
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,511
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Ooga!
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2004

2005
Rules assistance for Auf heißer Spur
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Auf heißer Spur is a board game released in 2005 for 2–6 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Dominique Ehrhard and Pierre-Nicolas Lapointe and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling.
This game is being promoted in some interesting ways. The chocolate company Ferrero has produced 250 000 "Auf heißer Spur" mini-games, sold with Kinder Friends Chocolates. These mini-games are a reduced version with simpler mechanisms of the full game, with cardboard dice to build (see picture). Also, the German TV Channel "Super RTL" uses "Auf heißer Spur" in a weekly game program for kids, called "SpieleGalaxie". The kids must find the guilty thief on the TV screen. The goal of the game is to follow the clues (shown on 3 dice: starting location, color of dropped diamond, and clothing detail) to find the right thief. Every player tried to find the right thief at the same time, following a circle of cards with suspects. There are also special cards (subway, etc.)
Auf heißer Spur supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Auf heißer Spur is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Auf heißer Spur for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Auf heißer Spur has a complexity rating of 1.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Auf heißer Spur belongs to these categories: Deduction and Dice. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Auf heißer Spur are: Dominique Ehrhard and Pierre-Nicolas Lapointe. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Auf heißer Spur as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.