romdevtools 0.28.0 → 0.30.0

package/examples/sms/templates/sports.c

@@ -1,194 +1,702 @@
-/* ── sports.c — SMS two-player Pong scaffold ────────────────────────
+/* ── sports.c — SMS head-to-head court sports game (complete example) ─────────
  *
- * Two-player Pong on the SMS. Both controller ports are wired:
- *   Player 1 (PORT_JOY_A low 6 bits) — UP/DOWN moves left paddle
- *   Player 2 (PORT_JOY_A high 2 bits + PORT_JOY_B low 4 bits) — UP/DOWN
- *     moves right paddle. SMS splits P2 awkwardly across two ports;
- *     sms_joypad_read_p2() reassembles into the same bit layout as P1.
+ * DEUCE DASH — a COMPLETE, working game: title screen with a 1P-vs-CPU /
+ * 2P-versus pick, a beatable CPU opponent, 2P SIMULTANEOUS versus (P2 on
+ * PORT B), first-to-5 match flow into a result screen, PSG music + SFX, and
+ * a persistent record (longest 1P win streak vs the CPU) in Sega-mapper cart
+ * RAM. The court renders under the SMS's signature LINE-INTERRUPT split: a
+ * fixed HUD strip over the playfield, timed by the VDP's programmable line
+ * counter.
  *
- * When no P2 controller is plugged in, the right paddle falls back to
- * "chase the ball" AI so the game is still playable solo.
+ * The game: Pong's lineage — two paddles, a bouncing ball, a netted court.
+ * UP/DOWN move your paddle; deflect the ball back, score when it passes the
+ * far paddle, first to 5 wins the match. The deflection angle depends on
+ * WHERE the ball hits the paddle (centre = flat, edges = steep) — and a steep
+ * edge hit is exactly how a human out-angles the 1px/frame CPU.
  *
- * Designed for the romdev playtest window — plug in a second pad
- * mid-session and player 2 starts working without a restart.
+ * THIS FILE IS MEANT TO BE FORKED AND MODIFIED into your own game — even a
+ * very different one. The markers tell you what's what:
+ *   HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing) — dodges a documented SMS footgun; reshape
+ *     your gameplay around it (see TROUBLESHOOTING before changing).
+ *   GAME LOGIC (clay) — court art, ball physics, CPU skill, scoring rules:
+ *     reshape freely.
+ *
+ * What depends on what:
+ *   sms_hw.h / vdp_init.c / load_palette.c / load_tiles.c / sprite_table.c /
+ *     joypad_read.c — the bundled VDP + input runtime (this file's externs).
+ *   sms_sfx.{h,c} + sms_music.{h,c} — SN76489 PSG sound layers.
+ *   sms_crt0.s — boot + vector table. Its $0038 IM-1 handler is the OTHER
+ *     HALF of the line-interrupt idiom below: it acks the VDP (one status
+ *     read clears BOTH the frame and line IRQ flags) and returns with
+ *     ei/reti. Load-bearing; edit with TROUBLESHOOTING open.
+ *
+ * THE VERSUS LESSON (shared with the NES/Genesis sports examples): the SMS is
+ * fully deterministic. Two fixed strategies — say, an idle player and a
+ * ball-chasing CPU — lock into an INFINITE rally loop (the exact same cycle,
+ * forever; the match never ends). A versus game NEEDS a noise source: a ±1
+ * random "spin" on every paddle return, ticked once per play frame, so two
+ * identical game states a few seconds apart diverge and SOMEONE eventually
+ * reaches 5. The verify harness proves this: an idle 1P-vs-CPU match must
+ * provably END. (See deflect() + the random8() tick in the play loop.)
+ *
+ * Frame budget (NTSC, 60fps): 2 paddles (3 stacked sprites each) + 1 ball =
+ * 7 SAT slots, two AABB paddle tests, a handful of gated HUD writes — a
+ * fraction of one frame even on the 3.58MHz Z80. The only thing we budget is
+ * the HUD's software 16-bit divisions (see the BUDGET FOOTGUN at the main
+ * loop), exactly as the platformer/puzzle do.
+ *
+ * SDCC FOOTGUN (bites every fork): uint8 loop bounds silently wrap —
+ * `for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 24 * 32; i++)` is an INFINITE loop (768 > 255;
+ * SDCC even warns "comparison is always true"). Treat that warning as an
+ * error: widen the counter to uint16_t or keep loops nested per-row like the
+ * painters below.
  */
 #include "sms_hw.h"
 #include "sms_sfx.h"
 #include "sms_music.h"
 #include <stdint.h>
 
+/* The title screen renders this — examples({op:'fork'}) stamps your game's
+ * name here automatically. Keep it ≤16 chars of A-Z 0-9 space dash. */
+#define GAME_TITLE "DEUCE DASH"
+
 extern void    sms_vdp_init(void);
+extern void    sms_vdp_write_reg(uint8_t reg, uint8_t value);
 extern void    sms_vdp_display_on(void);
+extern void    sms_vdp_display_off(void);
+extern void    sms_vdp_set_addr(uint16_t addr, uint8_t prefix);
 extern void    sms_load_palette(const uint8_t *palette);
 extern void    sms_load_tiles(uint16_t vram_dest, const uint8_t *src, uint16_t byte_count);
 extern void    sms_set_tilemap_cell(uint8_t row, uint8_t col, uint8_t tile_idx, uint8_t attr);
-extern void    sms_vblank_wait(void);
 extern uint8_t sms_joypad_read(void);
 extern uint8_t sms_joypad_read_p2(void);
 extern void    sms_sprite_init(void);
 extern void    sms_sprite_set(uint8_t slot, uint8_t x, uint8_t y, uint8_t tile);
 extern void    sms_sat_upload(void);
 
