Hitster Schlager Party: the timeline game built on German Schlager hits
Hitster Schlager Party is a themed edition of the Hitster music party game, built entirely on Schlager, the singalong sound of German party tents, Oktoberfest, and après-ski. Here's what makes the theme tick, how it plays, and where to get it.
Prefer digital?
Tunigma lets you set Germany as a region and filter by decade and genre to shape your own singalong night, free.
Hitster Schlager Party is a themed edition of Hitster, the music timeline party game from Jumbo. It keeps the same guess the song and place the year mechanic as the rest of the range, then swaps the usual chart pool for a deck of Schlager, the German singalong hits that soundtrack Oktoberfest tents, ski huts, and party nights across the German-speaking world. It works as a full game on its own, and its cards drop straight into any other Hitster deck you own.
What is Hitster Schlager Party?
At its core it's still Hitster: you listen to a song, then place it on a shared timeline in the right spot by the year it came out, building a run of correctly ordered tracks. The Schlager Party edition keeps its whole deck inside one tradition: German Schlager, the feel-good singalong music that fills festival tents and family parties.
The theme: Schlager, from the party tent to the timeline
Schlager is a whole German music culture in one deck. The word itself means a hit, and the genre is built around simple, upbeat melodies, warm sentimental lyrics, and choruses made for a crowd to bellow back in unison. It is the sound of the Oktoberfest beer tent, the après-ski bar, the summer street festival, and the wedding dance floor, music that trades cool for pure feel-good energy and asks only that everyone joins in. For a lot of people it is less a playlist than a shared reflex: the first bars start and the whole room is already swaying and singing.
The genre stretches back decades, and this edition reaches across its eras rather than sticking to one. In practice the theme tends to gather a familiar spread:
- Classic Schlager: the mid-century radio and television staples that built the genre, all sweeping melodies and heart-on-sleeve lyrics.
- Party and Ballermann hits: the loud, cheerful singalong anthems that rule beach bars, Oktoberfest tents, and package holidays.
- Après-ski and Oktoberfest favorites: the stomping, arm-swaying tunes made for a packed hut where everyone knows the chorus.
- Modern Schlager and Schlager pop: the recent, chart-friendly wave that has pulled younger crowds back to the sound and packed out arena tours.
Because the picks lean so hard into one culture, the feel changes completely while the rules stay the same. A round fills with full-throated singalongs, swaying in time, and the odd argument over which decade a chorus belongs to. It suits a night built on shared, unironic fun, where nobody is too cool to know every word. If your group treats a Schlager chorus as a cue to link arms and belt it out, this box was built for them.
How it plays
Schlager Party runs on the standard Hitster timeline rules, so each Oktoberfest anthem plays like any other card: hear it, judge where its release year sits, and grow your run. The difference is the noise, because most of the tent will be belting the chorus long before anyone settles on a decade. For the full rundown of tokens, steals, and the tougher modes, see the guide on how to play Hitster.
How it differs from the Original and other editions
Every main Hitster edition shares the same timeline rules, so the difference is always the song pool and the mood it creates. The Schlager Party edition trades the original's international mix for a deck of German Schlager, while Guilty Pleasures gathers cheesy sing-along hits for a lighter night. Here's how the three compare:
| Feature | Hitster Schlager Party | Hitster Original | Hitster Guilty Pleasures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Build a timeline by release year | Build a timeline by release year | Build a timeline by release year |
| Song theme | German Schlager and party hits | A broad spread of the biggest hits | Cheesy, catchy guilty pleasures |
| Mood at the table | Loud, warm, singalong party | Classic all-round quiz | Nostalgic, silly, sing-along |
| Win condition | First to place 10 songs | First to place 10 songs | First to place 10 songs |
| Best for | Schlager fans and German party nights | A first Hitster box for any crowd | Groups who love a cheesy chorus |
The Schlager Party box is a full game by itself, and since it shares the timeline rules you can tip its cards into your other decks when you want a longer, more mixed evening, though most groups chasing a proper Schlager night keep the deck pure so every track lands in the same singalong. There's a wider look at the full lineup on the Hitster editions page, along with dedicated rundowns of Hitster Guilty Pleasures and the action-packed Hitster Flying Mic.
