Secret Decoder
The prize at the bottom of the cereal box! Slide a red or blue decoder lens over scribbly box backs to reveal hidden riddles, doodles and codes, then write your own secret for a friend.
- PlayersSolo or 2 · share a secret
- Play time10 min
- Ages6+
- Plays onPhones, tablets & computers
You'll need a NerdHomies account to play. Create one in a few seconds, or log in.
About the game
Remember the red plastic decoder at the bottom of the cereal box? Slide a red or blue decoder lens over scribbly cereal-box backs and the scribbles vanish, revealing hidden riddles, doodles, codes and tangled paths. Then draw your own secret message for a friend.
How to play
- Drag the decoder lens over the scribbles on the card.
- Only trust what you see through the lens. Some fake answers are hiding in plain sight!
- Answer the riddle, pick the hidden doodle, count the stars or type the secret code.
- Later boxes add a blue lens, and some cards need both.
Play together
Write a secret: draw a message with the secret pen, and the game buries it under scribbles. Pass the device to a friend, or send them a link to decode it.
Is it real?
A red filter only lets red light through, so red and pink scribbles look just like the white paper and disappear, while blue ink turns dark. It's the same trick old cereal-box decoders used.
Good for
Visual attention and a little colour science, wrapped up in a silly game you can finish in a few minutes.
Questions grown-ups ask
Do I need to download anything?
No. Every game runs right in your web browser. Open the page and play.
Are there ads?
No. There are no ads anywhere in the arcade, so kids can play without pop-ups or anything to click away.
Does it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Every game is built for touch screens first, in portrait and landscape, and also works with a mouse and keyboard on a computer.
Is it OK for kids?
Yes. The games are made for kids and the grown-ups who play with them. Spooky games stay cute: ghosts giggle and say boo, nothing gory or mean.
Do we need an account?
Yes, a NerdHomies account lets you play every game and keeps your stars and progress. It only takes a few seconds to make one.
How much does it cost?
The arcade is in early access, and right now every game is included with your account. We will always tell members before anything changes.
Can we play together?
Most games have a two-player pass-the-phone mode, and a few are head-to-head or party games for up to six.
