Frequently asked questions

FAQ about the game

HOW DO YOU PLAY THE MUSIC?

The music automatically plays when you scan the QR code on a HITSTER card using a mobile phone with the free HITSTER app installed. On opening the app, follow the on-screen instructions to connect to the Spotify app or choose to play with Spotify Free.

Spotify Premium will give you the best HITSTER experience. Spotify Free version might have some limitations.

What music does HITSTER contain?

HITSTER contains over 300 recognizable hit songs in different genres released between 1908 and 2021. Don’t worry if you are not a music expert. Anyone playing HITSTER is in with a chance of winning.

What is the difference between the four HITSTER gameplays?

HITSTER can be played competitively (using three difficulty levels: ORIGINAL, PRO and EXPERT) or with all players on the same side using COOPERATIVE gameplay. We recommend that you start playing HITSTER using the ORIGINAL rules. If you find that too easy, move on to PRO and then EXPERT. Read the game rules for more details.

Can I download the HITSTER playlist?

Yes. Click on the link below or scan the Spotify code with your phone from inside the Spotify app. Do this by tapping the search icon and then tapping on the camera icon at the top of the screen.

Hitster Original:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Mpj1KwRmY2pHzmj7mfbdh?si=d11d019fc0404031

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.

Is my phone supported?

The HITSTER app works with an iPhone 7 or later with iOS 14.8.1 or later installed, or with an Android phone running 7.0 Nougat or later. All phones must have a working rear camera, built-in speaker and internet access.

Can I use a tablet?

Yes and no. We officially only support phones, however some devices allow phone apps to be installed on a tablet. You can give this a try, but it might not work as we intended.

Can I use an external device or speaker for playback?

Yes and no. A standard Bluetooth or Airplay-enabled speaker should work. Connecting to a Google Chromecast or AppleTV is not supported as this has audio playback issues. Feel free to test your set-up to see if it works for you.

Why do I need an internet connection?

HITSTER uses an online database to connect to Spotify. Having this database makes sure that the HITSTER game keeps on working as we intended. Without this connection we can’t manage any changes Spotify might make to their platform.

Be sure to use a secure Wi-Fi connection to avoid additional charges from your provider.

Do I need a Spotify account?

Yes and no. You can play HITSTER without a Spotify account, however this will not give you the best game experience as you are limited to only 20 seconds of music for each of the songs played. Spotify offers a limited free Premium trial when you sign-up for a Spotify account.

See: https://www.spotify.com/uk/premium/

I can’t log into Spotify

Please contact Spotify Support, as we cannot help you with that.

Visit: https://support.spotify.com/uk/article/contact-us/

Can I use YouTube music, Apple Music, Deezer or any other music streaming service?

Yes, you can. But in that case, one player has to manually search for the song on the song card in the preferred music streaming service instead of scanning the card with the HITSTER app. You can decide to choose one player as the DJ for the entire game OR take turns in playing the song by passing your device to the next player on each turn.

I have another question

You can reach us using our online contact form. After receiving a confirmation email, it can take up to 10 working days to respond to your question.

FAQ about the Hitster app

Where can I get the HITSTER app?

Using your phone, you can download the HITSTER app from the App Store or Google Play by clicking on the store icons below.

 

 

Make sure that you are logged into the correct store on your mobile phone if your country is listed here.

I cannot install the app on my phone

Please visit the link below if you have any questions about installing an app on your phone:

Why does HITSTER need camera access?

A camera is required for scanning the QR code on the back of a HITSTER card. Without it the game will not work.

My camera does not work inside the HITSTER app

On most devices it is possible to disable camera access for your device. Delete and re-install the HITSTER app from the App Store or Google Play. The app will ask your permission to access your camera.

My phone cannot scan the QR-code on the card

Make sure that the card is not damaged in any way and that there is enough light for the camera to see the code on the card. Avoid strong reflections as these can prevent the camera from seeing the QR code. You can block them by placing your hand between the light and the card without covering the QR code.

Scanning a card produces a black screen

Check if you have a WiFi connection. If you are on a mobile network, make sure the HITSTER app is allowed to use your cellular data*.

iPhone users, see: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3dd5f213/ios
Android users, see: https://support.google.com/fi/answer/9458407?hl=en

* Use of cellular data might lead to additional charges from your provider.

The HITSTER app plays incorrect songs

Please check if you are on a paid Premium Spotify plan (Premium Individual, Premium Student, Premium Duo or Premium Family), and that you are logged into the Spotify app with your account.

Visit spotify.com and log in to see your plan details.

if you are on a Free Spotify plan and the HITSTER app is set to Premium, Spotify will play incorrect songs. To fix this:

1. Open the HITSTER app.
2. Click on the settings icon (top right corner) in the main menu.
3. Check if Spotify mode is set to Premium.
4. Click the “Change Spotify mode” button and select “Spotify Free”.
5. Close the settings screen by pressing the close icon in the top right corner.

You are now ready to play HITSTER. Note that with Spotify Free, playback of the songs is limited to 20 seconds and one player must play as a DJ. Read the rules – accessible from the main menu – for more details.

One of my HITSTER cards is not playing a song

There are two reasons why this might be:

  1. You purchased (or were gifted) a HITSTER game intended for another market, or you are travelling abroad with your HITSTER game. In that case, some cards will not work due to how Spotify manages the music rights. When travelling, on your return these cards should work as before.
  2. The company owning the music rights removed the song from Spotify or moved the song to another album or playlist.

In some cases, we might be able to fix the issue. Let us know what card(s) aren’t working – and if you were travelling at the time – using this HITSTER form.

The HITSTER app keeps disconnecting from Spotify

This is a known problem. It can be avoided by not switching off your phone between songs or by not placing the phone with its screen facing down on the table or any other flat surface as this also turns off some phones.

We are working on a fix as we understand this is very inconvenient.

My app is in a language that I cannot read

If this happens, simply delete and reinstall the HITSTER app from the App Store or Google Play. It will give you the option to select your preferred in-app language. It doesn’t matter what language you select inside the app, as this does not affect the gameplay.

After I install the app, what data does the HITSTER app collect?

The HITSTER app does not collect or store any data. If you use a Spotify Premium account, please refer to their Privacy Policy to see what data Spotify collects. No information is being shared between Spotify and us.

How long will the HITSTER app be supported?

That is a difficult question to answer. This depends in part on Apple, Google and Spotify. HITSTER is built making use of their platforms and we don’t know if any future changes will affect our app. We will do our best to support HITSTER as long as we actively produce and sell our HITSTER products but we cannot guarantee that the app will keep on working forever.

I have another question

You can reach us using our online contact form. After receiving a confirmation email, it can take up to 10 working days to respond to your question.