Everything you need to set up, play and look after your Lunchbox games. Pick a game above for its own guide, or read the general questions below.
Getting started
- Create a free account. Go to My games (or press Log in / Sign up at the top of any page) and fill in the short Create account form. You need an account before you can activate a game. Only the host (the person who owns the game) needs one. Players never do.
- Open your lunchbox and find the activation card inside the lid.
- Type the code from the card into the Create account form, or into My games after you log in, and press Activate. The game’s portal unlocks straight away.
- Open the portal to set up your game, then hand out the pieces and start tapping.
Tapping the pieces
Do players need to install an app?
No. Every piece holds a web link. Tapping it with a phone opens the game in the phone’s browser.
Which phones work?
iPhone: iPhone XR, XS, SE (2nd generation) and every newer iPhone read the pieces automatically. iPhone 7, 8 and X can too, after you add the NFC Tag Reader button to Control Center and tap it first. Android: most phones with NFC, with NFC switched on in Settings (search for “NFC”). Some budget Android phones have no NFC at all. Not supported: most iPads and tablets, laptops and smartwatches. Every phone needs a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection.
Where on the phone do I tap?
On an iPhone, hold the piece against the top edge of the back, near the camera. On Android, it’s usually the middle of the back. Hold it still for a second.
Nothing happens when I tap a piece
Check that the screen is unlocked and awake, NFC is on (Android) and the phone isn’t in a thick or metal case. Try the other side of the piece. iPhones don’t read tags while the camera app is open.
A tag opens the wrong page or says it isn’t recognised
The tag may be damaged. Contact us with your kit ID and the piece number, and we’ll send a replacement.
Your account and games
I lost my activation card
Contact us with your order number. Once we’ve checked it, we’ll send you a new code. The old one stops working.
It says my code is already linked to another profile
Each game can belong to one host at a time. If you bought it second-hand, ask the seller to press Release game under My games. If they can’t, contact us with proof of purchase.
How do I sell or give away a game?
Open My games and press Release game on that kit. Its saved data is cleared, and the new owner activates it with the same card. Thrivelings can also be traded with their pet and its progress: see the Thrivelings guide.
Can I use a game more than once?
Yes, forever. Set up a fresh hunt, choose a new mystery case, or keep raising your Thrivelings.
What do you store about my children?
Only what you type in yourself, such as first names and ages in Thrivelings, and the activities you approve. Players who tap pieces aren’t tracked. Ask us any time and we’ll delete your data.
Saved games and plans
What is a saved game slot?
Each Scavenger Hunt and Murder Mystery lunchbox includes 3 saved games: hunts you build, or mystery cases you create with AI or by hand. The built-in mystery cases are always free. When the slots are full, you can buy another slot for R100 from inside the game.
Can I delete a saved game to free up a slot?
No. Saved games stay on the lunchbox for good. You can edit a new one for 24 hours after saving it. After that it locks, but you can load it into the builder as the starting point for a new game.
What happens to saved games if I sell my lunchbox?
They go with it. Saved games and any slots you bought belong to the lunchbox’s unique code, not to your account. When you release the game, the next owner gets them all, and buys any further slots themselves.
What is the Thrivelings Family Plan?
Hatching and viewing your pets is free. The parent area, where you approve activities so pets grow, needs the Family Plan: R59 a month or R590 a year. It’s prepaid and never renews by itself. We email you before it ends, and pets and progress are kept even if it lapses.
Orders and delivery
How do I pay?
Checkout is handled securely by Yoco. You can pay by card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) or Instant EFT. Your card details never reach our website.
When will my lunchbox arrive?
Every kit is packed and its tags are checked before it ships. You’ll get an email when your order is on its way.
Something is missing or broken
Contact us within 14 days of delivery with your order number and a photo, and we’ll replace the piece.
Still stuck? Email support@lunchboxgames.co.za or use the contact form. Include your kit ID (on the activation card, such as S-AB3CD) or your order number, and we’ll get back to you within two working days.