The Best Two-Player Card Games for Your Next Night In

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Spring might be just around the corner, but the weather's still cold and damp enough in most parts of the country that you may not feel like spending your nights anywhere but cozied up at home. The only question is, how are you going to fill those long evening hours so you don't go stir-crazy? Might we suggest a little throwback fun in the form of card games for 2? After all, you and your S.O. have probably overdosed on romantic movies after a whole winter of watching them. And of course, you want to do something together, which more or less leaves out curling up with a good book. Board games are great, but most of them are made for a group of people.

Sure, cards might sound a little...stuffy, but hear us out. Loads of card games (like, for example, Cribbage) have been around forever, and that's because they're an absolute blast to play. There's nothing like some friendly competition to liven things up, amirite? Especially when we've put together a killer list like this, filled with favorites you can purchase, from Talk, Flirt, Dare, a spicy little activity meant to bring couples closer, to Unstable Unicorns, a hilarious strategic contest you'll want to play over and over.

Of course, we've also included classics you don't need anything more than a pack of 52 standard cards to enjoy, like War and Spades. And just in case you're looking for something fun to do with your kiddo, you'll also find a couple of great card games for all ages below, too. So dig out the deck and get set for some seriously festive and fast-paced action. You can thank us later.

Exploding Kittens

The legendary strategic card game that started out on Kickstarter and went on to sell a record-breaking 11 million+ copies, Exploding Kittens is aimed at kids as well as adults. Players draw cards until someone pulls an incendiary feline, losing the game—unless they happen to have a "defuse" card.

Talk, Flirt, Dare

Three games in one, Talk, Flirt, Dare is all about encouraging greater intimacy between couples. Cards direct players to answer questions about their partners, or complete a romantic dare. According to online reviews, the game is great "for couples that are starting to date," "led into hours of great conversation and thought-provoking answers" and even makes a fun activity during long drives.

War

All you need is a standard 52-card deck for this simple but endlessly entertaining game that begins with splitting the cards evenly between two players who place them in a pile without looking at them. Play starts with each player turning over their cards at the same time. Whoever has the highest card wins the round and collects both cards, with the player who eventually collects all the cards winning the game.

War happens when players draw two cards with the same value, in which case each must pull two cards from their stack, placing one face down and the other face up. The player with the highest card wins the war and collects all six cards.

Old Maid Card Game

The quintessential kiddie card game gets a nifty update, with diverse characters to help promote inclusivity and cultural awareness. You know the drill: collect the most paired cards without getting the Old Maid. Good for ages four and older.

MONOPOLY Deal Card Game

Monopoly fans rejoice! The property-trading board game favorite is now available as a fast-paced, card-based activity for two to five people that can take less than 15 minutes to play. Collect three complete property sets and win it all, but keep a lookout for "Deal Breaker" and other cards that could put you in the poor house.

RELATED: The 26 Best Board Games for Kids in 2024

Canasta Card Game Set

A legit obsession in the 1950s, Canasta is often played by four people paired into two teams, but it's plenty fun for two players, too! The goal of the game, which is in the Rummy family, is to combine cards of the same rank (a meld) and "go out" by playing all of your cards. This set includes cards with point values, score pads, and a rotating card tray holder.

...I should have known that! Trivia Game

There's no board needed with this easy-peasy trivia card game that comes with more than 400 questions like "Is a penguin a bird?" and "How long did Sleeping Beauty actually sleep?" Made for adults, it can be played with two people asking the questions back and forth. But instead of scoring points for each correct answer, you lose points for each wrong answer!

Slapjack

Pretty much all you need to do in this frenetic (and somewhat gleefully violent) card game is slap the Jack each time it's revealed. The entire deck is dealt at once, with each player receiving 26 cards, which are kept face-down. Players take turns turning over one of their cards at a time, with the fastest player to slap the Jack after it appears winning all of the cards that have accumulated in the pile. The game continues until someone has collected all of the cards.

Couch Skeletons

Designed specifically for two players of any age, Couch Skeletons is a card game as easy to learn as it is quick to play. Players attempt to cover the couch cards in their skeleton cards before their competitor does, knocking each other's cards off along the way.

Reviewers have raved, noting, "I love the fun art style and the fact that it's a two-player game. Which means my partner and I can play together without needing any other people. The rules are simple to understand, but the strategy involved in the game makes it really interesting and engaging."