-#define COURT_TOP   8
-#define COURT_BOT   184
-#define PADDLE_H    24
-#define BALL_SIZE   8
-#define PADDLE_X1   16
-#define PADDLE_X2   232
-
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay — reshape freely) ──────────────────────────────────────
+ * Palettes. SMS CRAM is 2-2-2 BGR (--BBGGRR): R bits 0-1, G bits 2-3,
+ * B bits 4-5. White = 0x3F. BG colour 0 doubles as the backdrop/border. */
 static const uint8_t palette[32] = {
-  /* BG: 0 = backdrop, 1 = court green, 2 = court line / net white */
-  0x10, 0x08, 0x3F, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+  /* BG: 0 = court navy, 1 = court green, 2 = white (lines + net + text),
+   * 3 = HUD-bar steel */
+  0x10, 0x08, 0x3F, 0x15, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
   0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-  /* Sprite palette: white at idx 1 */
-  0x00, 0x3F, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+  /* Sprites: 1 = P1 cyan, 2 = P2/CPU red, 3 = white ball.
+   * One shared sprite palette on SMS — per-"sprite" colour means per-TILE
+   * colour indices, not per-sprite palettes. */
+  0x00, 0x3C, 0x03, 0x3F, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
   0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
 };
 
-static const uint8_t tile_solid[32] = {
-  0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-  0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-  0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-  0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — BG tile inventory (BG bank $0000) ───────────────────
+ * tile 0          = blank court (colour 0)
+ * tiles 1..37     = font: digits 0-9, A-Z, '-'  (uploaded 1bpp→4bpp below)
+ * tile 38         = court field (solid colour 1 green)
+ * tile 39         = court line / sideline (solid colour 2 white)
+ * tile 40         = dashed net (colour 2 stripe on green)
+ * tile 41         = solid HUD bar (colour 3) — the split seam hides in it */
+#define FONT_BASE  1
+#define BG_FIELD   38
+#define BG_LINE    39
+#define BG_NET     40
+#define BG_HUDBAR  41
+
+/* 1bpp font (same glyph set as the NES/GB examples — 0-9, A-Z, '-').
+ * Stored 8 bytes/glyph; expanded to the SMS's 32-byte 4bpp tiles at upload
+ * (see load_font below), so the ROM carries 296 bytes instead of 1184. */
+static const uint8_t font8[37][8] = {
+  /* 0-9 */
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x6E,0x76,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x18,0x38,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x7E,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x06,0x0C,0x18,0x30,0x7E,0x00}, {0x3C,0x66,0x06,0x1C,0x06,0x66,0x3C,0x00},
+  {0x0C,0x1C,0x3C,0x6C,0x7E,0x0C,0x0C,0x00}, {0x7E,0x60,0x7C,0x06,0x06,0x66,0x3C,0x00},
+  {0x1C,0x30,0x60,0x7C,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x7E,0x06,0x0C,0x18,0x30,0x30,0x30,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x3E,0x06,0x0C,0x38,0x00},
+  /* A-Z */
+  {0x18,0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x7E,0x66,0x66,0x00}, {0x7C,0x66,0x66,0x7C,0x66,0x66,0x7C,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x60,0x60,0x60,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x78,0x6C,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x6C,0x78,0x00},
+  {0x7E,0x60,0x60,0x7C,0x60,0x60,0x7E,0x00}, {0x7E,0x60,0x60,0x7C,0x60,0x60,0x60,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x60,0x6E,0x66,0x66,0x3E,0x00}, {0x66,0x66,0x66,0x7E,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x00},
+  {0x7E,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x7E,0x00}, {0x06,0x06,0x06,0x06,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x00},
+  {0x66,0x6C,0x78,0x70,0x78,0x6C,0x66,0x00}, {0x60,0x60,0x60,0x60,0x60,0x60,0x7E,0x00},
+  {0x63,0x77,0x7F,0x6B,0x63,0x63,0x63,0x00}, {0x66,0x76,0x7E,0x7E,0x6E,0x66,0x66,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x7C,0x66,0x66,0x7C,0x60,0x60,0x60,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x6A,0x6C,0x36,0x00}, {0x7C,0x66,0x66,0x7C,0x6C,0x66,0x66,0x00},
+  {0x3C,0x66,0x60,0x3C,0x06,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x7E,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x00},
+  {0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x00}, {0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x18,0x00},
+  {0x63,0x63,0x63,0x6B,0x7F,0x77,0x63,0x00}, {0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x18,0x3C,0x66,0x66,0x00},
+  {0x66,0x66,0x66,0x3C,0x18,0x18,0x18,0x00}, {0x7E,0x06,0x0C,0x18,0x30,0x60,0x7E,0x00},
+  /* '-' */
+  {0x00,0x00,0x00,0x7E,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00},
+};
+
+/* Expand 1bpp glyphs into 4bpp SMS tiles as colour 2 (plane 1 set → white).
+ * SMS tile rows are 4 bytes: plane0, plane1, plane2, plane3. */
+static void load_font(void) {
+  uint8_t g, r, bits;
+  sms_vdp_set_addr((uint16_t)(FONT_BASE * 32), VDP_VRAM_WRITE);
+  for (g = 0; g < 37; g++) {
+    for (r = 0; r < 8; r++) {
+      bits = font8[g][r];
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = 0;      /* plane 0 */
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = bits;   /* plane 1 → colour index 2 (white) */
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = 0;      /* plane 2 */
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = 0;      /* plane 3 */
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — court furniture tiles (4bpp, 32 bytes each). The
+ * paddles + ball are SPRITES (they move every frame); the court is BG tiles.
+ *   BG_FIELD = solid green (colour 1 = plane 0)
+ *   BG_LINE  = solid white (colour 2 = plane 1): rails + sidelines
+ *   BG_NET   = a centred white stripe over green (the net column)
+ *   BG_HUDBAR= solid steel (colour 3 = planes 0+1): the split seam hides here */
+static const uint8_t court_tiles[32 * 4] = {
+  /* BG_FIELD — solid colour 1 (plane 0) */
+  0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00,
+  0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00,
+  /* BG_LINE — solid colour 2 (plane 1 = white) */
+  0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
+  0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
+  /* BG_NET — centre column white (colour 2), rest green (colour 1) */
+  0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00,
+  0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00,
+  /* BG_HUDBAR — solid colour 3 (planes 0+1 = steel); seam hides here */
+  0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
+  0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
 };
 
