THE PARTY GAME WHERE REFLEXES AND MUSIC COME TOGETHER!

Music and reflexes come together in this edition of HITSTER! Listen to the song, catch the mic, and compete against your rivals to win the card. The first team to complete their timeline with 8 songs wins!

* The date on each card corresponds to the year in which the song was released, or the year in which the artist first performed the song in public in its original version.

SET UP

Split into two teams.

Insert the microphone into the base by pressing down gently until it clicks into place.* Put the base in the centre of the table, within easy reach of all the players.

Place a deck of cards on the table with the QR codes facing up. Give a reveal sleeve to each team.

Open the HITSTER app on your mobile phone.

Choose a player to be the DJ. They will scan the cards, but they can also take part in the game. Keep the same DJ for the whole game or switch players, you decide!

To determine who goes first, each team takes a random card from the deck and places it face-up in front of them so the year visible. This is the first card in your team’s timeline. The team with the earliest year goes first.

Note: If you’re the DJ, avoid wearing a smartwatch (such as an Apple Watch), as it may display song information on the screen.

* When storing the game in the box, make sure the microphone spring is not compressed. This will help keep it in good condition.

MUSIC SETTINGS

The way the songs are played depends on the streaming platform you use and the type of account you have.

If you’re playing without an account or with a free account

You’ll only hear a short clip of the song.

You can choose one of two playback options from the app’s SETTINGS menu:

  • Gyrosensor 🔄
    The song starts playing when you turn your phone face down.
  • Countdown ⏳
    The song starts playing after a brief 3-second countdown. Make sure you place your phone face down before the countdown ends.

If you’re playing with a paid account

In addition to the playback options above, you can also choose how you want to listen to the songs:

  • Full tracks 🎵
    Listen to the whole song from the beginning. Perfect for the full experience.
  • Short clips ⚡
    Fast mode! Turn your phone over to start playback and listen to a short clip.

GET STARTED!

1. SCAN

If you’re the DJ, take the top card from the deck, insert it into the reveal sleeve (see below) and scan the QR code with the HITSTER app. The song then starts to play.

2. LAUNCH

As soon as you recognise the song (or decide to take a chance), press the button on the base to launch the mic.

If neither player presses the button, the DJ scans the next card and a new round begins.

3. CATCH

The two players try to catch the mic.

Once the mic is in the air, the base will flash in different colours before stopping on one. That colour indicates the challenge that must be completed by the team that caught the mic.

4. GUESS

Depending on the colour, the team that caught the mic must guess the title or artist, recognize a solo artist or group, or hum the melody (see details below).

5. REVEAL

Now turn the reveal sleeve over to check the answer.

  • If your team failed, the card passes to the other team, who will then have the opportunity to get the challenge right.
  • If your team answered or completed the challenge correctly, try to place the card on your timeline in the correct position.

6. PLACE

Place the reveal sleeve on your timeline, guessing whether it goes before, after or between the cards already in front of you.

Then, take the card out of the reveal sleeve to check the year.

  • If the card is in the correct position, you can keep it.
  • If not, discard it.

Note: If two cards are from the same year, you can place the new one immediately before or after the other. Both positions are correct.

1. SCAN

If you’re the DJ, take the top card from the deck, insert it into the reveal sleeve (see below) and scan the QR code with the HITSTER app. The song then starts to play.

2. LAUNCH

As soon as you recognise the song (or decide to take a chance), press the button on the base to launch the mic.

If neither player presses the button, the DJ scans the next card and a new round begins.

3. CATCH

The two players try to catch the mic.

Once the mic is in the air, the base will flash in different colours before stopping on one. That colour indicates the challenge that must be completed by the team that caught the mic.

4. GUESS

Depending on the colour, the team that caught the mic must guess the title or artist, recognize a solo artist or group, or hum the melody (see details below).

5. REVEAL

Now turn the reveal sleeve over to check the answer.

  • If your team failed, the card passes to the other team, who will then have the opportunity to get the challenge right.
  • If your team answered or completed the challenge correctly, try to place the card on your timeline in the correct position.

6. PLACE

Place the reveal sleeve on your timeline, guessing whether it goes before, after or between the cards already in front of you.

Then, take the card out of the reveal sleeve to check the year.

  • If the card is in the correct position, you can keep it.
  • If not, discard it.

Note: If two cards are from the same year, you can place the new one immediately before or after the other. Both positions are correct.

WHO WINS?

The first team to correctly place 8 cards on their timeline wins!

CHALLENGES

When your team catches the mic, you must complete the challenge indicated by the colour on the base.

PINK – Song title. Say it out loud. If the answer is very close, even if it’s not exact, the rest of the players will decide by majority vote whether it should be considered valid.

BLUE – Name of the group or artist. Say it out loud. For collaborations, only the lead artist’s name is required.

GREEN – Group or solo artist. Say out loud whether the song is performed by a solo artist or a group. When the card is revealed, it will display a 👥 symbol if the song is by a group. Any song performed by more than one artist counts as being by a group, including duets and collaborations.

YELLOW – Sing or hum. Choose a player from your team to complete the challenge. Stop the music before you begin. The player can choose one of the following:

  • Sing at least one recognisable part of the lyrics correctly. If they do so, the challenge is considered to have been completed successfully.
  • Hum the melody for approximately 5 seconds without singing any of the words. The opposing team will decide whether the performance is valid.

REVEAL SLEEVE

When you insert the card into the reveal sleeve, make sure the QR code is facing out so it is visible through the opening. Do not look at the other side!

Make sure you insert the card the right way up, with the card number in the bottom right-hand corner.

This ensures that the year (on the other side) remains hidden, as shown here.

When is the reveal sleeve not needed?

If you’re playing without an account or with a free account, you won’t need the reveal sleeve.

The app will display the song title and artist without revealing the year, so you can check the answer directly on your mobile phone.

If you’re playing with a paid account and have selected Full tracks mode, you can also play without the reveal sleeve by switching to Short clips mode from the SETTINGS menu.

FAQ

How do I play the music?

On opening the app, follow the on-screen instructions to connect to the Spotify app or choose to play with Spotify Free. If you’re using Spotify Free, the track either starts playing after you physically turn your phone face down (‘gyrosensor’) or after a short 3-second countdown (‘countdown’). If you’re playing with Spotify Premium, you can either listen to the whole song from the start (‘full tracks’) or enjoy a 30-second preview (’30s previews’). Please see the game rules for more details on how to play the music.

Can I play HITSTER without the card game?

No. You need the HITSTER cards to be able to play. For more information, check out our where-to-buy page.

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