Hitster: Radio Italia
Hitster: Radio Italia Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
The first player who correctly places 10 cards wins the title of HITSTER.
How the Game Works
- Scan. A player scans a Song Card with the HITSTER app. A song starts playing.
- Place. The player whose turn it is takes the Song Card and places it face down (no peeking!) in the position he or she thinks is correct within his or her own music timeline, inserting it to the right, to the left, or between the cards in front of him or her, proceeding from left to right in chronological order.
- Reveal. Turn the Song Card over. If it is in the correct position, the player keeps the card. Otherwise it is discarded. Cards of the same year may be placed in any order.
Quick Rules
Setup
- Decide whether to play in teams or individually.
- Each player/team receives 1 Song Card, which must be placed in front of them face up (year visible) as the first card of the music timeline. The player with the oldest Song Card on the table starts, then play proceeds clockwise.
- You can play without Coins for an easier game. If you want a real challenge, each player/team starts with 2 HITSTER Coins.
- One player scans the Song Card on top of the deck. Whoever scans can still keep playing. You can choose to have the same player always scan or take turns; it is up to you.
- Important: Players acting as DJ must not wear smartwatches (e.g. Apple Watch), because they might unintentionally show information about the song on the device display.
Music Settings
How songs are played depends on the streaming platform you use and your account type.
If you play without an account or with a free account: you will only hear a short excerpt of the song. From the app's SETTINGS menu you can choose one of two playback modes:
- Gyroscope sensor: the song starts when you physically turn the phone face down.
- Countdown: the song starts after a short 3-second countdown. Make sure you turn the phone face down before it ends.
If you play with a paid account: using one of the playback modes above, you can choose whether to listen to:
- Full songs: listen to the whole song from the beginning. The perfect game experience.
- Preview: fast mode! Turn the phone to start the music and listen to a short excerpt.
End of the Game
The first player to win 10 correctly placed Song Cards in his or her music timeline wins the game.
Using Coins
To make the game more strategic, Coins are used as follows.
During your turn: In trouble? Pay 1 HITSTER Coin and pass. Scan the next card to start another song. Discard both the Coin and the first Song Card.
During an opponent's turn: Shout "HITSTER!" and place your Coin on his or her music timeline if you think the card was placed in the wrong spot. If you are right, you steal the card and put it in your own music timeline.
During anyone's turn: Trade 3 Coins to add 1 card directly from the deck to your music timeline without having to guess. You do not need to wait for your turn.
Earning HITSTER Coins: During your turn, you can earn 1 Coin if you guess the song title and the artist's name. Even if you did not guess the position of the Song Card in your music timeline, you still earn the Coin if you answered correctly. A player can never hold more than 5 Coins.
Tip: if you are playing the Movies & TV Series edition, try guessing the film title instead of the artist's name. It is more fun!
Note: some songs appear in several films or TV series. On the Song Cards we included the most significant pairings, but any title of a film/TV series featuring the song will be considered a correct answer, even if it does not match the title written on the card.
Extra Rules
Each player can choose to play at the difficulty level he or she prefers.
- ADVANCED: You play with the basic rules, but to win or steal 1 card you must guess both the artist* and the title. ADVANCED players start with 5 Coins. No further Coins can be earned.
- EXPERT: You play with the basic rules, but to win or steal 1 card you must guess the artist*, the title and the exact release year. EXPERT players start with 3 Coins. No further Coins can be earned.
- COOPERATIVE: Play together as a single team. Start with 5 Coins and 1 Song Card to begin your music timeline. Work together to place new cards correctly. If you get one wrong, you lose 1 Coin. To win, collect 10 cards before you run out of Coins.
Tip: if you are playing ADVANCED or EXPERT mode with the Movies & TV Series edition, try guessing the film title instead of the artist's name. It is more fun!
Note: some songs appear in several films or TV series. On the Song Cards we included the most significant pairings, but any title of a film/TV series featuring the song will be considered a correct answer, even if it does not match the title written on the card.
Betting on a Correct Placement
If a player bets 1 Coin on the timeline of the player whose turn it is because he or she thinks the Song Card was misplaced, and is instead wrong, the card stays with the player whose turn it is and the bettor loses the Coin. The rule also applies if the current song is from the same year as a card previously in the music timeline.
If several players bet, the card still stays with the opponent and all the others lose their Coins.
Note: the first player to shout "HITSTER!" earns the right to place his or her Coin, but if another player who shouted after him or her thinks that Coin was also placed in the wrong position, he or she may place a second Coin in the position he or she thinks is correct. Two Coins cannot be placed in the same position.
FAQ
How do I start the music? Open the Hitster app and follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your favorite music streaming service, or choose to play without an account. If you play without a streaming account, the song will start when you physically turn the phone face down ("Gyroscope sensor") or after a short 3-second countdown ("Countdown"). If you play with a paid account, you can choose to listen to the whole song from the beginning ("Full songs") or an excerpt ("Preview"). See the game rules for more details on playing the music.
Can I play Hitster without the boxed game? No. The HITSTER Cards are needed to play.
I want to play the Movies & TV Series edition. Which additional rules apply? If you play the Movies & TV Series edition, you can also guess the film title instead of the artist to earn Hitster Coins or Song Cards in the advanced game modes. Some songs appear in several films or TV series. On the Song Cards we included the most significant pairings, but any title of a film/TV series featuring the song will be considered a correct answer, even if it does not match the title written on the card.