HitsterRules, editions & buying guide

What Hitster is

Hitster is a music party game. Each card has a QR code on one side and a song's title, artist and release year on the other. You scan the card with the free Hitster app, the song plays, and you try to place it in the right spot on your own timeline of songs, earlier or later than the cards you already have. The first player or team to build a timeline of 10 cards wins.

It was created by Marcus Carleson in Stockholm, Sweden, and launched on Kickstarter before the Dutch publisher Jumbo picked it up. Jumbo says it has sold more than 10 million units worldwide across more than 100 versions. It was on the Spiel des Jahres jury's 2023 longlist.

What you need to play

• The game. The US edition includes over 300 song cards and 37 Hitster tokens.
• A phone running iOS 17 or later, or Android 10 or later, with a working rear camera. Tablets aren't officially supported.
• The free Hitster app by Jumbo.
• An internet connection. The app looks up each card online to play the song.
• A speaker is optional but helps. Bluetooth and AirPlay speakers should work; Chromecast and Apple TV aren't supported.

Do you need Spotify?

Not anymore. Early versions required a Spotify account, and you'll still see that in older reviews. According to Hitster's current US FAQ, you can play without Spotify, but each song plays for only 20 seconds. Spotify Premium users can choose full tracks or 30-second previews. YouTube Music, Apple Music and Deezer can also be used, but one player has to search for each song by hand instead of scanning.

Cards are region-specific

Because music licensing differs by country, each regional edition has its own cards, and cards from another country's edition may not work in yours. Buy the edition for the country you're in.

How to play Hitster

These are the official US rules for the Original mode.

1. Set up. Play as individuals or teams. Put the deck QR side up. Each player or team gets 1 card face up (year showing) to start their timeline, plus 2 tokens.
2. Pick a DJ. The DJ scans cards and can also play; the role can rotate. The rules suggest the DJ not wear a smartwatch, since it may show the song's details.
3. Choose who goes first. Everyone draws a card; the oldest song goes first, then play goes clockwise. Those cards go back in the deck.
4. Play a song. The DJ scans the top card and the song plays.
5. Place it. The active player puts the card face down where they think it belongs: before, after or between the cards in their timeline.
6. Flip it. If the year fits, the card stays. If not, it's discarded. If the year matches a card you already have, either side counts.
7. Earn tokens. Name the song's title and artist on your turn to earn 1 token, even if your placement was wrong. You can hold up to 5.
8. Win. The first player or team with 10 correctly placed cards wins.

What tokens do

• Skip (1 token, on your turn): get a new song.
• Challenge (1 token, on someone else's turn): shout "HITSTER!" and put a token where you think the card really belongs. If you're right, you take the card.
• Buy (3 tokens, any time): add a card to your timeline without guessing.

Game modes

• Original: the standard rules above. Recommended for beginners.
• Pro: start with 5 tokens. You must also name the artist and title, and you can't earn tokens.
• Expert: start with 3 tokens. You must name the artist, title and exact year, and you can't earn tokens.
• Co-op: everyone plays as one team with 5 tokens. Each mistake costs a token. Place 10 cards before you run out.

Rules differ slightly by region. The Nordic rules, for example, start players with 3 tokens. Use the rules in your box.

The rules people argue about

Do you need the exact year?

No. In Original mode you only need the right spot in your timeline. Exact years only matter in Expert mode.

Which year counts: the original or a remaster?

The US rules use the year the song was first released in its original version. The Nordic rules say the same thing more directly: for a remaster, use the original release year.

What happens when a challenge fails?

The challenger loses the token. If both placements would be correct, the active player keeps the card. Two tokens can't go on the same spot.

What does the "R" on a card mean?

The song also appears in another Hitster edition.

How to win more often

• Always name the title and artist. In Original mode it earns a token even when your placement is wrong.
• Save 3 tokens for the finish. Buying a guaranteed card at 9 cards can win the game before anyone can stop you.
• Challenge players with big gaps. A timeline with wide year gaps has more wrong spots, so challenges are more likely to land.
• Skip songs you can't place when you have spare tokens, especially once your timeline gets crowded.
• Mix difficulty levels so music experts and casual players can compete fairly.

Which edition should you buy?

In the US, Jumbo sells Hitster Original, All American, Latino, Guilty Pleasures and Hitster Music Bingo. The Original covers about a century of popular music, so it's the best first box.

• Hitster Original: the base game. Check price
• Hitster: Guilty Pleasures: the songs you secretly love. Check price
• Hitster Music Bingo: a bingo-style version for 2 to 10 players, and its cards also work with other Hitster editions. Check price

Alternatives worth considering

• Timeline: the same "what came first" idea with historical events and inventions, and no phone needed.
• Wits & Wagers: a party game where you bet on guesses instead of answering.
• See all our picks in the music board games guide.

More board game guides

Prefer to play right now, for free? Play Who's Bigger? on Spotify listeners or browse all our free trivia games.