Couple Games: 60 Ways to Play Together at Home

Games are one of the most underrated ways for couples to spend time together. They get you laughing, they give you something to do besides scroll your phones, and they often lead to conversations you would never have had otherwise. A good couple game can turn an ordinary Tuesday into the best evening of the week.

This guide gathers exactly 60 couple games to play at home: conversation games, quick games that need nothing at all, card and board games, active games, creative games, games for game night with friends, and games for long-distance couples. Each comes with a short explanation of how to play. At the end you will find tips for keeping game night fun for both of you, even if one of you is fiercely competitive.

Conversation games for couples

These games are really about talking. They are perfect for date nights, road trips and lazy evenings.

1. Couples questions. Take turns drawing questions and answering them. Our free Couples Questions game has 225 questions across Light, Deep and Flirty decks.
2. How well do you know me? One of you answers a question about yourself secretly, the other guesses. The Couples Quiz runs the whole thing on one phone.
3. Would you rather. Take turns asking impossible choices. Our sister site Would You Rather Online has hundreds, including a couples category.
4. Never have I ever. Take turns saying something you have never done; the other admits whether they have. Try the free game at our sister site Never Have I Ever Online.
5. Two truths and a lie. Say three things about yourself. Your partner guesses which one is false. Harder than it sounds with someone who knows you well.
6. High, low, buffalo. Share the best part of your day, the worst part, and one random or surprising thing.
7. This or that. Rapid-fire choices: beach or mountains, coffee or tea, early or late. No thinking allowed.
8. Story chain. Tell a story together, one sentence each, and see where it ends up.
9. Memory lane. Take turns saying "remember when..." and describing a shared memory in as much detail as you can.
10. Hot seat. One person answers questions for three minutes, anything goes, then swap.

Quick games that need nothing at all

11. Twenty questions. Think of something; your partner has twenty yes-or-no questions to guess it.
12. Charades for two. Take turns acting out movies, songs or inside jokes. Our sister site Charades Game Generator will give you words.
13. The alphabet game. Pick a category, like foods or movies, and take turns naming one for each letter of the alphabet.
14. I spy. Surprisingly fun at a restaurant or on a walk.
15. Word association. Say a word; your partner says the first word that comes to mind. See where it goes in two minutes.
16. Rock, paper, scissors tournament. Best of 21 decides who picks dinner.
17. Guess the song. Hum a song. Your partner has ten seconds to guess.
18. Finish the lyric. Play the first line of a song and stop. Whoever finishes it correctly scores.
19. Staring contest. The first to laugh loses. It usually takes about four seconds. (Loser has to put both your names into the Love Calculator and read the result out loud.)
20. Thumb war. Classic, ridiculous, and always more competitive than it should be.

Card and board games for two

Many card and board games are designed specifically for two players, and they make a great regular date night.

21. Gin rummy. A classic two-player card game that is easy to learn and hard to master.
22. Cribbage. A traditional game for two with a satisfying scoring board.
23. Speed. A frantic card game where you race to empty your hand first.
24. War. No strategy, lots of drama. Perfect for when you are tired.
25. Crazy eights. Simple, quick and good for playing in bed.
26. Chess or checkers. Take turns teaching each other strategies.
27. A cooperative board game. Games where you work together against the game are great for couples who get too competitive.
28. A two-player strategy game. Many modern board games are made for exactly two players and take under an hour.
29. Scrabble or another word game. Add a rule that every word has to relate to your relationship for bonus points.
30. Jigsaw puzzle race. Each take half the pieces and see who finishes their half first.

Active games for couples

31. Living room mini golf. Use cups, books and pillows to build a course.
32. Balloon volleyball. Keep a balloon off the floor for as long as you can.
33. Twister. Silly, physical and guaranteed to make you laugh.
34. Dance-off. Take turns choosing songs and dancing. Your partner scores you out of ten.
35. Scavenger hunt. Hide clues around the house leading to a small prize or a note.
36. Hide and seek. Yes, as adults. It is more fun than you would think.
37. Frisbee or catch in the park. Keep score with ridiculous rules.
38. Cup pong with water. The classic, but just with water and a friendly bet.
39. Obstacle course. Build one in the backyard and time each other.
40. Video game dance or fitness game. Great for a rainy day.