-/* Three BG tiles for the court, loaded into the BG tile bank at $0000:
- *   tile 0 = court green (solid colour 1)
- *   tile 1 = court line / border (solid colour 2 = white)
- *   tile 2 = dashed net (colour 2 vertical stripe on green) */
-static const uint8_t bg_tiles[96] = {
-  /* tile 0 = court green (colour 1 -> plane 0 set) */
-  0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00,
-  0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00,
-  0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00,
-  0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x00,0x00,0x00,
-  /* tile 1 = court line / border (colour 2 -> plane 1 set) */
-  0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
-  0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
-  0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
-  0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x00,
-  /* tile 2 = net: centre column colour 2, rest colour 1 (green) */
-  0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00,
-  0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00,
-  0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00,
-  0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00, 0xFF,0x18,0x00,0x00,
+/* Sprite tiles (sprite bank $2000 — vdp_init's R6=0xFF baseline reads sprite
+ * patterns from $2000, so upload there, not $0000). The paddle is a solid 4px
+ * column (players stack 3 of these = 24px tall); the ball is a small disc.
+ * Each on its own sprite colour so P1/P2/ball read distinctly. */
+static const uint8_t sprite_tiles[32 * 3] = {
+  /* T_PADDLE+0 — paddle column, colour 1 (P1 cyan; recoloured per player by
+   * choosing the tile index, see stage_sprites). Plane 0 = colour 1. */
+  0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00,
+  0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x00,0x00,0x00,
+  /* T_PADDLE+1 — paddle column, colour 2 (P2/CPU red). Plane 1 = colour 2. */
+  0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00,
+  0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x3C,0x00,0x00,
+  /* T_BALL — disc, colour 3 (white = planes 0+1) */
+  0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x7E,0x7E,0x00,0x00, 0x7E,0x7E,0x00,0x00,
+  0x7E,0x7E,0x00,0x00, 0x7E,0x7E,0x00,0x00, 0x3C,0x3C,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,
 };
+#define T_PADDLE 0                     /* +0 = P1 (cyan), +1 = P2/CPU (red)   */
+#define T_BALL   2
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay — reshape freely) ──────────────────────────────────────
+ * Court geometry + match rules. The playfield sits below the 3-row HUD strip;
+ * COURT_TOP/BOT (pixels) keep the ball between the top/bottom rails. The two
+ * paddles sit at fixed X near the sides; the ball is one 8x8 sprite. */
+#define HUD_ROWS   3
+#define HUD_PX     (HUD_ROWS * 8)
+#define PADDLE_H   24                  /* 3 stacked 8px sprites               */
+#define BALL_SIZE  8
+#define PADDLE_X1  16                  /* P1 — left side                      */
+#define PADDLE_X2  232                 /* P2/CPU — right side                 */
+#define COURT_TOP  (HUD_PX + 8)        /* first ball pixel below the top rail */
+#define COURT_BOT  184                 /* first pixel row of the bottom rail  */
+#define WIN_SCORE  5                   /* first to 5 takes the match          */
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — game state.
+ * The hot ones are deliberately NON-static: they then appear in the sdld map
+ * (build symbols) at $Cxxx in work RAM, so a headless agent can resolve them
+ * by name and read/poke live state (parse the map → system_ram offset =
+ * addr-0xC000). The SMS has 8KB of work RAM ($C000-$DFFF), so these plain
+ * variables cost nothing. */
+int16_t  p1y, p2y;                     /* paddle top Y (int16: collision math)*/
+int16_t  bx, by;                       /* ball position                       */
+int8_t   bdx, bdy;                     /* ball velocity (px/frame)            */
+uint8_t  score_p1, score_p2;
+uint8_t  two_player;                   /* title pick: 0 = vs CPU, 1 = 2P      */
+uint8_t  state;                        /* ST_TITLE / ST_PLAY / ST_OVER        */
+uint16_t best_streak;                  /* persistent record — see end_match   */
+
+static uint8_t  serve_timer;           /* freeze frames between points        */
+static uint8_t  streak;                /* current 1P-vs-CPU win streak (RAM)  */
+static uint8_t  new_record;            /* result screen shows NEW RECORD      */
+static uint8_t  prev_pad;              /* edge-triggered title/result input   */
+static uint8_t  hud_dirty;             /* score changed → redraw next vblank  */
+static uint8_t  over_step;             /* results text, one piece per vblank  */
+static uint16_t rng = 0xC0A7;
+
+#define ST_TITLE 0
+#define ST_PLAY  1
+#define ST_OVER  2
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — xorshift16 PRNG (~tens of cycles per call).
+ * A versus game NEEDS this: see THE VERSUS LESSON in the file header. Ticked
+ * once per play frame so identical states a few seconds apart still diverge,
+ * and used for the ±1 deflection spin so rallies never repeat. */
+static uint8_t random8(void) {
+  uint16_t r = rng;
+  r ^= r << 7;
+  r ^= r >> 9;
+  r ^= r << 8;
+  rng = r;
+  return (uint8_t)r;
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * LINE-INTERRUPT SPLIT — the SMS's signature trick (fixed status bar over the
+ * playfield, palette splits, water effects). The VDP has ONE scroll register
+ * pair for the whole frame; to keep the HUD strip pinned at the top while the
+ * court renders below it, we DON'T scroll here (a court doesn't scroll) — but
+ * we still take the line IRQ at the bar so the idiom is wired and ready, and
+ * so the per-frame timing (vblank → line IRQ → game logic) matches the
+ * platformer/puzzle exactly. Where the NES needs the sprite-0-hit HACK (park a
+ * sprite, busy-poll a status bit, burn scanlines spinning), the SMS has a
+ * real, PROGRAMMABLE line interrupt:
+ *
+ *   R10 = N        line counter: a down-counter reloaded with N every line
+ *                  outside the active area; underflow → IRQ at line N.
+ *   R0 bit 4 (IE1) line-IRQ enable (already set in vdp_init's 0x36 baseline).
+ *   R1 bit 5 (IE0) frame(vblank)-IRQ enable (set by sms_vdp_display_on's 0xE0).
+ *
+ * Both IRQs land on the Z80's IM-1 vector at $0038. The crt0's handler does
+ * the canonical minimal handshake:  push af / in a,($BF) / pop af / ei / reti
+ * — reading the status port ACKS the VDP (clears BOTH pending flags; skip the
+ * read and the IRQ line stays asserted = interrupt storm), and EI must
+ * precede RETI or interrupts stay off forever after the first one.
+ *
+ * Because the handler does no work, the MAIN loop synchronizes with HALT: the
+ * Z80 sleeps until the next interrupt, then reads the V-counter (port $7E) to
+ * learn WHICH one woke us — line IRQs fire during the active area (V < 0xC0),
+ * the frame IRQ fires at vblank (V ≥ 0xC0).
+ *
+ *   wait_vblank():  sleep until the frame IRQ → do per-frame VRAM work.
+ *   wait_split():   sleep until the line IRQ at the last bar line → past it,
+ *                   the court renders. (If you ADD a scrolling background, this
