Josh and I really like playing board games together, and one of our very favorites is a cooperative game called Pandemic. The idea is that you’re a team of experts working together to eradicate four different diseases that have broken out across the globe. The game is incredibly well-designed, and the theme is spot-on!
Today, we learned how to play a new version of that game, called Pandemic: Legacy.
If you’ve ever played the original Pandemic, it was a lot like that, except harder! Also, the “story” you begin in your first game of the Legacy version continues from game to game. So what happens in the first game affects the next, which affects the next, which affects the next, etc. I honestly don’t even know the full extent of what that means.. I cannot wrap my mind around all the planning that had to go into designing this game. Such a cool concept!
Our first game was intense. We lost – it wasn’t even close. I’m both excited and nervous to play again, because it seems like the second game is when it’ll really start feeling different from the original Pandemic.

You get to name your characters in Legacy! Naming our medic was the easiest decision I’ve ever made during any board game ever.
I think board games are a fun way to connect as a couple because it involves a different kind of interaction than what you experience in everyday life. If you’re a couple who enjoys group games, I definitely suggest introducing 2-player games into your relationship!
Here are our favorite 2-player tabletop games:
(full disclosure: the following are affiliate links)
- Splendor
- Lost Cities
- Sushi Go!
- Ticket to Ride
- Pandemic
- Pandemic: Legacy
- All Creatures Big and Small – It looks like this is out-of-print so it’s currently going for a lot of money (unfortunately) but if you find it elsewhere for cheaper, snatch it! It’s a good one.
I love the original Pandemic! My cousin got it for his birthday so we got to play while he was visiting (hoping to get my own copy soon!) I still haven’t won a game, but I love it because it’s cooperative rather than competitive. I’m definitely going to check out some of your favorites too, because I’m finding I really enjoy these types of games!
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We like “Giving my Siblings Money while trying to Avoid Divorce”.
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I just have to say, your medic’s name is perfect!
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Yesssss Danny and I were just talking about how we want to find some good 2-player games. I’m making a note of all of these!
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This does look really fun! I have always loved board games. My sons and I have played Ticket to Ride on the computer, but I think it would be more fun for them as a board game. I am looking into all these other games. The one you talked about sounds so interesting!!!! Lately we’ve been playing a lot of Scrambled States of America to better teach capitals and states to the boys, but when they get older, I so want to play some of these others!!! Lost Cities and the animal breeding ones sound like a lot of fun. I love card incorporated games and think I’d enjoy the Sushi Go one. Maybe it is my obsession with sushi in general haha. Thanks for this post!
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