Pass the phone: a music game that needs just one phone
One phone, no setup and no big screen. Pass it around the table, hear a song without its year and place it on your own timeline. The first player to fill their timeline wins.
- 2 to 8 players
- One phone
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.
This is the simplest way to play and the only one that needs no second screen. The player holding the phone hears a 30 second fragment and decides where it fits between the songs already on their timeline. If they are right, the card stays and the timeline grows, so the table gets quieter and more tense as the rows fill up.
Because there is only one phone, everybody hears the same song at the same moment and the whole table can chip in with opinions. That makes it a talking game as much as a guessing game, which is exactly what you want on a sofa or at a kitchen table.
How this way of playing works
- 1
Set up on one phone
Sign in with an email code, pick a deck, add the players and set how many cards win the game.
- 2
Listen to the fragment
The player whose turn it is hears 30 seconds of a song. The year stays hidden.
- 3
Place it on your timeline
Choose the spot between the songs you already have. Right means your timeline grows.
- 4
Pass the phone on
Hand it to the next player. The first one to fill their timeline wins.
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.
What you need
One phone with a browser
Any phone with sound will do, no app and no second device.
2 to 8 players
Everyone sits close enough to reach the phone and hear the song.
A deck
A popular public deck is free, or turn your own playlist into a deck.
Tips for a better game
Try the tokens
Everyone starts with 2 tokens. Pay 1 to steal a card from another player or to skip a song, and earn one by naming title and artist (up to 5).
Keep the target small at first
A low number of cards to win gives a short game. Raise it once the table gets hooked.
Put the phone where all can hear
Turn the volume up and set the phone down between turns, so the whole table hears the same fragment.
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
How many players can share one phone?
From 2 to 8. Each player gets a name and their own timeline, and the phone is handed over after every turn.
What are the tokens for?
They are optional. Everyone starts with 2, and paying 1 lets you steal a card from another player or skip a song. Naming title and artist earns a token, with a maximum of 5.
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.