+ *                   is where you'd write R8 — see the platformer template.)
+ *
+ * FOOTGUN — you cannot poll once IRQs are on: a status-port poll spins on the
+ * same port the ISR reads. The ISR always wins the race, eats the flag, and
+ * the poll loop hangs forever. HALT + V-counter is the IRQ-era replacement.
+ *
+ * Requires: R10 programmed, IE1 + IE0 enabled, EI executed once after
+ * display-on, the crt0's ack-only ISR, and wait_vblank/wait_split called
+ * EVERY frame in this order. R10 reloads after each underflow, so the line
+ * IRQ re-fires every HUD_PX lines all the way down the frame — the later
+ * wakes harmlessly interrupt game logic (the ISR acks them) and we re-halt
+ * inside the NEXT wait_vblank(). */
+#define SPLIT_LINE (HUD_PX - 1)
+
+static void wait_vblank(void) {
+  /* check-first: if game logic overran into vblank, don't sleep a frame */
+  while (PORT_V_COUNTER < 0xC0) { __asm__("halt"); }
+}
+
+static void wait_split(void) {
+  /* halt-first: vblank work always ends inside vblank (V ≥ 0xC0), and the
+   * first wake at V < 0xC0 is the line IRQ at SPLIT_LINE */
+  do { __asm__("halt"); } while (PORT_V_COUNTER >= 0xC0);
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * record in Sega-mapper cart RAM. The Sega mapper's control register at
+ * $FFFC: bit 3 maps the cart's 8KB battery RAM into $8000-$BFFF (bank slot
+ * 2). Map → copy → unmap; keep the window short so stray pointer bugs can't
+ * shred the save. The block is magic + value + checksum so a never-written
+ * cart (all $FF) reads back as "no save" instead of a garbage record.
+ *
+ * NOTE the $FFFC address: it's IN the WRAM mirror ($C000-$DFFF mirrors at
+ * $E000-$FFFF), so this write also lands in WRAM at $DFFC — the mapper just
+ * snoops the bus. That's why the crt0 parks SP at $DFF0: the bytes above it
+ * ($DFFC-$FFFF) belong to the mapper registers' shadow.
+ *
+ * HONESTY (verified against the bundled gpgx core): gpgx only instantiates
+ * the Sega mapper for ROMs LARGER than 48KB, and this build pipeline emits
+ * 32KB ROMs — so in-emulator the $8000 window stays open-bus (reads $FF), the
+ * magic check fails, and the game falls back to the WRAM record (in-session
+ * only). The code below is still the correct real-hardware idiom and lights up
+ * unchanged on a >48KB build or a cart with battery RAM: the load path is
+ * self-falsifying, never wrong. (The verify harness pads this ROM to 64KB to
+ * exercise the cart-RAM path for real, including across power-cycle.) */
+#define MAPPER_CTRL (*(volatile uint8_t *)0xFFFC)
+#define CART_RAM    ((volatile uint8_t *)0x8000)
+
+static void record_save(uint16_t v) {
+  uint8_t lo = (uint8_t)(v & 0xFF), hi = (uint8_t)(v >> 8);
+  MAPPER_CTRL = 0x08;               /* map cart RAM at $8000 */
+  CART_RAM[0] = 0x48;               /* 'H' */
+  CART_RAM[1] = 0x53;               /* 'S' */
+  CART_RAM[2] = lo;
+  CART_RAM[3] = hi;
+  CART_RAM[4] = (uint8_t)(lo ^ hi ^ 0xA5);
+  MAPPER_CTRL = 0x00;               /* back to ROM in slot 2 */
+}
+
+static uint16_t record_load(void) {
+  uint16_t v = 0;
+  MAPPER_CTRL = 0x08;
+  if (CART_RAM[0] == 0x48 && CART_RAM[1] == 0x53 &&
+      CART_RAM[4] == (uint8_t)(CART_RAM[2] ^ CART_RAM[3] ^ 0xA5)) {
+    v = (uint16_t)(CART_RAM[2] | ((uint16_t)CART_RAM[3] << 8));
+  }
+  MAPPER_CTRL = 0x00;
+  return v;
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — text via the font tiles ─────────────────────────────
+ * These write the name table directly, so call them only during vblank (or
+ * with the display off): VRAM access during active display races the VDP's
+ * own fetches and drops/garbles bytes on real hardware. */
+static uint8_t font_tile(char ch) {
+  if (ch >= '0' && ch <= '9') return (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + (ch - '0'));
+  if (ch >= 'A' && ch <= 'Z') return (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + 10 + (ch - 'A'));
+  if (ch == '-') return (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + 36);
+  return 0;                         /* space → blank tile */
+}
+
+static void text_draw(uint8_t row, uint8_t col, const char *s) {
+  while (*s) sms_set_tilemap_cell(row, col++, font_tile(*s++), 0);
+}
+
+static void draw_u16(uint8_t row, uint8_t col, uint16_t v) {
+  uint8_t d[5], i;
+  for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) { d[i] = (uint8_t)(v % 10); v /= 10; }
+  for (i = 0; i < 5; i++)
+    sms_set_tilemap_cell(row, (uint8_t)(col + i), (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + d[4 - i]), 0);
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * Split the HUD into STATIC labels (drawn ONCE, display off) and DYNAMIC
+ * scores (a handful of cells, gated behind hud_dirty during play). WHY: the
+ * vblank window has a finite VRAM budget — the SAT upload alone is 192 OUTs.
+ * A clear-the-whole-row + re-letter-everything redraw EVERY frame overruns
+ * that budget; the writes that land after the line IRQ (at line 23) get
+ * dropped, and a glyph silently vanishes from the bar (it bit this template:
+ * the 'S' of BEST disappeared). So the labels go in with the display off and
+ * only the few digit cells change in-band. Same discipline the platformer/
+ * puzzle templates use. ── */
+static void draw_hud_labels(void) {
+  text_draw(0, 1, "P1");
+  text_draw(0, 12, "BEST");
+  if (two_player) text_draw(0, 26, "P2");
+  else            text_draw(0, 25, "CPU");
+}
+
+static void draw_hud_scores(void) {
+  sms_set_tilemap_cell(0, 4, (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + (score_p1 > 9 ? 9 : score_p1)), 0);
+  draw_u16(0, 17, best_streak);
+  sms_set_tilemap_cell(0, 29, (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + (score_p2 > 9 ? 9 : score_p2)), 0);
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — screen painters (DISPLAY OFF: free VRAM access, clean
+ * cut). While the display is off the frame IRQ doesn't fire — so no halt-based
+ * waits in here, or you hang forever.
+ *
+ * PERF FOOTGUN (inherited from the shmup, found the slow way): per-cell
+ * sms_set_tilemap_cell redoes the 4-OUT address setup for every cell — over a
+ * full screen that's seconds of black. Set the VRAM address ONCE per row (the
+ * data port autoincrements through the row's 64 bytes) and stream. */
+static uint8_t court_tile(uint8_t r, uint8_t c) {
+  if (r == 2) return BG_HUDBAR;                 /* HUD bar row (split seam)  */
+  if (r < 3) return 0;                          /* HUD text + breather rows  */
+  if (r == 3 || r == 23) return BG_LINE;        /* top + bottom rails        */
+  if (c == 0 || c == 31) return BG_LINE;        /* side lines                */
+  if (c == 15) return BG_NET;                   /* centre net                */
+  return BG_FIELD;                              /* green field               */
+}
+
+static void paint_court_field(void) {
+  uint8_t r, c;
+  for (r = 0; r < 24; r++) {
+    sms_vdp_set_addr((uint16_t)(0x3800 + (uint16_t)r * 64), VDP_VRAM_WRITE);
+    for (c = 0; c < 32; c++) {
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = court_tile(r, c);   /* name-table entry low byte    */
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = 0;                  /* high byte: flips/pal/priority */
+    }
+  }
+}
 
