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Description
Codenames Duet keeps the basic elements of Codenames — give one-word clues to try to get someone to identify your agents among those on the table — but now you're working together as a team to find all of your agents. (Why you don't already know who your agents are is a question that Congressional investigators will get on your back about later!)
To set up play, lay out 25 word cards in a 5×5 grid. Place a key card in the holder so that each player sees one side of the card. Each player sees a 5×5 grid on the card, with nine of the squares colored green (representing your agents) and three squares colored black (representing assassins). Three of the nine squares on each side are also green on the other side, one assassin is black on both sides, one is green on the other side and the other is an innocent bystander on the other side.
Collectively, you need to reveal all fifteen agents — without revealing an assassin — before time runs out in order to win the game. Either player can decide to give the first one-word clue to the other player, along with a number. Whoever receives the clue places a finger on a card to identify that agent. If correct, they can attempt to identify another one. If they identify a bystander, then their guessing time ends. If they identify an assassin, you both lose! Unlike regular Codenames, they can keep guessing as long as they keep identifying an agent each time; this is useful for going back to previous clues and finding ones they missed earlier. After the first clue is given, players alternate giving clues.
Year Published
2017
Featured Videos
Playthrough
We Destroyed Each Other at Codenames Duet
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video Rni70Lq49Dw
game_review at 5:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61385 · mention_pk 154059
Click to watch at 5:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Maintains core feel of the original while offering a cooperative two-player mode
- Clear structure and familiar mechanics adapted for two players
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- cooperation under pressure; solve the word puzzle together
- Two players collaborate cooperatively to identify all target words on a 5x5 grid under time/round constraints.
- cooperative puzzle-solving against the game itself
Comparison games
- Codenames
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Two players work together; teammates are not competing against each other but against the word grid and objectives.
- cooperative play — Two players work together; teammates are not competing against each other but against the word grid and objectives.
- grid-based deduction with penalties — The team must identify green words; touching non-green words or hitting the wrong targets yields consequences within rounds.
- One-word clue with a number — Clue-giver provides a single word clue and a number to indicate how many words relate.
- Word Deciphering — Clue-giver provides a single word clue and a number to indicate how many words relate.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is also the updated version of the duets game.
- The rule book is more clear.
- There's now an app.
- I like that this game shows that we've evolved and we can do things a little bit more nicely.
- These cards you can rotate them any direction.
- There is also a pictures version which I have never played but I would love to try sometime.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video f9ytY874CRc
Meeple Madness general_discussion at 1:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60466 · mention_pk 152864
Click to watch at 1:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Cooperative play
- Appeals to players seeking teamwork
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's literally a popularity contest.
- Code Names Duet is also just a lot of fun.
- Santorini has the legs to make it to the final four.
- Zenith narrowly edged it out 51% to 49% of the vote on this one.
- Watergate is my favorite two-player game.
- I'm 6 and 0 on Cena so far.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video FGrjuy0TT1M
Rolls in the Family top_10_list at 8:37
video_pk 60545 · mention_pk 152926
Click to watch at 8:37 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- you can be the most unlike unlikable person, but if you can just get one person to agree to play with you.
- you get to play both roles within a session.
- this is one of the most playable games I think on our list here in terms of just you could play this a 100 times and still be seeing situations you haven't seen before.
- not an easy game to learn.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 3xAL9urdrVI
Quackle playthrough at 0:56 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41613 · mention_pk 126182
Click to watch at 0:56 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible for casual players
- Strong two-player cooperation
- Amusing and engaging banter between players
Cons
- Dependent on partner's clue quality
- Might be less dynamic for larger groups
- Some word associations can be unintuitive
Thematic elements
- Communication and word association
- Contemporary table-top word game session with a 5x5 word grid
- Non-narrative, puzzle-like
Comparison games
- Code Names
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative deduction — Two players work together to identify their own words while avoiding assassin words and opponent words.
- One-word clue with a number — A player gives a single word clue paired with a number indicating how many target words the clue relates to.
- Risk and guessing — Guesses are constrained by the clue and number, with potential penalties for wrong picks.
- risk management — Guesses are constrained by the clue and number, with potential penalties for wrong picks.
- Word Deciphering — A player gives a single word clue paired with a number indicating how many target words the clue relates to.