Pinochle Game Pack

Another hugely popular game, Pinochle requires a special 48-card pack made up of two cards each of nine through ace, which are included in this handy set. Players score points through melds and "trick-taking," or winning a round in which each player has placed a card from their hand face up in the middle of the table. Great for two players, or two teams of two playing against each other.

Blackjack

You don't have to be in a casino to enjoy Blackjack. No, really. We promise. The dealer deals two cards to their opponent and then two to themselves, one face up, one face down. Numerical cards are worth their numerical values, while face cards are worth 10 points and aces can be either one point or 11 points.

The objective is to get as close to 21 as possible, without going over. Depending on the value of their cards, players can "hit," and receive another card, or "stay" and keep their current cards and score. Want to up the ante? Play Vegas-style and bet pennies, peanuts, or poker chips!

UNO Card Game

This version of the classic family card game, which can be played by as few as two and as many as 10, comes in a convenient, travel-friendly tin case. See who can discard their cards first by matching them to the card on top of the deck. Of course, there's a catch: "special action cards" that can change the game in an instant!

Get The Picture Card Game

Sure to keep you on your toes, this word puzzle game features cards with images you sound out to form the names of celebrities, historical figures, fictional characters, or bands. Best for older teens and adults.

Spades

Another beloved trick-taking game, Spades is played with a regular deck, typically to 500 points. Players take turns drawing cards until they each have 13, choosing whether or not to keep or discard each card. If the players keep it, they must draw and discard a second card from the draw pile. If they discard it, they must keep the second card.

Before each round, players estimate how many tricks they will take during the round. Play begins with one competitor playing a card to the middle, which the second competitor must beat with a higher-ranking card from the same suit. Spades trump everything. The player with the highest-ranking card takes the trick and leads the next trick.

A player who bids the correct number of tricks gets 10 points for each trick bid. A player whose tricks won exceed their bid gets one point for each additional trick won. If a player bids more tricks than they won, they lose the amount bid in points.

Go Fish Card Game

Is there anyone who hasn't played Go Fish? Easy enough for even the littlest littles to play (especially with this deck's vibrantly colored, adorable graphics!), this game is all about matching cards into sets of four of a kind. Whoever matches the most sets, wins.

Rummy Card Game Kit

You can't go wrong with Gin Rummy, the melding favorite for two people. Be the first player to reach 100 points (or more, if you prefer) by building sets of three or four cards sharing the same rank and runs of three or more consecutive cards in the same suit. Just don't forget to eliminate your "deadwood," cards not used in a meld! This kit features two standard decks of 54 cards, a score pad and instructions.

Unstable Unicorns Card Game

With more than a million copies sold around the planet, this ridiculous (in a good way) strategic card game has earned a legion of fans. The aim here is to collect seven unicorns while using Magic, Instant, Upgrade, and Downgrade cards to stop your opponents from doing the same.

You gotta love a game with manufacturers who make statements like, "We are super proud to have created a game that allows people to share meaningful experiences while actively working to screw each other over." For from two to eight teens or adults.

Crazy Eights

Super simple to learn (and honestly, isn't THAT a bit of a relief after Spades?), Crazy Eights is a shedding card game in which seven cards are dealt to two players, with the remainder placed face down on the table. The top card on the pile is turned face up, and players must match rank or suit. If they can't, they draw cards from the pile until they draw a matching card. Eights are wild and can be played on any card, with the player who plays one naming the suit the other player must then play. The first player to go out wins.

The Couple's Bucket List

This game is said to help couples "build a deeper connection" and "rekindle your love." We don't know about all that, but it sure sounds like fun—a box full of cards filled with intriguing date ideas that just might spice up your relationship.

RELATED: 100 Fun Romantic Date Ideas Near Me

Cribbage Board Set

A card game that uses a board and metal pegs to keep track of points, Cribbage can be enjoyed by two to four people, aged from around eight on up. Invented by the Brits in the early 17th century, it involves scoring points by playing various combinations of cards, including pairs, flushes, runs and cards that total 15.

Typically, the game goes to whoever reaches 121 first, though it may also be played to 61. This set features everything required for play, including the folding wooden board, metal pegs and deck of playing cards.

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