What is the best 2-player novel-based board game?

Arkham Horror The Card Game (2016) is the highest-rated 2-player novel-based board game on BoardGameGeek, at 8.2/10 from 30,213 ratings. Robinson Crusoe Adventures on the Cursed Island and War of the Ring Second Edition round out the top three.

How many 2-player novel-based board games are there?

MeeplePick lists 185 2-player novel-based board games, ranked here by BoardGameGeek community rating.

2-player games / Novel-based

Best 2-player novel-based board games

The best 2-player novel-based board games are Arkham Horror The Card Game, Robinson Crusoe Adventures on the Cursed Island and War of the Ring Second Edition — the top-rated of 185 2-player novel-based board games in the MeeplePick database, led by Arkham Horror The Card Game (2016) at 8.2/10 on BoardGameGeek.

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Top novel-based board games for 2 players

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Arkham Horror The Card Game (2016)
1–2 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.2
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Robinson Crusoe Adventures on the Cursed Island (2012)
1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.8
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
War of the Ring Second Edition (2012)
2–4 players · 150–180 min · ★ 8.5
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Eldritch Horror (2013)
1–8 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.8
Complexity
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Arkham Horror (2005)
1–8 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
The Lord of the Rings The Card Game (2011)
1–2 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.7
Complexity
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Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective The Thames Murders & Other Cases (1982)
1–8 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.7
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
The Lord of the Rings Journeys in Middle-Earth (2019)
1–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.1
Complexity
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Dune Imperium (2020)
1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.4
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
War of the Ring (2004)
2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.8
Complexity
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The Pillars of the Earth (2006)
2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle (2016)
2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.5
Complexity
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Fury of Dracula (Third\/Fourth Edition) (2015)
2–5 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.5
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Arkham Horror (Third Edition) (2018)
1–6 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.8
Complexity
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Reign of Cthulhu (2016)
2–4 players · 40 min · ★ 7.4
Complexity
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Dune (2019)
2–6 players · 120 min · ★ 8.1
Complexity
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Discworld Ankh-Morpork (2011)
2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.2
Complexity
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Disney Villainous (2018)
2–6 players · 50 min · ★ 7.1
Complexity
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Frank Herbert's Dune (1979)
2–6 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.6
Complexity
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Nemo's War (Second Edition) (2017)
1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0
Complexity
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Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures (2016)
1–8 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.7
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Fury of Dracula (Second Edition) (2005)
2–5 players · 180 min · ★ 7.1
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
The Lord of the Rings (2000)
2–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 6.8
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Lord of the Rings The Confrontation (Deluxe Edition) (2005)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.5
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Unmatched Battle of Legends (2019)
2–4 players · 20–40 min · ★ 8.0
Complexity
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Conan (2016)
2–5 players · 90 min · ★ 7.7
Complexity
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Lord of the Rings The Confrontation (2002)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.2
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Dungeons & Dragons The Legend of Drizzt Board Game (2011)
1–5 players · 60 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
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World Without End (2009)
2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
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Middle-Earth Quest (2009)
2–4 players · 180 min · ★ 7.4
Complexity
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Unmatched Cobble & Fog (2020)
2–4 players · 20–40 min · ★ 8.4
Complexity
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The Battle of Five Armies (2014)
2 players · 90–240 min · ★ 7.9
Complexity
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Treasure Island (2018)
2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Call to Adventure (2019)
1–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.2
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Unmatched Robin Hood vs. Bigfoot (2019)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 8.2
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Tales & Games The Hare & the Tortoise (2011)
2–5 players · 15–20 min · ★ 7.1
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
A Study in Emerald (2013)
2–5 players · 90 min · ★ 7.2
Complexity
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Battles of Westeros (2010)
2 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
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Lord of the Rings Friends & Foes (2001)
2–5 players · 90 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
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The Reckoners (2018)
1–6 players · 60–100 min · ★ 7.8
Complexity
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Watson & Holmes From the Diaries of 221B (2015)
2–7 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.3
Complexity
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Unlock! Timeless Adventures (2019)
1–6 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.9
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
The Little Prince Make Me a Planet (2013)
2–5 players · 25 min · ★ 6.9
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Mythos Tales (2016)
1–10 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.4
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Red Rising (2021)
1–6 players · 45–60 min · ★ 7.4
Complexity
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Abomination The Heir of Frankenstein (2019)
2–4 players · 90–180 min · ★ 7.5
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Call of Cthulhu The Card Game (2008)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 6.9
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Flaschenteufel (1995)
2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.7
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗

Quick novel-based board games for 2 players (30 minutes or less)

Lord of the Rings The Confrontation (Deluxe Edition) (2005)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.5
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Lord of the Rings The Confrontation (2002)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.2
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Unmatched Robin Hood vs. Bigfoot (2019)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 8.2
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Tales & Games The Hare & the Tortoise (2011)
2–5 players · 15–20 min · ★ 7.1
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
The Little Prince Make Me a Planet (2013)
2–5 players · 25 min · ★ 6.9
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Call of Cthulhu The Card Game (2008)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 6.9
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Flaschenteufel (1995)
2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.7
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Holmes Sherlock & Mycroft (2015)
2 players · 20–30 min · ★ 6.8
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Gingerbread House (2018)
2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 7.0
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Beyond Baker Street (2016)
2–4 players · 20 min · ★ 6.9
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
The Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game (2017)
1–5 players · 30 min · ★ 7.1
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗
Unmatched Little Red Riding Hood vs. Beowulf (2020)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 8.6
Complexity
See on Amazon ↗

Frequently asked

What is the best 2-player novel-based board game?: Arkham Horror The Card Game (2016) is the highest-rated 2-player novel-based board game on BoardGameGeek, at 8.2/10 from 30,213 ratings. Robinson Crusoe Adventures on the Cursed Island and War of the Ring Second Edition round out the top three.
How many 2-player novel-based board games are there?: MeeplePick lists 185 2-player novel-based board games, ranked here by BoardGameGeek community rating.