What the Heck?
What the Heck? is the North American title of a card game originally designed by Alex Randolph and published in Germany in 1988 by Ravensburger under the title Hol's der Geier. The game has subsequently been marketed in a number of countries under various titles.
Description
What the Heck? is a game for 2–5 players in which players attempt to win Mouse cards while avoiding Vulture cards. The game has the following components:- Ten Mouse cards, which score from 1 to 10 points
- Five Vulture cards, which score from -1 to -5 points
- Five sets of color-coded bidding cards numbered 1 to 15
Setup
Gameplay
The first card in the deck is turned over to reveal either a Mouse or a Vulture. Each player selects a bidding card in their hand and places it facedown; these are all then revealed simultaneously. If the animal card is a Mouse, it is claimed by the player who played the highest unique number. If the card is a Vulture, it is given to the player who played the lowest unique number.Example: In a 5-player game, the first card turned over is a Mouse with a score of +9. Every player tries to play the highest bidding card, hoping that the same number won't be played by another player. When the bidding cards are revealed simultaneously, two players have played 15s, two players have played 14s and the fifth player has played a 13. Although the 13 is the lowest card played, it is the highest unique card, and the player who played it claims the Mouse. The next card to be turned over is a Vulture with a score of -3. Two players bid 10s, and the other three players play a 12, an 11 and a 9. The 9 is the lowest unique card, and the Vulture is given to that player.
At the end of 15 rounds, when all bidding cards have been used, each player adds up their positive Mouse scores and negative Vulture scores. The player with the highest total is the winner.
Publication history
In 1988, Alex Randolph designed a children's card game, which was published by Ravensburger in Germany as Hol's der Geier. Since then, the game has continued to be published in other countries using different titles, and sometimes, different animals. For example, in the Italian version Il Gioco dei Gatti, the vultures are replaced with cats, and in the Chinese version, the mice are changed to meerkats.- Italy: In bocca al lupo!,''Il Gioco dei Gatti, and Accipicchia!
- The Netherlands: Drommels, nog aan toe! and Pas op voor de gier
- Czech Republic/Slovakia: Sup aby to vzai!
- Finland/Sweden: Korppikotka
- UK: Teacher's Pet
- France: Stupide Vautour
- Japan: ハゲタカのえじき
- North America: What the Heck?, Beat the Buzzard, and Raj
- Scandinavia: Catch Up!
- Spain: Raj and Carrera Carroña''
- China: 獴鷲派對
- Korea: 독수리 눈치 싸움
Reception
Writing for the German review site FAIRspielt im Norden, Carsten Wesel commented, "It doesn't always have to be big games that manage to captivate a handful of players. Hol's der Geier still fascinates despite its incredibly simple rules." Wesel also liked the quickness of the game and its brevity, noting that a strategy used in one round might not succeed in the next. Wesel concluded that it was "a fast paced and very entertaining game that has since become a classic even though it only dates from the late 80's."