A music game for the festival campsite and the tent
Between the main stage and the sleeping bag there are long hours around a camping table. One phone and some friends turn them into a music quiz.
Free to try. Whoever starts the game logs in with an email code, no password. Players who join a party room need no account and no app.
A campsite has no TV and rarely good Wi-Fi, so the lightest form of the game is the right one. One phone goes around the circle of camping chairs. Each player hears a 30 second preview, places the song on their timeline and passes the phone on.
Be realistic about the limits: the previews stream online, so you need mobile data, and you have the battery of one phone to spend. The game is turn based and can stop at any point, which fits a festival, where every conversation ends when the music from the next tent starts.
Best way to play it Pass the phone. Pass the phone is the only mode that fits a campsite: one phone, no screen, no setup, and it stops the moment someone wants to see the next act.
How a game works
- 1
Pick a deck
Choose a popular public deck, or turn your own playlist into a deck.
- 2
Choose how to play
Pass one phone around the table, or open a party room where everyone plays on their own phone.
- 3
Listen and guess
A 30 second preview plays and nobody sees the year. Place the song on a timeline or lock in a year.
- 4
Reveal and score
Title, artist and year come out, the timeline grows or the points go up, and the next song starts.
The timeline in one look
A timeline is a row of songs in release order. You hear a new song, never its year, and decide where it fits between the songs already on the row. Get it right and the row grows.
How to run it
Check data and battery first
Songs stream, so you need a signal. Bring a power bank, since the phone is the only screen.
Pick a deck of festival songs
Choose a popular public deck, or turn a festival playlist into your own deck.
Set a small target
A low number of cards to win ends a game in about ten minutes, long enough for a warm-up and short enough to save battery.
Tips for a better game
Play in the shade of the tent
A phone in the sun is hard to read and gets hot. Sit down somewhere shaded.
Use the tokens for banter
Stealing a card from the friend who just bragged is part of the fun.
Let the quiet ones choose the deck
Whoever has not picked a song all weekend decides the next deck.
Why it works at a party
No cards needed
Everything happens on screen, so there is nothing to print, shuffle or lose under the sofa.
Works in the browser
No app to install, not even for a party room. Open the page and play.
Three ways to play
One phone for a small group, or a party room with a big screen for a bigger crowd.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work without Wi-Fi?
It works with mobile data. The previews are streamed, so a signal on the phone is needed.
How big can the group be?
Pass the phone takes 2 to 8 players. A bigger group can split over two phones.
What does it cost to play?
Popular public decks are free to play. If you turn your own playlist into a deck, the first 100 cards of that deck are free.
Do players need an account or an app?
No app is needed. Whoever starts the game logs in with an email code, no password. Players who join a party room scan a QR code or type the 4 letter room code, then pick a name.
Ready for the first song?
Pick a deck, choose how you want to play and have the first round running within a minute.
Hitify is not affiliated with Hitster or Jumbo. Hitster is a registered trademark of Koninklijke Jumbo B.V.