generated: '2026-07-19'
method: searched
source: >-
  https://docs.kongregate.com/docs/concepts-virtual-goods +
  https://docs.kongregate.com/docs/concepts-handling-guests +
  https://docs.kongregate.com/docs/concepts-statistics +
  https://docs.kongregate.com/docs/server-side-http
description: >-
  Kongregate has no separate sandbox host and no test/live key pair. Testing happens against
  PRODUCTION api.kongregate.com, isolated instead by game state (preview), by account
  privilege (the developer account transacts at zero cost), and by special access keys.

separation:
  model: production-with-privileged-accounts
  test_host: https://api.kongregate.com/api
  live_host: https://api.kongregate.com/api
  key_prefixes: none
  note: >-
    There is no test-mode API key and no distinct sandbox base URL. The same per-game API key
    is used in every environment, so a leaked key is immediately production-live.

modes:
- name: preview
  description: >-
    A game that has been uploaded but not yet published sits in the "preview" state. It is
    reachable by the developer and by anyone holding the guest access link, and the full
    client and server API surface works against it. This is the primary pre-launch test
    environment.
  docs: https://docs.kongregate.com/docs/concepts-handling-guests

test_credentials:
- name: API key
  where: >-
    Append /api to the full game URL, e.g. https://www.kongregate.com/games/{username}/{game}/api
  description: >-
    The game's private API key. The same page also carries the guest access key and link.
  secret: true
- name: guest_access_key
  where: the game's /api page
  usage: append the guest_access_key query parameter to the game URL
  description: >-
    Lets the developer exercise the game as an unregistered guest while the game is still in the
    preview state, so guest-handling and the registration-box conversion flow can be tested.
  verbatim_value: not published — the key is per-game and issued on the game's own /api page

purchase_testing:
  supported: true
  mechanism: privileged developer account
  description: >-
    The developer account that created or uploaded the game can make free test purchases in
    that game. Every purchase costs 0 Kreds but runs the complete purchase pipeline and is
    fully functional for testing, including the inventory and callback side effects.
  additional_test_accounts: >-
    Not self-service. Developers must send Kongregate the Kongregate usernames they want
    enabled; Kongregate grants those accounts access plus Kreds to test with.
  test_card_numbers: none — Kongregate brokers payment itself via its Kreds virtual currency,
    so no test PANs, test IBANs or hosted test tokens are published
  warning: >-
    The virtual-goods documentation states games will be REJECTED for incorrect in-app-purchase
    implementation, so purchase flows must be exercised end to end before submission.

debugging:
- name: debug_level
  mechanism: query parameter on the game URL
  value: '?debug_level=4'
  description: >-
    Appending ?debug_level=4 to the game's URL logs client and server statistic submissions to
    the browser JavaScript console, so integrations can be verified without instrumenting the
    game.
  docs: https://docs.kongregate.com/docs/concepts-statistics

not_available:
- test clocks / time simulation
- fixture or event-trigger tooling
- a request/response inspector or API log viewer
- webhook replay for the API callback surface
- a mock server or hosted sandbox endpoint

related:
- authentication/kongregate-authentication.yml
- conventions/kongregate-conventions.yml