Music party game FAQ: questions and answers for every way to play
Short answers, sorted by how you play: pass the phone, party room Timeline, Timeline for everyone at once and party room Year Rush. If your question is missing, the guides go deeper.
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.
Each way of playing has its own rules, player limits and equipment. Find your mode below for the details, or jump to the general answers at the bottom of the page. The answers here are short on purpose, and each mode has a full guide with the rules, the scoring and a step by step setup.
Everything runs in the browser. Whoever starts a game signs in with an email code. Players who join a party room only choose a name.
Pass the phone
One shared phone, 2 to 8 players.
How many cards win?
You choose. The default is 10.
What do tokens do?
Everyone starts with 2, up to 5. A steal or skip costs 1 and naming title and artist earns 1.
What if I place a song wrong?
The card is discarded and your timeline stays as it was.
Party room: Timeline
A big screen plus a phone each, 2 to 8 players.
Who needs the big screen?
Only the host. It shows the board and plays the songs.
Can I switch tokens off?
Yes, the host decides before the start, and sets the target from 3 to 30 cards.
How do players join?
Scan the QR code, or open the join page and type the 4 letter room code.
Party room: Year Rush
A big screen plus a phone each, any number of players.
How many rounds are there?
The host picks 10, 15 or 20 rounds, with 15, 20 or 30 seconds to guess.
How are points given?
Up to 1000 for the exact year, then less for each year off, plus a speed bonus of up to 200 and 200 for naming the song.
What can the host change?
The difficulty (any year, decade first or four choices), Auto and Pause.
Party room: Timeline for everyone at once
A big screen plus a phone each, any number of players.
What is different?
Everyone places the same song at the same time on one shared timeline. There are no turns and no stealing.
How many rounds are there?
The host picks the number of rounds and 20, 30, 45 or 60 seconds to place the song.
How are points given?
1000 for a slot that fits the year, a speed bonus of up to 200 and a streak bonus for consecutive hits.
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
Not sure which mode?
One phone and a few friends: Pass the phone. A TV and 3 to 8 people: Timeline. A big loud group: Year Rush or Timeline for everyone at once.
Starting with a free deck
Popular public decks are free to play, so you can try every way without paying.
Need a bigger group?
Year Rush and Timeline for everyone at once have no player limit.
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.
Prefer real cards?
Make your own card game: paste a playlist, print the PDF at home or order the printed cards.
Frequently asked questions
Which way of playing is best for a first game?
Pass the phone needs only one phone. If you have a TV, Year Rush is the easiest to understand for new players, and Timeline for everyone at once is a good fit for a classroom or a big group.
How long are the song fragments?
Songs play as previews of up to 30 seconds.
Can I add my own songs?
Yes. Turn your own playlist into a deck. The first 100 cards of such a deck are free.
Where is the game played?
In the browser, on any phone, tablet or laptop. Players join with a PIN or by scanning the QR code, and there is nothing to install.
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.
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