Which Hitster Edition Is Best? Every Version Compared
There are more than a dozen Hitster boxes on the shelf and the names do not explain much. This guide walks through every edition sold in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, with the real card counts, so you can pick the right one the first time.
Or Build Your Own Edition, FreeEvery Hitster edition explained
Hitster Original is the base game: about 308 cards of international hits from the 1950s to today (the US and UK boxes carry a few extra, 336 and 335 cards). Every other box either replaces it or adds to it, so this is where a first buyer should start.
Hitster Original: All American (US, 308 cards) is a standalone box built around hits by American artists. It plays exactly like Original, only the song list is different, so you can own both and shuffle them together. Hitster Original: Aussie (Australia, 308 cards) does the same for Australian music.
Guilty Pleasures, Summer Party and Rock are themed standalone sets of 308 cards each: cheesy sing-alongs, sunny party tracks and rock classics. In the US, Rock is instead sold as a 154-card expansion. Latino (US, 308 cards) is a standalone box of Latin hits. Radio Heart (UK, 308 cards) is a standalone set curated with the radio station.
Battle of the Generations (Canada, 420 cards) splits the cards into two decks by era so a younger team and an older team can each play on home turf. It is the biggest standard box in the range.
Hitster Bingo (about 225 cards) is a different game: bingo boards plus song cards, less about the timeline and more about crossing off squares. Fun for a big group, but not the game most people mean by "Hitster".
Expansions are marked "Exp." on the box and hold about 154 cards: Christmas, Hip Hop and, in the US, Rock. They contain no game tokens and are meant to be shuffled into a base game you already own.
Hitster editions compared (US, UK, Canada, Australia)
Card counts come from the official Hitster gameset database. Standalone boxes play on their own; expansions need a base game.
| Edition | Cards | Best for | Plays on its own |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 308 to 336 | First box, mixed group | |
| All American (US) | 308 | Fans of American artists | |
| Aussie (AU) | 308 | Australian hits | |
| Guilty Pleasures | 308 | Sing-along parties | |
| Rock | 308 (154 in the US) | Rock and metal fans | US: expansion only |
| Battle of the Generations (CA) | 420 | Families, mixed ages | |
| Bingo | 225 to 227 | Big groups, different rules | |
| Christmas / Hip Hop (Exp.) | 154 | Adding to a box you own |
So which Hitster should you buy?
- First time buying: Original. Broadest song list, works for any group, and everything else plugs into it.
- Family with teenagers and grandparents: Battle of the Generations, so nobody is stuck guessing songs from a decade they never heard.
- Party of music fans who know the charts: All American, Aussie or Guilty Pleasures. A local or themed list keeps the guessing sharp.
- Already finished the box: a Christmas, Hip Hop or Rock expansion, or a second standalone set shuffled in.
And when none of the boxes fits your crowd, your wedding playlist, your 90s indie collection, your kids' songs, you can build your own edition on Hitify. Paste a Spotify, YouTube or Tidal playlist, get cards with a QR code and a verified release year, print them at home and shuffle them into your Hitster deck. Free up to 100 cards. Start your own edition or read how a home-made expansion pack works.
What players say
based on 34 reviews
This was an awesome idea. We love having game nights with our friends. We 10/10 recommend especially if you love music games as much as we do.
It works! Nice game for music lovers.
This site is awesome. So much fun to create your own cards and play them with friends. If I could give 6 stars I would.
I really useful for upgrade this game the official song card is a bit less
Amazing project. With just a few clicks your own Spotify playlist is turned into a Hitster game. Keep it up. The pricing is also really very fair
Easy to use, and the result is exactly what I expected!
Easy to use. Happy with my own cards.
Super simple process, works like a charm!
Great for creating your own cards and QR codes. Plus you play with the same app
Beautiful idea and a beautiful app, fast and easy to use
Worked perfectly! Thank you so much!
Best app for creating cards for a music game!
It was really great. I made a birthday playlist for a friend, and with Hitify she could play her own personal Hitster. 🥰
Works great and nicely priced.
Really nice and easy!
So incredibly easy to do, and so much fun for adding a personal touch to a party, a special event or any other occasion. Really recommended. You can let your creativity run wild, or just go for convenience and let it do the work for you.
Nice to be able to turn your own playlist into a Hitster-like game. The only downside is that you hear the songs without the intro.
Being able to create new card packs for Hitster is a real treat. A great app.
Quick and smooth. Easy to create your own playing cards. There are no limits. I recommend it
Very easy-to-use app. I especially like that you can submit a correction for the year, and if it's right it gets applied straight away. The different ways to vary the printout are great too. Highly recommended!
Great service. It was super fast, it works without any problems and looks really great.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a new Hitster 2026 edition?
There is no box called "Hitster 2026". Jumbo keeps the Original box in print and adds themed sets over time; the newest additions in the official database are sets like Rock, Radio Heart and the Christmas and Hip Hop expansions. If you want songs from this year in your deck, the quickest route is a home-made pack.
What is the difference between Hitster All American and Original?
Both are standalone 308-card boxes with the same rules. Original mixes international hits; All American concentrates on hits by American artists. They can be shuffled together.
Can I mix different Hitster editions?
Yes. All editions use the same card format and the same app, so cards from Original, All American, Guilty Pleasures and the expansions can be combined into one deck. Bingo cards scan too, but the Bingo box plays by its own rules.
Is Hitster Bingo the same game as Hitster?
No. Bingo has about 225 cards plus bingo boards, and the goal is to cross off squares rather than to build a timeline. Choose Original if you want the classic Hitster game.
Do I need Spotify Premium to play Hitster?
The official app plays songs through Spotify and expects a Premium account for full-length playback; with a free account you may only get short previews. Cards made on Hitify scan with your phone camera and play in Spotify (free or Premium), YouTube or Tidal.
Which Hitster is best for kids?
Original works from about age 10 with a bit of help. For younger children look at the 70-card Disney set (sold in some markets) or build a short pack of the songs your children actually know.
More to explore
None of the boxes fits your crowd?
Build your own Hitster-compatible edition from any playlist. Free up to 100 cards, no account needed.
Build Your Own Edition, Free