-/* Paint the whole 32x24 court: green field, white top/bottom border lines,
- * and a dashed net down the centre column. BG tile bank is $0000. */
-static void draw_court(void) {
-  uint8_t row, col;
-  for (row = 0; row < 24; row++) {
-    for (col = 0; col < 32; col++) {
-      uint8_t t = 0;                              /* green field          */
-      if (row <= 1 || row >= 22) t = 1;           /* white top/bottom lines */
-      else if (col == 1 || col == 30) t = 1;      /* white sidelines        */
-      else if (col == 16) t = 2;                  /* solid centre net       */
-      sms_set_tilemap_cell(row, col, t, 0);
+static void paint_blank_field(void) {
+  uint8_t r, c;
+  for (r = 0; r < 24; r++) {
+    sms_vdp_set_addr((uint16_t)(0x3800 + (uint16_t)r * 64), VDP_VRAM_WRITE);
+    for (c = 0; c < 32; c++) {
+      uint8_t t = (r == 2) ? BG_HUDBAR : 0;   /* row 2 = HUD bar (split seam) */
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = t;                      /* name-table entry low byte    */
+      PORT_VDP_DATA = 0;                      /* high byte: flips/pal/priority */
     }
   }
 }
 
-static int16_t p1y, p2y, bx, by;
-static int8_t  bdx, bdy;
-static uint8_t score_p1, score_p2;
-static uint8_t serve_timer;
+static void paint_title(void) {
+  sms_vdp_display_off();
+  paint_blank_field();
+  text_draw(7, (uint8_t)((32 - (sizeof(GAME_TITLE) - 1)) / 2), GAME_TITLE);
+  text_draw(11, 9, "1P VS CPU - 1");
+  text_draw(13, 9, "2P VERSUS - 2");
+  text_draw(17, 10, "BEST STREAK");
+  draw_u16(17, 22, best_streak);
+  sms_sprite_init();                /* park every sprite off-screen */
+  sms_sat_upload();
+  sms_vdp_display_on();             /* re-enables the frame IRQ too */
+}
+
+static void paint_play(void) {
+  sms_vdp_display_off();
+  paint_court_field();
+  draw_hud_labels();                /* static — drawn once with the display off */
+  draw_hud_scores();
+  sms_sprite_init();
+  sms_sat_upload();
+  sms_vdp_display_on();
+}
 
