Aggravation Game

• 🎲  How to Play Aggravation Game
• 📏  Aggravation Game Rules
• 🎯  Aggravation Game Variations
• ❓  FAQs about Aggravation Game

Nothing says “friendship test” quite like the Aggravation board game. On the surface, it’s just marbles rolling around a track. But give it five minutes, and you’ll see alliances crumble, trust shatter, and your best friend send you back to start just because they can.

It’s part strategy, part luck, and 100% chaos. Whether you’re playing with family who pretend not to hold grudges or competitive friends who absolutely do, Aggravation guarantees a mix of laughter, betrayal, and maybe some sulking. Let’s break down how to play, how to play better, and the wildest variations to spice things up.

👉 Love the chaos? Frustration is just as petty — every roll can make or break friendships.

How to Play Aggravation Game

The aggravation game is a race to get all four of your marbles safely into your home base. Sounds simple enough, but every roll of the dice comes with the opportunity to sabotage your opponents.

1. Set up your marbles

Each player picks a color and places all four marbles in their base. The goal is to move them around the board and into home.

2. Roll to start

Players roll a die to see who goes first. Play continues clockwise.

3. Move your marbles

On your turn, roll the die and move one or more marbles around the board. You can split your roll between different marbles if you want.

4. Aggravate your opponents

Land on the same space as an opponent, and you can “aggravate” them—sending their marble all the way back to base.

5. Use shortcuts wisely

If your board has star spaces, land on them with an exact roll to zip ahead. But be careful—aggravation rules still apply here.

6. Reach home first

The first player to get all four marbles into their home zone wins. No second place trophies in this game—just salty players.

👉 Want more drama (and drinks)? Ludo Drinking Game turns every move into a shot-worthy moment.

Aggravation Game Rules

Aggravation is easy to learn but sneaky to master. These tips will keep you from being the first one rage-quitting.

1. Don’t hoard your marbles

Get as many out of the base as quickly as possible. More marbles out = more chances to aggravate.

2. Split your dice rolls

Don’t always push one marble to the finish. Splitting your moves can keep you unpredictable.

3. Protect your lead

Hover near your home if you’re ahead. Better safe than sent back to start.

4. Keep an eye on shortcuts

They’re tempting but risky. Make sure the payoff is worth potentially being bumped off.

5. Choose your enemies carefully

Aggravate the wrong person too often, and you’ll have a target on your back for the rest of the game.

Aggravation Game Variations

Want to keep things fresh? Here are some fun twists on the classic aggravation game.

1. Speed Aggravation

Perfect for impatient players who hate waiting.

How to play Speed Aggravation

Players roll two dice at once instead of one. This makes the game move faster—and the aggravations pile up even quicker.

1. Everyone rolls two dice instead of one.
2. Players can split the total between marbles however they want.
3. Doubles let you take an extra turn.
4. First person to home all four marbles wins as usual.
5. Expect chaos twice as fast.

2. Team Aggravation

For when you’d rather betray together than alone.

How to play Team Aggravation

Pair up into teams of two. You’ll share strategies, but your marbles stay separate.

1. Teams sit across from each other on the board.
2. Players can’t aggravate their own teammate.
3. First team to get all eight marbles home wins.
4. Strategy tip: block opponents’ paths to protect your partner.
5. But don’t get too cozy—alliances are fragile.

3. Reverse Aggravation

Because sometimes being mean isn’t enough.

How to play Reverse Aggravation

The goal flips: sabotage becomes survival.

1. Every time you land on someone, instead of sending them home—you swap places.
2. Shortcuts still work but can backfire big-time.
3. You can only aggravate once per turn.
4. First to get all marbles home still wins.
5. Bonus: lots of groaning and yelling when a swap ruins someone’s strategy.

FAQs about Aggravation Game

1. How many players can play Aggravation?

Most boards support 2–6 players. Older versions were limited to 4.

2. How long does a game take?

Anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the number of players (and how vengeful they are).

3. Can you play Aggravation with teams?

Yes! Team play is a common variation where two players join forces against others.

4. Do you need exact rolls to enter home?

Yes, you usually need an exact roll to move your marbles into the home space.

5. Is Aggravation more luck or strategy?

Both. Dice decide your moves, but strategy decides who you aggravate, when you split rolls, and whether to risk shortcuts.