
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,517
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Primordial Soup
- 3–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 1997

1990
Rules assistance for Igel Ärgern
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.
Igel Ärgern is a board game released in 1990 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Doris Matthäus and Frank Nestel and its main mechanics are Race, Roll / Spin and Move, and Grid Movement.
Translated literally, the title means "Hedgehog Irking" (or a bit more loosely, "Annoying the Hedgehogs"), but the game is usually referred to in English as "Hedgehogs in a Hurry." This game gives players several wooden disks (the hedgehogs) to place in one of six rows. During a turn, you roll a die, optionally move any of your hedgehogs one row left or right, then move any hedgehog (not necessarily yours!) in the row your rolled forward one space. But watch out for black spaces; hedgehogs caught there can't continue moving until they're in last place. The first player to get three of their four hedgehogs to the end of the board wins. Some later versions of this game come with dozens of different variants to keep the game interesting.
Igel Ärgern 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 Igel Ärgern is 30 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 Igel Ärgern for ages 8 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.
Igel Ärgern has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Igel Ärgern belongs to these categories: Animals, Children's Game, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Race, Roll / Spin and Move, and Grid Movement. 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 Igel Ärgern are: Doris Matthäus and Frank Nestel. 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 Igel Ärgern 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.