Who it's for
The Schlager Party edition is built for a crowd that already loves the sound. It suits Schlager fans, German and Austrian party nights, Oktoberfest gatherings, and any group whose celebrations come with a singalong. Because the deck sticks to one culture, it rewards players who grew up with these songs, so it plays best with a room that shares that history, not one reaching for international pop. The 16 and up age rating and the party-first spirit make it a natural pick for a loud, cheerful night among friends and family. If your group already has the original and wants a home-grown flavor, this is an easy one to add.
What's in the box
- Songs: over 300 Schlager song cards with QR codes.
- Tokens: a set of chips for claiming and stealing cards.
- App: the free Hitster app scans the cards and plays each song.
- Players: 2 to 10.
- Age: 16 and up.
- Play time: around 30 minutes.
- Publisher: Jumbo.
Where to buy
Because the whole deck is built on German Schlager, this edition is aimed at the German market and turns up most reliably at German shops, where the recommended price sits around €26.99 and discounts below that are common. Stock and language options move from country to country, so if you're outside Germany the official Hitster website is the quickest way to see what reaches your region. A few verified German listings to start from:
- Germany: Müller (around €19.99 on a temporary offer, recommended price €26.99), with listings also at Amazon.de and Thalia.
- Electronics and toy retailers: also listed at retailers such as MediaMarkt and expert, with typical prices clustering around €18 to €26.
Prices depend on the retailer and your region, so it's worth comparing a few listings before you buy.
Prefer to play digitally?
If it's the guess the song and place the year timeline game you're after, but you'd rather skip the box, the cards, and the setup, you can play the same style of game right on your phone. Tunigma plays the songs itself, with no cards to scan and no Spotify, Apple Music, or other streaming app or subscription, and it's a free download. It doesn't have a dedicated Schlager genre, but it does have Germany as a selectable region, so you can filter to German music and build your own run on the timeline, or pick a different mood by decade and genre. There's a fuller look on the Hitster alternative page, and an overview of the boxed range on the Hitster editions page.
Coming soon
Frequently asked questions
What is Hitster Schlager Party?
It's a themed edition of the Hitster music timeline game, filled with German Schlager, the singalong party hits of Oktoberfest tents, après-ski bars, and family celebrations. The rules match the original: you hear a song and place it on your timeline by release year, but the whole deck is built on Schlager.
How is it different from the original Hitster?
The rules are the same. What changes is the song pool. The original spreads across international hits of the last century, while Schlager Party focuses on German Schlager, which gives the table a warmer, louder, singalong mood built around one music culture.
What counts as Schlager?
Schlager is a German genre built on simple, upbeat melodies and big singalong choruses. It runs from classic mid-century hits through party and après-ski anthems to a modern Schlager pop wave, and it's the go-to sound for Oktoberfest, street festivals, and party nights.
How many cards and songs does it have?
The box holds over 300 Schlager song cards with QR codes, along with a set of tokens for claiming and stealing cards.
How many people can play?
Two to ten can join in, and the singalong really lands with a full, loud table. The box is rated 16 and up, and a round runs about half an hour.
Can I combine it with other Hitster editions?
Yes. It's a complete game that needs no base set, and because it uses the same timeline rules its Schlager cards mix straight into your other Hitster boxes whenever you want a longer, broader game.
Where can I buy it and how much is it?
It's a German edition, easiest to find at German retailers such as Müller, Amazon.de, Thalia, MediaMarkt, and expert. The recommended price is around €26.99, with offers often dropping toward €18 to €20. Availability elsewhere depends on your region, so check the official Hitster site.
Is there a digital version of this kind of game?
The boxed edition needs the cards and the Hitster app to hear each track. If you'd rather skip both, Tunigma is a separate app that plays the music itself, with nothing to scan and no streaming subscription. It has no dedicated Schlager genre, but choosing Germany as a region, plus decade and genre filters, lets you build a German-leaning run of your own.
Hitster is a trademark of its respective owner. Tunigma is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hitster.