you lay 25 agent cards face down in a 5x5 grid. Then you or your partner will read a one-word clue and place their finger on the agent they think it’s alluding to. If they get the answer right, they can take the next turn and find the next agent. You will need to collectively find all of the agents before the time runs out. Go!
DIY Games
Cinematic Synonyms
Have you seen Away Woman? How about Emerland Story? If these movies aren’t ringing a bell, there’s a good reason. They are cinematic synonyms. You take a famous flick and swap the title for words that mean the same thing. For example, Gone Girl becomes Away Woman and Green Book becomes Emerald Story.
To play this game, both you and your partner should write down a few synonyms based on movies you love. Next, take it in turns to quiz one another and see who can get the correct answers. You can keep score or not—it’s completely up to you!
Two Truths and a Lie
How good is your poker face? Two Truths and a Lie is a classic word-play game that puts your fibbing skills to the test. Take turns being the teller to get started. When it’s your go, come up with two true statements and one lie. For example, you might say, "I'm 36 years old. I am taller than my brother. And I have a heart tattoo." Your partner will have to guess which statement is a lie. So, how well do they really know you?
Scavenger Hunt
Surprising your partner with gifts is a great way to keep things fresh. But why not add a twist? If you’ve got something to give them, you can make a scavenger hunt in your home. Start by hiding the gift somewhere in your house. Then, write a series of clues that will lead your partner to the hidden treasure. The more creative you are, the better the game!
Boredom Bingo!
Heading out for a date night stroll? Why not mix things up by playing some Boredom Bingo! with your partner? Start by writing down eight things that you are likely to see on the walk. You might pick a streetlight, a cat, a poster, a rogue glove, a red car, a family, and a green door. Then cut out the answers and draw four each out of a hat.
When you have your four things, make a small bingo card and write them on the grid. As you’re out walking, you will each need to keep your eyes out for whatever is on your card. Make sure you tell your partner when you see an item and check it off. The first person to check off all of their bingo items is the winner.
21 Questions
Finally, 21 Questions is one of the easiest games you can play and you don’t need anything to get started. Take it in turns with one of you thinking of a thing, person, or place. When you’ve got something in mind, your partner has to ask you a series of questions to which you can only answer "yes" or "no." If your partner can guess what you’re thinking before you’ve answered 21 questions, they win the game. If not, you’re the champion!
Charlotte Grainger