2 Player Games Online: The Best Games to Play With a Friend

Some games are better with a crowd. Others are at their best with just two players: one opponent, nowhere to hide, and a rematch straight after. These are the best 2 player games to play online with a friend, and how to set each one up.

Two ways to play with one friend

There are two situations, and they need different setups.

• Your friend is somewhere else. You need an online private room, so you can each play on your own device.
• Your friend is next to you. Pass-and-play on one phone is quicker than setting anything up.

The games below support one or both.

Ludo: the most tactical with two

Ludo is usually played with four, but with two players it becomes a different game. There are fewer tokens on the board, so captures are rarer and each one matters more. Every decision about which token to move carries more weight.

Sit on opposite corners so neither player starts right behind the other. For a longer and more tactical match, give each player two colours: eight tokens each to manage and protect.

Ludo Jim supports online games for two to four players, private rooms so only your friend can join, and pass-and-play on one device. There is also a faster quick-play mode for when you only have a few minutes.

Carrom: head to head, pure skill

Carrom is the most skilful of the classic board games, and it was always a two player game at heart. You flick the striker, your friend flicks the striker, and the better aim wins. There is no dice to blame.

Carrom Jim uses realistic board physics, so coins collide, spin and rebound the way they do on a real board. You can play against a friend or practise against the computer first. Matches are quick, which makes a best-of-three easy to fit in.

If either of you is new, the guide to carrom rules covers fouls, the queen and scoring.

Snakes and ladders: the great equaliser

Snakes and ladders has no skill at all, which is exactly why it works between two players of different experience. Nobody can be blamed for losing, and the lead can change on a single snake.

Snakes and Ladders Jim has private rooms for playing online with a friend and pass-and-play on one phone. A two player game takes only a few minutes, so it is a good warm-up before something more serious.

Score battles: take turns, compare results

Any single player game becomes a two player game if you compare scores. Play a round each and the higher score wins.

• 2048 Cube Jim for the highest score in one run.
• Wood Block Jim for the most lines cleared before the board fills up.
• Bubble Pop Jim for the fewest shots to clear a board.

It is a simple format, but it is surprisingly competitive.

Tips for a better 2 player game

• Play best of three. One bad roll or one missed shot should not decide everything.
• Agree the house rules first, especially in Ludo, where captures and extra rolls vary.
• Alternate who goes first. In Ludo and carrom, going first is a small advantage.
• Use a private room. Playing online with a friend is better when nobody random can join.

Play without downloading

Every game here runs in a browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no download and no sign-up. Your friend does not need to install anything either: they open the game and join.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best 2 player games to play online?

Ludo for strategy, carrom for skill and snakes and ladders for pure luck. All three can be played online with a friend in a private room.

Can two people play Ludo online?

Yes. Ludo Jim supports two to four players. Create a private room so only your friend can join, or play pass-and-play on one phone.

Can I play 2 player games on one phone?

Yes. Ludo Jim and Snakes and Ladders Jim have pass-and-play, so two people can share one device and take turns.

Are these 2 player games free?

Yes. All of them are free to play in your browser, with no download.