What You'll Need:

• Hitster app (available for free on iOS and Android)

• Hitster game box (includes music cards, Hitster tokens)

• Smartphone or tablet for each player (to run the app)
  

Number of Players:

Hitster can be enjoyed by 2-10 players, making it perfect for small or large gatherings.

Setting Up:

1. Download the App: Make sure everyone has the free Hitster app downloaded on their smartphones or tablets.

2. Shuffle the Cards: Shuffle the deck of music cards included in the Hitster game box. Place the deck face down in the center of the playing area.

3. Grab Your Tokens: Each player starts with 2 Hitster tokens (depending on the chosen game mode, this might differ).
   

Gameplay:

There are two main ways to play Hitster: Original and Expert. Here's a breakdown of both:

Original Mode:

1. Deal a Starting Card: The first player draws a card from the deck and places it face-up in front of them.  Do not show the card to other players.

2. Scan the QR Code: Using the Hitster app, scan the QR code located on the back of the music card. This will automatically play the song in the app.

3. Guess When it Was Released:  Listen to the song and try to guess when it was released. You don't need to pinpoint the exact year, just whether it came out before or after the songs already played in your timeline.

4. Placing the Card: If you guess correctly, you keep the card and place it face-up in front of you, chronologically according to its release date (leftmost card being the oldest). If you guess incorrectly, the card is discarded.

5. Earning Tokens: You can earn 1 Hitster token by correctly naming the song's title and artist, even if you misplaced the card on your timeline. However, you can only hold a maximum of 5 tokens at a time.

6. Next Player's Turn: The player to the left takes a new card, scans it, guesses the release date, and so on.

Expert Mode:

This mode is for music trivia enthusiasts! In addition to the Original rules, Expert mode requires players to correctly guess:

• The exact year the song was released

• The artist's name

• The song's title

To win a card in Expert mode, you must correctly guess all three elements alongside the release date placement. You can still use Hitster tokens to "steal" a card from another player if you can answer all three elements correctly, even if they placed it in the right chronological order.

Winning the Game:

The first player to collect 10 music cards in their timeline, ordered chronologically, wins the game and earns the title of "Hitster"!

Additional Notes:

• The music selection in Hitster spans various genres and eras, making it a fun challenge for music lovers of all tastes.

• The app allows you to easily skip songs if you recognize them immediately.

• The Hitster tokens add a layer of strategy and competition to the game.