Hitster is a blast if you love music. It’s also a time machine. You forget how awesome some of those songs were back in the day, until a card drags them back out of your memory.
After six rounds, our main takeaway was simple: we need to hop back to the 80s.
What is Hitster?
Hitster is a music party game. Each card is a song, with a QR code on one side and the title, artist and year on the other. You build a timeline of songs, and the first one to get 10 in the right order wins.
It was invented by Marcus Carleson, who came up with it at a dinner party in 2019 with paper slips of artists, titles and years. It started on Kickstarter, and Jumbo picked it up from there. It’s for 2 to 10 players and takes about 30 minutes.
How it plays
Someone scans a card with the free Hitster app, puts the phone face down, and the song starts. The active player then slots the card into their timeline: before, after or between the songs they already have. You don’t need the exact year. You only need to know what came before what. Flip the card. Right? Keep it. Wrong? It’s gone.
The tokens add a little spice. Name the artist and title and you earn one. Spend them to skip a song you have no clue about, to steal a card when you think someone else placed it wrong, or to buy a free card. There are also harder rule levels called Pro and Expert, and a cooperative mode. We haven’t tried those.
Where it shines
It’s a trip down memory lane, and that’s the whole charm. One song and you’re back in a decade you thought you’d left behind.
And you definitely won’t be sitting still. This isn’t a quiet card game where everyone stares at their hand. It’s music and guessing, all at once.
It also came back to our table. Hitster made it into our game nights more than once, among a long list of other games. For a party game, that’s a good sign.
Where it stings
You need tech. A smartphone with a camera, the Hitster app and an internet connection, every time. No signal, no game. If you play on a free Spotify account, you only hear a short fragment of each song; full tracks need a paid account.
The song selection leans on chart hits, mostly from the 1960s to the 2010s. Fans of hard rock or metal won’t find many favorites. Also worth knowing: editions differ by country, so the song list depends on where you buy it.
Hitster with kids
Our database lists Hitster at 14+, many editions say 16+. We haven’t played it with our daughters, so we can’t tell you how a 6- or 10-year-old fares against decades of chart history.
Hitster is meant to be very age inclusive, and in the community you often hear about families playing in teams across three generations. Teams sound like the obvious way to bring younger players in. We haven’t tried that yet.
What we hear in the community
Most people see it the way we do: a great game for music fans and parties, and the QR cards make it easy to get going. Many also like that it handles up to 10 players and that the tokens keep everyone engaged on other players’ turns. For mixed groups of different ages and tastes, it’s seen as a safe bet.
The complaints are consistent too: you need a phone, an app, a streaming account and internet. Every now and then, a card’s release year is even off by a few months.
Our verdict
Hitster is one of the easiest yeses on our party shelf. It’s a blast if you love music, it’s lively, and it sends you right back to the songs you forgot you loved.
Get it for parties, big groups and mixed-generation tables. Skip it if you want a screen-free evening or often play without internet.
So: what’s your favorite decade?
Where it shines
- A trip down memory lane with every card
- Nobody sits still: it's loud, musical and lively
- Simple: scan, listen, place
- Up to 10 players, teams possible
Where it stings
- Needs a smartphone, the app and internet
- Free Spotify only plays a short snippet
- Focused on chart hits; niche music fans may miss their favorites
Fact sheet
- 2–10
- about 30 min
- 14+ (our database); many editions say 16+
- Marcus Carleson
From our table
FAQ
How do you play Hitster?
Scan a song card's QR code with the Hitster app and the song plays. Then you place the card in your timeline: before or after the songs you already have. You don't need the exact year, just the right order. The first player with 10 cards in the right order wins.
Do you need Spotify Premium for Hitster?
No, but it helps. With a free account you only hear a short fragment of each song; a paid account plays full tracks. You always need a smartphone, the free Hitster app and an internet connection.
How many players can play Hitster?
2 to 10, and you can also play in teams.
What age is Hitster for?
Our database lists 14+, and many editions say 16+. It's less about content and more about recognizing songs, so expect grown-ups to have an edge with older hits.
Does Hitster work without internet?
No. The app needs a connection to play the songs.