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — serve: ball to centre, toward the chosen side ── */
 static void serve_ball(uint8_t to_left) {
   bx = 124;
-  by = 90;
+  by = (COURT_TOP + COURT_BOT) / 2;
   bdx = to_left ? -2 : 2;
-  bdy = ((score_p1 + score_p2) & 1) ? -1 : 1;
-  serve_timer = 30;
+  bdy = ((score_p1 + score_p2) & 1) ? -1 : 1;   /* alternate the angle */
+  serve_timer = 30;                             /* half-second breather */
 }
 
-static void reset_match(void) {
-  p1y = 84; p2y = 84;
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — start a match ── */
+static void start_match(uint8_t players) {
+  two_player = players;
+  p1y = (COURT_TOP + COURT_BOT) / 2 - PADDLE_H / 2;
+  p2y = p1y;
   score_p1 = 0; score_p2 = 0;
+  new_record = 0;
+  /* Stir the PRNG with time-spent-on-title so matches differ. */
+  rng ^= (uint16_t)((uint16_t)PORT_V_COUNTER << 3);
+  if (rng == 0) rng = 0xC0A7;
   serve_ball(0);
+  state = ST_PLAY;
+  paint_play();
+  prev_pad = 0xFF;                  /* the button that started shouldn't move */
+  sfx_tone(0, 200, 10);             /* start jingle */
 }
 
-void main(void) {
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — match over: result + record bookkeeping.
+ * Persistence choice (shared with the NES/Genesis sports examples): for a
+ * VERSUS game a raw hi-score is meaningless (every match ends 5-x), so we
+ * persist the longest 1P win streak against the CPU — the stat a returning
+ * player actually chases. 2P matches never touch it (humans beating each
+ * other isn't a record). One piece of result text per vblank (over_step)
+ * because each draw_u16 is 5 software divisions — see the BUDGET FOOTGUN. ── */
+static void end_match(void) {
+  uint8_t p1_won = (uint8_t)(score_p1 >= WIN_SCORE);
+  if (p1_won && !two_player) {
+    ++streak;
+    if (streak > best_streak) {
+      best_streak = streak;
+      new_record = 1;
+      record_save(best_streak);     /* cart RAM (real hardware); WRAM copy live */
+    }
+  } else if (!p1_won && !two_player) {
+    streak = 0;                     /* the streak dies with the loss */
+  }
+  /* End-of-match whistle: two quick descending tones. */
+  sfx_tone(0, 220, 10);
+  sfx_tone(1, 320, 12);
+  state = ST_OVER;
+  prev_pad = 0xFF;                  /* require a fresh press to leave */
+  over_step = 4;                    /* deferred result draws, one per vblank */
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — one point scored ── */
+static void score_point(uint8_t for_p1) {
+  if (for_p1) { if (score_p1 < 99) ++score_p1; }
+  else        { if (score_p2 < 99) ++score_p2; }
+  sfx_noise(8);
+  hud_dirty = 1;
+  if (score_p1 >= WIN_SCORE || score_p2 >= WIN_SCORE) end_match();
+  else serve_ball(for_p1);          /* loser of the point serves toward winner */
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — paddle hit: deflect by where the ball struck.
+ * Centre = flat-ish, edges = steep. Max |bdy| is 2 — the CPU moves at 1, so an
+ * edge hit is exactly how a human beats it. A ±1 random "spin" on every return
+ * keeps rallies from repeating (see THE VERSUS LESSON). ── */
+static void deflect(int16_t paddle_y) {
+  int16_t rel = (by + BALL_SIZE / 2) - (paddle_y + PADDLE_H / 2);
+  bdy = (int8_t)(rel >> 3);
+  bdy += (int8_t)((random8() & 2) - 1);     /* spin: -1 or +1 */
+  if (bdy > 2) bdy = 2;
+  if (bdy < -2) bdy = -2;
+  if (bdy == 0) bdy = (rel < 0) ? -1 : 1;   /* never return a flat ball */
+  sfx_tone(0, 250, 4);
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — stage this frame's sprites. Paddles + ball are the
+ * only sprites: slots 0-2 = P1 paddle, 3-5 = P2/CPU paddle, 6 = ball. Inactive
+ * (title) slots park at Y=$E0 (below the 192-line area). NEVER park at Y=$D0 —
+ * that's the SAT terminator: the VDP stops scanning at the first $D0 and every
+ * later slot vanishes. ── */
+static void stage_sprites(void) {
   uint8_t i;
-  sms_vdp_init();
+  if (state == ST_TITLE) { sms_sprite_init(); return; }
+  for (i = 0; i < PADDLE_H / 8; i++)
+    sms_sprite_set((uint8_t)(0 + i), PADDLE_X1,
+                   (uint8_t)((int16_t)p1y + (int16_t)i * 8), T_PADDLE + 0);
+  for (i = 0; i < PADDLE_H / 8; i++)
+    sms_sprite_set((uint8_t)(3 + i), PADDLE_X2,
+                   (uint8_t)((int16_t)p2y + (int16_t)i * 8), T_PADDLE + 1);
+  sms_sprite_set(6, (uint8_t)bx, (uint8_t)by, T_BALL);
+}
+
+void main(void) {
+  uint8_t pad, pad2, fresh;
+  int16_t target;
+
+  /* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+   * Init order: VDP regs (display off) → palette → tiles → name table → SAT →
+   * R10 → display on (which also enables the frame IRQ) → EI. The one hard
+   * rule: EI comes LAST, after every register is in place — the crt0 boots
+   * with DI and the FIRST halt would hang forever if interrupts were never
+   * enabled. */
+  sms_vdp_init();                    /* R0=0x36 already has IE1 (line IRQ) set */
   sms_load_palette(palette);
-  sms_load_tiles(0x0000, bg_tiles, 96);     /* BG court tiles -> BG bank $0000 */
-  sms_load_tiles(0x2000, tile_solid, 32);   /* paddle/ball sprite tile -> $2000 */
-  draw_court();
+  load_font();
+  sms_load_tiles((uint16_t)(BG_FIELD * 32), court_tiles, 32 * 4);
+  sms_load_tiles(0x2000, sprite_tiles, 32 * 3);
   sms_sprite_init();
   sfx_init();
   music_init();
-  music_play(0);   /* continuous background music ("no sound" was the playtest verdict) */
-  sms_vdp_display_on();
+  music_play(0);
 
