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Hitster is a $20 music party game where a song plays from a card, and you have to guess where it fits in a timeline by release year. It takes about 30 seconds to explain, works with almost any group, and gets loud in the best way. It's one of the easiest yeses in party games right now. You do need a phone and internet every round, and after a few game nights you'll know the 308 songs, but the expansions fix that for another $20.
What It Actually Is
Hitster comes from Jumbo, and it's the rare party game that's simple enough for your aunt and competitive enough for your most annoying friend. There's no board. Each player builds a timeline of songs on the table, in order of release year.
Here's a round. The DJ scans a card with the Hitster app and the song plays without anyone seeing the card. The active player decides where it goes in their timeline: before, after or between the cards they already have. Flip it. If the year fits, they keep it. If not, it's gone. First to 10 cards wins.
The tokens are what make it great. You start with a couple, earn more by naming both the artist and the title, and spend them to skip a song you have no clue about. Better yet, when someone else places a card, you can shout "Hitster!" and drop a token where you think it really goes. If you're right, you steal the card. That one rule keeps everybody paying attention when it isn't their turn, which is where most party games die.
There are also Pro and Expert modes that make you name the artist, title and even the exact year, and a cooperative mode if your group prefers not to fight.
The Phone Question
This is the part to know before you buy. Hitster uses an app, and the app uses the internet.
| Setup | What you hear | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| No streaming account | Short fragments | Casual play, trying it out |
| Paid streaming account | Full tracks | The best experience |
| YouTube Music, Deezer and others | Full songs, searched by hand | If that's what you use |
It needs a phone on iOS 17 or later or Android 10 or later with a working rear camera. Tablets aren't officially supported, but you can play through a Bluetooth speaker, which we'd recommend for a big room.
The Good and the Not-So-Good
Where It Delivers
- You can teach it in under a minute.
- It works across generations. Everybody's good at a different decade.
- The steal rule keeps every player involved on every turn.
- It plays up to 10, which most $20 games can't.
Where It Falls Short
- You need a phone and internet the entire time.
- Without a paid streaming account, you get fragments, not full songs.
- Once your group knows all 308 songs, the surprise fades.
- Now and then a card's year will start an argument about which version counts.
Our Read
Hitster is the party game we'd hand to someone who says they don't like party games. The rules get out of the way, the music does the work, and the steal mechanic turns quiet players into trash talkers.
The phone requirement is the only real hurdle, and for most groups it's a non-issue. Just get the app downloaded and the speaker connected before people arrive.
What To Buy Instead (or Next)
There's also Hitster Music Bingo, which launched in September 2026 at $29.97 with 225 songs. It's a good pick for bigger parties where people come and go.
Who It's For
Buy It If
- You host game nights, holidays or anything with a mixed-age crowd.
- You want a cheap gift that'll actually get played.
- Your friends argue about music anyway.
- You need a game that works for 6 to 10 people.
Skip It If
- You want a game that works with no phone or Wi-Fi.
- It's mostly for kids under 12. Older songs will lose them.
- Your group hates loud, talky games.
- You'll only play with the same two people. It shines with a crowd.
What You Should Actually Pay
It's about $20. That's already a fair price for a game this good, so we wouldn't wait. If it's a gift for a family that plays a lot, pair it with an expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- HITSTER (US)JumboThe 308 cards, 37 tokens, free app, player count, play time and age rating.
- How to play HitsterHitsterThe rules, tokens, the steal rule and the game modes.
- Hitster FAQHitsterStreaming accounts, other music services, the internet requirement and supported phones.
- HITSTER Guilty Pleasures (US)JumboThe 300 cards and 37 tokens.
- Jumbo Group turns up the volume on game night with Hitster Music BingoJumboHitster Music Bingo's launch, price and song count.
