SNAP Review – Hedgehog Haberdash

The baby hedgehogs are playing dress up, but they don’t have spiky quills like mom and dad. How can they dress up and pretend to be adults? Maybe with this bag of pointy leaves?

Game

Hedgehog Haberdash is a color-matching game for 2-4 players, ages 3 and up. It was designed by Felix Beukemann and published by HABA.

Art

The hedgehogs are incredibly cute. Each one is created from a few pieces of folded cardboard that cleverly slot together. They’re topped with glasses, giving each one a little bit of personality. Even adults want to pick them up and play with them.

The colors (blue, orange, yellow, and pink) are distinct without being the usual primary set we’d expect in a children’s game.

Mechanics

The goal of Hedgehog Haberdash is to be the first player to completely “dress” your hedgehog with seven leaves in its color.

Every player chooses a baby hedgehog. Any left over will still be used in the game, but not by a specific player.

On your turn, roll the die. There are three possible results:

One leaf: Draw one leaf from the bag (without looking)

Two leaves: Draw two leaves from the bag.

When you’ve drawn a leaf from the bag, show it to everyone, so they can see both colored ends.

If one end matches your color, great! Put it into your hedgehog, with your color pointing up.

If neither end matches your color you’ll have to give it to a hedgehog that does match. Give it to that hedgehog’s owner – or if it’s not owned, you can insert the leaf yourself.

Don’t forget that the leaf should always be inserted with the color matching that hedgehog’s glasses showing (point up).

So far, this is a pretty standard, luck-based matching game. The third die result changes that: the wind.

If you roll the wind, that means that the wind is blowing the leaves around! You get to pull a leaf out of another player’s hedgehog. Examine the end of the leaf that had been hidden. Does it match the color of your hedgehog’s glasses?

If it matches, insert it into your hedgehog. If it doesn’t match, you’ll need to give it to the hedgehog wearing the glasses that do match.

The first hedgehog to fill up their back with seven leaves matching their glasses wins the game!

Expectations

Hedgehogs are super cute and haberdasheries are an amazing name for a kind of store. A hedgehog going to a haberdashery? It had to be adorable.

Hedgehog Haberdash is a simple game that’s heavy on luck and doesn’t take long to play. That’s appropriate for young kids, and helps make sure the game never overstays its welcome.

I love that the rules say the winning hedgehog “has the most beautiful costume and is congratulated by everyone!” So wholesome.

Kids of all ages love to really play with all the components in the game: making the hedgehogs “talk”, getting creative with how the “wind” blows leaves around… I’ve come to expect this from HABA games, especially ones geared at the youngest players. It’s part of why HABA games are so beloved.

Surprises

The memory component with the “wind” surprised us! You really have to dig into your longer-term memory to remember which hedgehogs hold leaves that can match your color. It makes the game more challenging for young kids (3-5 years), but more interesting for older kids.

We like that HABA made a game where you always use all the parts in the game, even with two players. All of the hedgehogs will be out there and can receive leaves.

In fact, it’s possible to have a hedgehog not owned by any player as the winner.

We found our kids would naturally want to be helpful with each other, sometimes giving leaves away (until the end of the game).

The hedgehogs are super cute, but the glasses are always falling off. If the game is going to get a lot of play, I’d recommend a few dots of hot glue to make sure every hedgehog stays fully attached.

Recommended?

This is a game that young kids will enjoy and older kids won’t mind playing once in a while. Highly recommended if you have a kid 5 or under in your family.

We give it 4 leaves out of 5. Find it on Amazon or at your local toys and games store.

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The Family Gamers received a copy of Hedgehog Haberdash from HABA for this review.

This post contains affiliate links, which do not change your price, but help support The Family Gamers.

SNAP review music is Avalanche, provided courtesy of You Bred Raptors?