Free Two Player Games Online: No Download Required
The best multiplayer strategy games are free and run entirely in a browser. No app store, no download, no $60 purchase. Here are the platforms worth knowing and what they offer.
Platforms
Raichu (this site)
Play vs AI or invite a friend instantly. No account needed for local play. Free online matchmaking with an account.
Lichess
Fully free, open-source chess. Create a challenge link and send it to anyone. No ads, no paywalls.
Board Game Arena
Free tier includes dozens of games including Hive, Onitama, Reversi, and many card games. Premium needed for some titles.
PlayStrategy
Open-source platform for abstract games. Covers Chess960, Shogi, Draughts, and more. Smaller community than Lichess but broader game selection.
Little Golem
Correspondence (turn-based over days) platform. Good for slower games. Not real-time.
Playing With a Remote Friend
All of these platforms support asynchronous or real-time play with someone who is not in the same room. The simplest flow for Raichu: create an account, start a friendly game from the lobby, and share the invite code. Your friend joins without needing an account.
For chess, the Lichess challenge link flow is the cleanest: generate a challenge, send the link to your friend, they click it and the game starts. No account required on their end.