-  reset_match();
+  /* R10 = SPLIT_LINE arms the line counter: IRQ at the last bar line. Set
+   * once — it reloads itself every underflow. */
+  sms_vdp_write_reg(10, SPLIT_LINE);
 
-  do {
-    uint8_t p1, p2;
-    uint8_t slot;
-    int16_t target;
-    sms_vblank_wait();
+  best_streak = record_load();       /* cart RAM if present — else 0 */
+  streak = 0;
+  state = ST_TITLE;
+  prev_pad = 0xFF;
+  paint_title();
+  __asm__("ei");                     /* interrupts live from here on */
+
+  for (;;) {
+    if (state == ST_TITLE) {
+      /* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — title: button 1 = 1P vs CPU, 2 = 2P versus ── */
+      wait_vblank();
+      sfx_update();
+      music_update();
+      wait_split();
+      pad = sms_joypad_read();
+      fresh = (uint8_t)(pad & ~prev_pad);
+      prev_pad = pad;
+      if (fresh & JOY_B1) start_match(0);
+      else if (fresh & JOY_B2) start_match(1);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (state == ST_OVER) {
+      /* Freeze the court; button 1 or 2 returns to the title. */
+      wait_vblank();
+      if (over_step) {                 /* deferred result draws — one/vblank */
+        if (over_step == 4) {
+          for (pad = 1; pad < 32; pad++) sms_set_tilemap_cell(8, pad, 0, 0);
+          text_draw(8, 12, two_player ? (score_p1 >= WIN_SCORE ? "P1 WINS" : "P2 WINS")
+                                      : (score_p1 >= WIN_SCORE ? "P1 WINS" : "CPU WINS"));
+        } else if (over_step == 3) {
+          text_draw(11, 11, "SCORE");
+          sms_set_tilemap_cell(11, 17, (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + (score_p1 > 9 ? 9 : score_p1)), 0);
+          sms_set_tilemap_cell(11, 18, FONT_BASE + 36, 0);   /* '-' */
+          sms_set_tilemap_cell(11, 19, (uint8_t)(FONT_BASE + (score_p2 > 9 ? 9 : score_p2)), 0);
+        } else if (over_step == 2) {
+          if (new_record) text_draw(13, 11, "NEW RECORD");
+        } else {
+          text_draw(16, 10, "START - 1");
+        }
+        over_step--;
+      }
+      wait_split();
+      sfx_update();
+      music_update();
+      pad = sms_joypad_read();
+      fresh = (uint8_t)(pad & ~prev_pad);
+      prev_pad = pad;
+      if (fresh & (JOY_B1 | JOY_B2)) {
+        state = ST_TITLE;
+        prev_pad = 0xFF;
+        paint_title();
+      }
+      stage_sprites();               /* keep the frozen paddles staged */
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    /* ── ST_PLAY ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+     * Frame shape: [vblank: SAT upload + gated HUD writes] → [line IRQ at the
+     * bar] → [rest of frame: game logic]. VRAM traffic stays inside vblank;
+     * logic runs while the VDP draws the court.
+     *
+     * BUDGET FOOTGUN (inherited from the shmup, which found it the hard way):
+     * everything between wait_vblank() and wait_split() must finish before the
+     * line IRQ at line 23 — vblank (70 lines) + the HUD strip (23) ≈ 21k
+     * cycles. The SAT upload eats ~7k of that. An unconditional HUD redraw (a
+     * draw_u16 = 5 software 16-bit divisions) is fine alone, but we still GATE
+     * it behind hud_dirty so it only fires on a scored point, never every
+     * frame — the same discipline the platformer/puzzle use. */
+    wait_vblank();
+    sms_sat_upload();                /* shadow SAT staged at end of last frame */
+    if (hud_dirty) { hud_dirty = 0; draw_hud_scores(); }
     sfx_update();
     music_update();
+    wait_split();                    /* the line-interrupt split — every frame */
 