Creative games for couples

41. Pictionary for two. Take turns drawing prompts while the other guesses.
42. Blind portrait. Draw each other without looking at the paper. Frame the best one.
43. Cook-off challenge. Same ingredients, separate dishes, blind taste test.
44. Write a poem together, alternating lines. Read it dramatically at the end.
45. Build a fort. Set a timer and see who can build the better blanket fort.
46. Movie quote game. Say a line from a film. Your partner guesses the movie.
47. Design your dream house. Each sketch a floor plan, then combine them.
48. Photo challenge. Each take ten photos on a theme around the house, then vote.
49. Make up a board game. Invent the rules together, then play it.
50. Love letter swap. Write each other a letter in twenty minutes, then read them aloud. The Love Letter Maker can help if you get stuck.

Couple games for game night with friends

51. The Newlywed Game. Couples try to match each other's answers. Our Newlywed Game host screen handles up to six couples, and our list of newlywed game questions has 150 more.
52. Most likely to. Everyone votes on who in the group is most likely to do something ridiculous. Play free at our sister site Most Likely To.
53. Truth or dare. Keep it friendly and fun for everyone in the room. Our sister site Truth or Dare Challenge has family-friendly and party modes.
54. Couples trivia. Teams of two answer general knowledge questions.
55. Charades, couples versus couples. One partner acts, the other guesses, against the clock.

Games for long-distance couples

56. Video call trivia. Take turns reading questions to each other.
57. Online word games. Many word and puzzle apps let you play against each other through the day.
58. Watch party guessing game. Watch a mystery at the same time and pause to guess the twist.
59. Couples quiz on a call. One person reads the questions from the Couples Quiz, both answer, compare.
60. Online multiplayer games. Co-op video games are a great way to spend an evening together, even from miles away.

How to choose the right game

Tips for a great couples game night

• Take turns choosing. One of you picks this week, the other picks next week.
• Put the phones away, unless the game needs one.
• Add small stakes. The loser makes breakfast, does the dishes, or plans the next date.
• Keep it kind. Friendly teasing is fun. Real mockery is not.
• Mix competitive and cooperative games, especially if one of you hates losing.
• Make snacks part of it. A game night with good snacks is a date.
• Start a tradition. A regular game night gives you something to look forward to every week.

When one of you is very competitive

Almost every couple has one partner who plays to win and one who plays for fun. If that is you, a few simple adjustments keep game night enjoyable. Choose cooperative games some of the time, where you win or lose together. Add handicaps, like giving the less experienced player a head start. Play games where luck matters more than skill. And agree that whoever wins does the dishes, which takes the edge off victory surprisingly well.

Why playing games is good for couples

Playing together is more than just fun. Laughter, shared challenges and friendly competition help couples feel connected, and trying new activities together has been linked in research to higher relationship satisfaction. Games also create what psychologists call positive shared experiences, which build a store of good memories and inside jokes that a relationship can draw on when times are harder.

Games for every stage of a relationship

New couples

Early on, games are a relaxed way to learn about each other without the pressure of a serious conversation. Two truths and a lie, would you rather, this or that and the Light deck of a couples question game all work beautifully. Keep it playful, and avoid anything that asks for very personal answers too soon.

Established couples

Once you know each other well, games like "how well do you know me?" and memory lane become funnier, because you have more history to draw on. It is also a good time to find a two-player board game you both love and make it a weekly habit.

Married couples and long-term partners

For couples who have been together for years, games are a way to break routine. Try something neither of you has played, like a new strategy game or a cook-off challenge, and use deeper question games to rediscover things about each other you may have assumed you already knew.

Couples with kids

Short games after bedtime, like a hand of gin rummy, a round of twenty questions or a single question from a couples deck, can turn a tired evening into a small date. Family game nights count too, and they model a happy, playful relationship for your children.

How to host a couples game night

If you want to turn game night into a social event, invite two or three other couples and plan a mix of games. Start with something quick and silly to warm everyone up, such as charades or most likely to. Follow with a team game, like couples trivia or the Newlywed Game, where each pair plays together. End with something relaxed, like a card game or a conversation game, while the snacks run out. Keep a scoreboard for the evening, choose a silly prize for the winning couple, and ask each couple to bring one snack. It is an easy, inexpensive party that people remember.

Frequently asked questions

Looking for more ways to spend time together? See our list of activities for couples and our 101 date night ideas.