A birthday music party game where every guest plays
A birthday crowd mixes ages, tastes and attention spans, and a game that everyone can play at once is the safe bet. Put it on the TV, let the guests join with a QR code and have a first round going before the cake is cut.
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.
Choose the deck around the birthday person. The years they were 15 to 25 are the sweet spot: those songs are memories for them and a pleasant mystery for everyone else. If the guest list spans generations, a deck that covers several decades gives the grandparents and the cousins each a few songs they own.
Plan about 10 rounds, which fits in the gap between the food and the presents. Guests join on their own phones without an account, so the hardest part is getting everyone to look at the same screen. The speed bonus rewards the quick, while the points for a close year keep the less musical guests in the game.
Best way to play it Party room: Year Rush. Party room: Year Rush is the best fit because everyone guesses at the same time, so no guest waits for a turn and nobody is stuck watching.
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 the birthday person the host
They choose the deck and settings, so the songs are theirs. It also keeps them busy while the guests arrive.
Put the QR code on screen at the door
Guests can join while they take off their coats. Names are limited to 16 characters, so a nickname works.
Use 20 seconds per song
It is long enough for the older guests to think and short enough to keep younger ones from checking their messages.
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
What do I need for a birthday game at home?
A TV or laptop with a browser and speakers, plus Wi-Fi or mobile data on each guest phone. Open hitify.app/host, pick a deck and show the QR code.
Can the birthday person choose all the songs?
Yes. Turn their playlist into your own deck and the first 100 cards are free, or pick a popular public deck that covers their favourite decades.
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.