This is entirely up to you. The game can be played in one sitting, but like some of the longer games to complete, such as Risk or Dungeons and Dragons, it will take hours. There is no need to finish A Game for Couples in a preset amount of time. It’s ok to take days, weeks, and even months to moves through all the questions. We just hope you will commit to each other that once you begin, you will see it through to the end.

We do not encourage using this game as a form of couples therapy or professional counseling. The topics and questions are selected to closely align with many of the issues that motivate couples to seek outside help in their relationships, but this game is not a substitute for therapy or counseling. Ultimately, we encourage life partners to engage in respectful conversations, and if a licensed counselor uses our game cards or finds them beneficial, then we would be thrilled to have helped initiate wholesome dialogue between couples. However, this game should not be used in place of professional guidance for couples.

A Game for Couples is, first and foremost, a conversation starter. There are several ways to participate, and you can find instructions here. While we know “gamification” is a popular way to inspire activity, the goal of this game is to connect with each other. So, even if you want to include a competitive element—and there are excellent and creative ways to do this—we think it’s vital that you complete every topic and closely listen to each other no matter how you choose to play it.

Warm-up cards are intended to be icebreakers and to introduce a more light-hearted question. The game is designed to create “talk space” for couples, but we recognize that taking a cognitive break by answering a less serious question can alleviate potential stress. That’s why we created some of these types of questions, and we encourage you to develop more of your own.

We recognize there are many different types of partnerships so there is no rule for how many people can play the game together. Our only stipulation is that this game is not intended to enhance relationships in the early or non-commitment stages since many of the questions are deeply personal and sensitive in nature.

The creator's goal was to develop topic categories that explore some of the most crucial aspects of relationships; ethics and values, family history, finance, health, and intimacy. A lack of adequate communication about these topics has been known to create some of the most toxic issues in relationships.

Meanwhile, according to research, couples that commit to open dialogue about these subjects often reach greater levels of intimacy and trust.