- Word-grid targeting — A shared grid of words guides the deduction process and track progress toward victory.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We're playing Code Names Duet by CGE Games.
- Code Names Duet.
- We won our first game on camera.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video N4PlKjio-po
Board Stupid top_10_list at 13:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36602 · mention_pk 109839
Click to watch at 13:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- cooperative and accessible
- easy to teach
Cons
- reliant on good clue-giving
Thematic elements
- team collaboration
- cooperative word guessing
- light and breezy
Comparison games
- Dixit
- Just One
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — two players or teams work together toward common objectives
- cooperative play — two players or teams work together toward common objectives
- word association — give clues to help partner guess target words
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a nice little roll and write game where you're trying to build the best routes on your map
- it's the easiest one I could possibly teach to anybody
- it's not a game that you need again you don't need someone else that is really into board game you literally explain it in 30 seconds
- it's a classic deck builder very simple One Versus One
- it's the most asymmetric games that you can think about
- Scout is my favorite card game you can play in 15 minutes
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 3GeHnId4Ijk
Grant's Game Picks general_discussion at 3:46 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31157 · mention_pk 91876
Click to watch at 3:46 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Works surprisingly well as a two-player game
- More challenging than the original for many couples/partners
- Provides a strong, cooperative puzzle experience
Cons
- Fewer players means less social interaction in a group setting
- Some may prefer the social chaos of the group version
Thematic elements
- Cooperative word association and deduction for two players
- Two-player cooperative mode of the Codename system
- Cooperative, intimate puzzle-solving experience
Comparison games
- Codenames
- Cross Clues
- The Pictures
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative word association — Two players work together to guess words from a shared grid using one-word clues
- shared clue management — The two players coordinate as a single clue-giving duo rather than separate teams
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I think Codename's is a different game to different groups of people in an interesting way.
- Codenames is a flexible game that meets the group where they're at.
- There are few games that are as sort of flexible as Codename's.
- I wanted a way to hang out with my friends that wasn't just standing around in a bar—that activity plus social interaction—Codename's did that really well.
- If you want an actual challenge then go try Codename's Duet.
- There are plenty I like—the two-player Variant is significantly harder; I lose more than I win.
- I prefer regular Codename's; I played The Pictures afterwards, but Codename's remains the game I love the most.
- Cross Clues is cooperative; it isn't the same as Codename's, but it captures that discussion and debate dynamic.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HaN1rZTaHE8
Board Stupid top_10_list at 12:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28243 · mention_pk 82798
Click to watch at 12:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong two-player experience
- keeps the core vibe of Codename with a cooperative twist
- great for couples or small games groups
Cons
- not as party-oriented as the original
- two-player constraint may limit social scale
Thematic elements
- word association for two players
- cooperative two-player variant
- collaborative deduction under time pressure
Comparison games
- Codenames
- Dixit
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative word clues — Two players work together to identify their words without revealing too much.
- Word Deciphering — Two players work together to identify their words without revealing too much.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's the weirdest thing about Hanabi, the communication is so layered that you feel like you still have control over the table even when you can't see your own cards
- it's basically poker without gambling — that's the clever bit
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Q-4Y_8fbWaU
Phenomenon general_discussion at 15:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12337 · mention_pk 116714
Click to watch at 15:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong two-player variant
- maintains tension and cooperation found in the base game
Cons
- less social energy than the team version with larger groups
Thematic elements
- cooperation and shared thinking
- two-player cooperative adaptation of Code Names
- gentle, cooperative word association
Comparison games
- Code Names
- Dixit
- Werewolf
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative word guessing — two players or teams give and guess clues collaboratively to identify all their words
- Word Deciphering — two players or teams give and guess clues collaboratively to identify all their words
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Parlor games began life as parlour games specifically designed to entertain large groups of people in social situations
- the dna of party games has remained unchanged though it's just been codified with proper rule sets
- we're a tribal species and we're compelled to find moments where we all think like one
- the biggest selling party game of all time is about trying to communicate ideas visually and enjoying and reveling in the failure to do so
- it's a team game where you have to link words together using clues
- Dixit and Mysterium both of which are sort of like charades but using crazy abstract art to communicate
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–8 of 8