How long does a game take?+
A game takes as long as you want it to. You can answer a single question (about 30 seconds) or keep going until you run out of lives. Most players play 3–10 minute sessions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about STARKO — gameplay, accounts, purchases and technical questions. Don't see your question? Email us at hello@starko.app.
Gameplay
How do I earn clues and Ancient Maps?+
Every right answer gives clues (1–5 depending on difficulty). When you accumulate 100 clues, the game automatically converts them into 1 Ancient Map, which unlocks the next country in your Journal.
How many countries are there to discover?+
80 countries across 6 continents. The easiest cost 5 maps, the rarest 50. The order is fixed for everyone — you start with the most recognisable.
Can I choose which country to discover next?+
No. Countries unlock in a fixed difficulty order. This is by design — it makes sure every player faces the same challenge in the same order.
How do lives work?+
You have 5 lives. Each wrong answer or time-out costs 1 life. Lives recharge at 1 per 12 minutes, or you can watch a short video to recover 1 life instantly.
What are the 50/50 and Extra Time power-ups?+
50/50 eliminates two wrong answers, leaving only two options (one right, one wrong). Extra Time adds 10 seconds to the clock. Each has limited charges that come from the Welcome Pack or the Shop.
How does my rank go up?+
Rank is based on total stars earned: Novice (0), Apprentice (500), Expert (2,000), Specialist (5,000), Master (10,000), Legend (25,000). Wrong answers don't reduce your rank — they just don't add.
Account and Trial Mode
Do I need to create an account to play?+
Not to start. The first 3 questions are completely free and count as a trial. To save progress and discover more countries, you need an account — we create it with a magic link by email, no password.
What personal data do you collect?+
Just your email (for authentication) and your game progress (stars, discovered countries, streaks). We never ask for a password or personal data. For the full breakdown, read the Privacy Policy.
Can I have multiple accounts?+
Each person can only have one account. Our anti-cheat system detects multiple accounts on the same device and may suspend the accounts involved.
How do I delete my account?+
Email privacy@starko.app asking for deletion. Your data is removed within 30 days, in line with GDPR.
What happens to my trial progress when I create an account?+
It's automatically transferred to the new account. You don't lose any of the stars or clues you earned without logging in.
What languages is it available in?+
Portuguese and English, with full parity — every question, description and UI element exists in both languages.
Is there a country leaderboard or world ranking?+
Yes, there's a global star leaderboard. Regional and clan leaderboards are planned for a future release.
Purchases and Refunds
Are there subscriptions?+
No. STARKO uses one-time purchases only — pay once, get the product. No recurring charges, ever.
What products can I buy?+
Infinite Lives (30 or 60 minutes), 50/50 Pack (20 charges), Welcome Pack (500 stars + 5 lives + 5 charges + 3 premium days), and No Ads (automatic life recovery, forever).
Do prices include VAT?+
Yes. Prices shown at checkout include applicable VAT (collected via Stripe Tax). For EU users, VAT is charged according to your country.
How do I request a refund?+
Contact us at support@starko.app within 14 days of purchase. Consumable items (stars, lives, power-up charges) that have already been used can't be reversed.
What is the Welcome Pack?+
A one-time offer for new players: 500 stars + 5 lives + 5 50/50 charges + 3 days with premium theme access. Only available in the first 48 hours after creating your account, for €2.99 (down from €6.99).
Can I earn power-ups without paying?+
Yes. Power-ups are distributed via the daily bonus (from streak day 5) and as rewards for some achievements. Buying is just a way to speed things up.
Does No Ads cover the whole game?+
Yes. One-time purchase, lifetime. It removes the option to watch a video to recover lives; instead, lives recover automatically as time passes.
Technical and Security
Does STARKO work offline?+
Partially. Pages you've visited are cached via Service Worker. The game itself requires an internet connection to validate answers.
Can I install STARKO on my phone?+
Yes. STARKO is a Progressive Web App (PWA) — open the site in Safari (iOS) or Chrome (Android) and use 'Add to Home Screen' to install it like a regular app.
How do you detect cheating?+
We use a multi-layer system: suspicious response timings (too fast or too consistent), sudden accuracy spikes, device fingerprinting for multi-account detection, and atomic answer validation on the server (we never trust the client alone).
Is my data encrypted?+
Yes. All connections use HTTPS. There are no passwords (magic-link authentication). Data at rest is on Neon (managed PostgreSQL) with disk-level encryption.
What browsers are supported?+
The last 2 years of Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge. For iOS, Safari 15+ is the minimum (Service Workers and WebShare support).
Where do I report bugs?+
Email support@starko.app with what happened, what you expected, and (if possible) a screenshot. We respond within 1–2 business days.