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Nov 08, 2023
Everyone loves a good game to play with friends and family. There’s no difference if you’ve got a long-term partner or are just starting to get to know someone. In love, going steady, or in the honeymoon phase, whichever the case may be — a good video game or a game of cards could be the starting point to getting to know each other better.
Not only is playing games fun but there are actually a lot of benefits to playing games with others.
Dr. Ian Baker, Ian Turner, and Yasuhiro Kotera are teachers from the School of Psychology at the University of Derby, Provost of the University of Derby, and professor at the University of Nottingham, respectively.
In 2022, they explored how playing games such as RPGs (role-playing games) “can aid in friendship and relationship maintenance, mitigation of social anxiety, improved social skills, reducing stress, alleviation from mental health challenges, and providing connection with others.” Who doesn’t want that?
Dr. Ian Baker, Ian Turner, and Yasuhiro Kotera
Have you figured out what’s on the lineup for your next date night? Or are you nervous about breaking the ice on your first date with your latest HER match? Check out our picks for games to play interactive games, games for couples, and icebreaker games for dates!
When you’re on a date – especially a first date – you want to make sure that you’re present and that your date has your full attention. So, put away your phones for these game ideas because we’re starting on the non-digital route: dating card games!
Source: Esther Perel
Esther Perel is one of the leading couple psychologists in the world. Among her many accolades, like being acknowledged by Oprah Winfrey herself, she was selected as one of Forbes’ 50 Over 50, highlighting influential entrepreneurs, leaders, and scientists over the age of 50.
And Esther’s quotes go hard. She’s given us gems like…
“Love enjoys knowing everything about you; desire needs mystery. Love likes to shrink the distance that exists between me and you, while desire is energized by it.”
Esther Perel
Wow! What better way to get closer and energize desire than by answering questions that uncover the lore of your partner, both answering questions and unleashing so many more with every answer you get?
“It has resulted in us learning more than we could have imagined after being together for over a decade.”
A player, Bridget.
Price: $40 USD
Cards: 280 story cards
Source: Negaytiation Time
Conversation cards are nothing new, but when you put a lesbian twist to it, it’s bound to get more interesting. Negaytiation Time brings us this lesbian card game to get over “asking hetero questions and discussing hetero topics.”
“Honestly brilliant! It’s about time we had games made for us lesbians!”
A gamer, Shannon, on TrustPilo
Price: £22.99
Cards: 198 question cards
Source: Let’s Get Deep
Let’s get over the awkward silences and jump right into the good stuff. Let’s Get Deep is a card game that can easily be played on daring first or second dates as well as for long-time couples.
Just take it from this player Olivia, who says,
“The game is a great tool for couples looking to strengthen their relationship and get to know one another on a deeper level. It comes with a variety of thought-provoking and personal questions that are sure to spark interesting conversations and insight into your partner’s thoughts and feelings. “
A player, Olivia
Price: $20 USD
Cards: 500 questions cards to get to know your partner better
Source: We’re Not Really Strangers
We’re Not Really Strangers is a phenomenon that you’ve probably seen floating around Instagram if you’re a hopeless romantic. The signature red and white branding makes it unique and aesthetically pleasing to play.
“For those who enjoy personality tests, discovering others’ traits, and related psychological discussions, this is an absolute must-have! “
An Amazon customer
Price: $25 USD
Cards: 150 question cards to break the ice on a first date
Okay, not everyone can deck out $25-40 for a special conversation card game. What if you’re really tight on a budget and you want to find dating games free to play?
Well, if you have a regular old deck of cards – which can go as low as $5 or $7 USD – there are dozens of games that you can already play with your partner.
Take your pick: poker, slapjack, you name it! Playing classic card games is already a great way to have fun experiences with games for couples to promote intimacy and grow the relationship. So what are you waiting for? Break out your deck of cards and have some fun.
Remember, if you want some extra spice, you can always turn classic card games and tabletop games into something exciting by raising the stakes – like, strip poker!
Source: Itch.io
Our Life has two games in its series: Now & Forever and Beginning & Always. In these games, you play a protagonist of various ages, from 8 years old to 23 years old. You come of age, and handle different love interests. It’s heartwarming, feel-good, and available on PC and Android.
Source: Monster Prom
There’s a particular phenomenon with queer folks – one in which we don’t really get to experience prom like our cishet peers. That’s why “Queer Proms” are a thing: LGBTQIA+ folks organizing prom for adults! But what if we made it into a simulation game. Better yet, what if the characters were monsters instead of humans? That’s what you can expect from Monster Prom!
Source: Steam
Lovebirb is kind of like a gamified dating app, just swipe to find your match! What makes Lovebirb queer is that you can match with birds of varying genders. So, for bird-lovers and queers alike – play it today!
Source: EA
An oldie but a goodie: The Sims. You could call them the originators, as in, in this game you could always be gay from the very beginning. In fact, the Sims has only added options for identity and expression for the characters. So play to your hearts’ desire, The Sims has it all for you!
Source: Steam
In the Errant Kingdom, you have a stake in the rise or fall of the kingdom of Novus, while deciding on eight potential queer romances. So, who’s side are you on? You have many options of polyamory or monogamous relationships, too!
Source: Exocolonist
Ever wondered would it be like if you were a resident of another world? That’s what I Was a Teenage Exocolonist brings to the table. Travel through wormholes and make your way to the world Vertumna IV, while meeting characters you can fall in love with, and enemies to battle. You have so many storylines to go through (Over 800!) and several characters of different genders you can romance in this simulation game.
Source: Reddit
Live out your cottagecore dream with Stardew Valley, a farm-life simulation game where you must take care of a farmhouse your grandfather left behind for you. Interact with NPCs, romance them – maybe get married? You could even grow a family together, and tend to your farm together.
So, what’s your pick? So whether you want to play a dating simulation RPG with your partner of several years, or you want to go the good old fashion route of playing card games, it wouldn’t hurt to play a round or two! Happy playing!
Rocio Sanchez (any pronouns) is a brand strategist and SEO copywriter who dedicates themself to LGBT+ and POC-led business through digital marketing strategies. Born and raised a Dominican New Yorker, and now based in Amsterdam, they have their own digital marketing agency called Marketing by Rocio. They also host a queer fashion podcast called Transition of Style, based partly on their graduate master’s thesis completed in Paris, where they lived for four years.
