Looking for a challenging board game that is short
November 5, 2012 4:19 AM Subscribe
My finacee and I like to play boardgames in the evenings in the cold months, but we need some fun, challenging games that don't take so long to play and that can be completed in an hour or two.
We got rid of the cable a year and a half ago and haven't looked back. We prefer to spend our evenings and weekends doing things together that are interractive instead of staring at a screen. In the summer months we spent most of our evenings outside, but it is getting dark early and getting cold so we're having to move our evenings indoors. Board games are something he and I both enjoy but by the time we get supper done and all the chores done we usually only have two hours or so left to the evening before we go to bed. That isn't enough time to complete the games we generally like to play. So I come to you, my fellow Mefites, for game suggestions that are fun, challenging, good for two people, but not excessively long.
And yes, I have been to boardgamegeek.com but the sheer number of games and volume of information makes it difficult for me to find what we're looking for.
What we're looking for:
- 2 player game (or at least a game that plays well with 2 players)
- relatively challenging
- game difficulty relying more upon strategy than upon dumb luck
- lots of replay value
- a game can be completed in between 1 to 2 hours
Our current go-to games:
1. Twilight Struggle: A while ago I discovered Twilight Struggle thanks to the green. My finacee was extremely skeptical but we were both surprised at how much we love it. The strategy element, having to really think ahead and play your cards carefully, is enjoyable for both of us and he loves the hisorical element. Since I bought it we've been playing it at least once a month, but only that much because it takes us so long to complete a game. We're both very "careful" and we think over each play extremely carefully, so because of that games take a long time to complete. We're averaging around 5.5 hours and we don't often have a block of time that big to devote to it.
2. Monopoly: We like this one, and we used to play it a lot more often, but a few arguments arose from it and we have been taking a break. Regardless, a game usually lasts at least two, usually more like 4 hours for us.
3. Scrabble: We both love it and we usually have an online game going at all time. We generally play online because my finacee is extremely slow at playing. In the summer we'll play it outside, and what generally happens is I'll play, then I'll recline on my deck chair and snooze in the sun. He wakes me up when he finally plays a word, I quickly play mine, and then I snooze again. Games last on average around 3.5 hours.
4. Trivial Pursuit: Awesome, love it, we're really equally matched, but it isn't exactly a quick game when played tabletop. We have a version of the game for the PS3 that takes less time because each turn has a time limit, but very question is multiple choice so it isn't very challenging.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson to sports, hobbies, & recreation (50 answers total) 169 users marked this as a favorite
If you enjoy cards, try Uno, Double Solitare (basically, you each set up a solitaire layout in front of you with your own decks, but share the "Aces" piles), Rummy 500.
posted by DoubleLune at 4:27 AM on November 5, 2012