A music game for the family game night
Board games get stuck on the reading age of the youngest and the patience of the oldest. A music game works for everyone who can say whether a song sounds old or new.
Free to try. Whoever starts the game logs in with an email code, no password. Players who join a party room need no account, only a nickname and a browser.
A family game night works when everybody can win. In Timeline each player builds a row of songs in release order, and a good guess can come from anyone, because a song only needs to fit between two others. The nine year old and the grandfather get the same job.
Open the room on the TV, choose a deck with a wide range of years, and let everyone join with a nickname. Set a modest target, such as five or six cards, so the game ends before bedtime. Use the tokens to even things out: stealing a song from the person in the lead always gets a cheer.
Best way to play it Party room: Timeline. Party room: Timeline gives a family evening its own rhythm: a board on the TV, phones in hand and tokens for the sneaky steals.
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.
Tips for a better game
Make a family deck
Turn a playlist you all like into a deck. The first 100 cards are free, and it becomes the soundtrack of your evenings.
Keep the target small
A target of five or six cards keeps the game under half an hour, even with a few arguments.
Pass the phone for a small group
With two or three people and no TV, Pass the phone does the same job on a single device.
Good to know as a parent
Nicknames only
Players in a party room type a nickname of up to 16 characters. No account, email address or age is asked, and the room deletes its data shortly after the game ends.
A grown-up runs the game
Whoever starts the game logs in with an email code, so there are no child accounts. Players cannot chat or message each other, and the host can remove a player from the room.
Real songs, no age ratings
The songs are real recordings played as 30 second previews. We do not rate or filter them by age, so a deck can hold explicit lyrics. The adult picks the deck and can look through its songs first.
Frequently asked questions
Can the whole family play on one phone?
Yes. Pass the phone supports 2 to 8 players on a single phone, and each player has a timeline. For a TV and own phones, use a party room.
How long does a family game last?
With a target of five or six cards, around twenty to thirty minutes, depending on how long the family argues about each song.
What do children need to join a game?
A phone, tablet or laptop with a browser, and a nickname. No account, no email address and no age is needed. Whoever starts the game, an adult, logs in with an email code.
What about explicit songs?
The songs are real recordings and we do not rate them by age, so a deck can contain songs with explicit lyrics. Pick a deck you know, or look through its songs before the game, and choose an older or gentler mix for younger players.
Ready for the first song?
A music game for a family game night. Parents, children and grandparents play on their own phones while the TV shows the board. Free to try.
Hitify is not affiliated with Hitster or Jumbo. Hitster is a registered trademark of Koninklijke Jumbo B.V.