Pass the phone: the complete guide to the one-phone music game
One phone, 2 to 8 players, no screen to set up. This guide covers the rules, how a turn goes, what the tokens do and how to make the game last the whole evening.
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.
Pass the phone is the original way to play. Each player builds a personal timeline of songs in release order. On your turn you hear a 30 second fragment without the year, then decide where it fits between the songs you already hold.
Because everybody listens to the same fragment on the same speaker, the table is part of every decision. Expect a lot of talking, humming and loud disagreement about which decade a chorus belongs to.
Setting up the game
Open the game on the phone, sign in with an email code (no password), pick a deck and type the player names. You also set how many cards a player needs to win. The default is 10, and a lower number gives a shorter game.
Place the phone where everyone can hear it, turn the volume up and hand it to the first player.
Rules of a turn
A turn has the same four beats every time, whatever the deck.
Listen
The current player hears a 30 second preview. Title, artist and year stay hidden.
Place
Pick a slot on your own timeline: before the first song, between two songs or after the last.
Reveal
The year comes out. A correct slot keeps the card and the timeline grows by one. A wrong slot means the card is discarded.
Pass on
The phone goes to the next player. The first player to reach the target number of cards wins.
Tokens: skip, steal and name it
Tokens are optional. When they are on, everybody starts with 2 and can hold at most 5. Paying 1 token lets you skip a song you cannot place. While a card is on hold, another player can pay 1 token to suggest a different free spot, and the first suggestion that fits the year wins the card for that player. Spent tokens are never refunded.
You earn a token by naming both title and artist. The table decides together whether the answer counts, so it runs on honour.
Step by step
- 1
Open the game and pick a deck
Sign in with an email code and choose a public deck or one made from your own playlist.
- 2
Add the players
Type 2 to 8 names and set the number of cards needed to win.
- 3
Play your turns
Listen, place the song on your own timeline, see the year and pass the phone.
- 4
Finish the game
Whoever reaches the target number of cards first wins the game.
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
Start with a short target
Five or six cards gives a quick first game. Raise the target once everyone knows the rules.
Keep the phone on the table
Set it down between turns so the whole group hears the same fragment, and nobody sees the year early.
Use tokens to catch up
A player who is behind can steal or skip at the right moment, which keeps the end of the game open.
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
How many cards do I need to win?
You choose before the game starts. The default is 10 cards, and a smaller target makes a shorter game.
What happens when I place a song in the wrong spot?
The card is discarded and your timeline stays as it was. With tokens on, another player may have stolen the card by suggesting a spot that fits.
Can we play with more than 8 people?
One phone is for 2 to 8 players. For a bigger group, open a party room where everyone plays on their own phone.
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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