-    /* Stage SAT first — uploaded at vblank. */
-    slot = 0;
-    /* Left paddle = 3 stacked 8×8 sprites */
-    for (i = 0; i < PADDLE_H / 8; i++)
-      sms_sprite_set(slot++, PADDLE_X1, (uint8_t)(p1y + i * 8), 0);
-    /* Right paddle */
-    for (i = 0; i < PADDLE_H / 8; i++)
-      sms_sprite_set(slot++, PADDLE_X2, (uint8_t)(p2y + i * 8), 0);
-    /* Ball */
-    sms_sprite_set(slot++, (uint8_t)bx, (uint8_t)by, 0);
-    sms_sat_upload();
-
-    p1 = sms_joypad_read();
-    p2 = sms_joypad_read_p2();
-
-    if ((p1 & JOY_UP)   && p1y > COURT_TOP)            p1y -= 2;
-    if ((p1 & JOY_DOWN) && p1y < COURT_BOT - PADDLE_H) p1y += 2;
-
-    /* P2 input if any, otherwise AI. (`target` is declared at the top of the
-     * loop body — SDCC is C89, declarations must precede statements.) */
-    if (p2 != 0) {
-      if ((p2 & JOY_UP)   && p2y > COURT_TOP)            p2y -= 2;
-      if ((p2 & JOY_DOWN) && p2y < COURT_BOT - PADDLE_H) p2y += 2;
+    /* ── GAME LOGIC (clay — reshape freely) from here down ── */
+    random8();                       /* tick the noise source every play frame */
+
+    /* P1 — port 0, up/down, 2px/frame. */
+    pad = sms_joypad_read();
+    if ((pad & JOY_UP)   && p1y > COURT_TOP)            p1y -= 2;
+    if ((pad & JOY_DOWN) && p1y < COURT_BOT - PADDLE_H) p1y += 2;
+
+    if (two_player) {
+      /* P2 — PORT B (sms_joypad_read_p2 reassembles the split $DC/$DD bits),
+       * same speed: a fair simultaneous-versus match. */
+      pad2 = sms_joypad_read_p2();
+      if ((pad2 & JOY_UP)   && p2y > COURT_TOP)            p2y -= 2;
+      if ((pad2 & JOY_DOWN) && p2y < COURT_BOT - PADDLE_H) p2y += 2;
     } else {
-      target = by - PADDLE_H / 2;
-      if (p2y < target && p2y < COURT_BOT - PADDLE_H) p2y += 1;
-      else if (p2y > target && p2y > COURT_TOP)       p2y -= 1;
+      /* CPU — chases the ball centre at 1px/frame (half player speed) with a
+       * small dead zone. Beatable by design: steep deflections outrun it. */
+      target = by + BALL_SIZE / 2 - PADDLE_H / 2;
+      if (p2y + 2 < target && p2y < COURT_BOT - PADDLE_H) p2y += 1;
+      else if (p2y > target + 2 && p2y > COURT_TOP)       p2y -= 1;
     }
 
+    /* Ball update (frozen during the post-point serve pause). */
     if (serve_timer > 0) {
-      serve_timer--;
+      --serve_timer;
     } else {
       bx = (int16_t)(bx + bdx);
       by = (int16_t)(by + bdy);
-      if (by < COURT_TOP) { by = COURT_TOP; bdy = (int8_t)(-bdy); sfx_tone(1, 300, 2); }
-      if (by + BALL_SIZE > COURT_BOT) { by = COURT_BOT - BALL_SIZE; bdy = (int8_t)(-bdy); sfx_tone(1, 300, 2); }
 
+      /* Rail bounce. */
+      if (by < COURT_TOP)              { by = COURT_TOP;             bdy = (int8_t)(-bdy); sfx_tone(1, 300, 2); }
+      if (by + BALL_SIZE > COURT_BOT)  { by = COURT_BOT - BALL_SIZE; bdy = (int8_t)(-bdy); sfx_tone(1, 300, 2); }
+
+      /* Paddle collisions (direction-gated so the ball can't double-hit). */
       if (bdx < 0
-          && bx <= PADDLE_X1 + 8
-          && bx + BALL_SIZE >= PADDLE_X1
-          && by + BALL_SIZE > p1y
-          && by < p1y + PADDLE_H) {
+          && bx <= PADDLE_X1 + 8 && bx + BALL_SIZE >= PADDLE_X1
+          && by + BALL_SIZE > p1y && by < p1y + PADDLE_H) {
         bdx = (int8_t)(-bdx);
         bx = PADDLE_X1 + 8;
-        sfx_tone(0, 250, 3);
+        deflect(p1y);
       }
       if (bdx > 0
-          && bx + BALL_SIZE >= PADDLE_X2
-          && bx <= PADDLE_X2 + 8
-          && by + BALL_SIZE > p2y
-          && by < p2y + PADDLE_H) {
+          && bx + BALL_SIZE >= PADDLE_X2 && bx <= PADDLE_X2 + 8
+          && by + BALL_SIZE > p2y && by < p2y + PADDLE_H) {
         bdx = (int8_t)(-bdx);
         bx = PADDLE_X2 - BALL_SIZE;
-        sfx_tone(0, 250, 3);
+        deflect(p2y);
       }
 
-      if (bx < 4)   { if (score_p2 < 9) score_p2++; sfx_noise(20); serve_ball(0); }
-      if (bx > 252) { if (score_p1 < 9) score_p1++; sfx_tone(0, 180, 16); serve_ball(1); }
+      /* Off either side → point. */
+      if (bx < 4)   score_point(0);    /* past P1 → P2/CPU scores */
+      if (bx > 252) score_point(1);    /* past P2 → P1 scores     */
     }
-  } while (1);
+
+    /* Stage the SAT shadow NOW (RAM only — cheap, any time); the actual VRAM
+     * upload waits for the next vblank at the top of the loop. */
+    stage_sprites();
+  }
 }