My partner and I like playing games together, but we also have a friend who joins us pretty regularly. We've been going through a lot of the typical 2-player games but want something that scales well when our friend comes over. What are some good options from the last couple years that don't feel like they're forcing a third player into a game designed for two?
Games designed from the ground up for variable player counts tend to work way better than retrofitted ones, and something like Splendor Marvel or Ticket to Ride expansions handle 2-3 players smoothly since they're just auction and route-building mechanics that scale naturally. If you want something more recent with genuine three-player depth, try looking at lighter worker placement or area control games - they're built to adjust player interaction based on count, so your friend doesn't feel like dead weight. Chess-adjacent strategy stuff like Wavelength or Hues (the color-guessing game) also hits that sweet spot where the game actually changes meaningfully with three people, though obviously that's a different vibe from heavier euros if that's what you're after.
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