diff --git a/src/scenes/GameMenuScene.js b/src/scenes/GameMenuScene.js
index a335ea6..8f660b2 100644
--- a/src/scenes/GameMenuScene.js
+++ b/src/scenes/GameMenuScene.js
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ const GRID_TRAVEL = GAME_WIDTH + 800;
 export default class GameMenuScene extends Phaser.Scene {
   constructor() { super('GameMenu'); }
 
+  init(data) {
+    // Set when coming back from the opponent picker — restore that category.
+    this._initialCategory = (data && data.category) || null;
+    // scene.start() reuses the existing scene instance, so instance props from
+    // the previous visit survive — reset them so this create() starts clean
+    // (otherwise showCategory()'s "same category" guard swallows the restore).
+    this._currentCategory = null;
+    this._gridAnim = null;
+  }
+
   async create() {
     playMenuMusic();
     const cx = GAME_WIDTH / 2;
@@ -121,9 +131,15 @@ export default class GameMenuScene extends Phaser.Scene {
 
     this._backBtn = new Button(this, cx, GAME_HEIGHT - 60, 'Back', () => this.scene.start('Landing'), { variant: 'ghost' });
 
+    // Returning from the opponent picker: restore the category that was
+    // active when the game was chosen — its grid flies back in from the right.
+    if (this._initialCategory) {
+      this.showCategory(this._initialCategory);
+    }
+
     // The landing scene zooms the logo out before starting us, so fade the
     // menu controls in to complete the handoff.
-    const fadeIn = [...Object.values(this._tabs), ...Object.values(this._tabIcons), this._hintText, this._backBtn];
+    const fadeIn = [...Object.values(this._tabs), ...Object.values(this._tabIcons), this._hintText, this._backBtn].filter(Boolean);
     for (const obj of fadeIn) obj.setAlpha(0);
     this.tweens.add({
       targets: fadeIn,
diff --git a/src/scenes/OpponentSelectScene.js b/src/scenes/OpponentSelectScene.js
index 1ffa67f..4b1eb9b 100644
--- a/src/scenes/OpponentSelectScene.js
+++ b/src/scenes/OpponentSelectScene.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as Phaser from 'phaser';
 import { GAME_HEIGHT, GAME_WIDTH, COLORS } from '../config.js';
 import { Button } from '../ui/Button.js';
+import { Plaque } from '../ui/Plaque.js';
 import { playMenuMusic, stopMenuMusic, setMenuMusicVolume } from '../ui/MenuMusic.js';
 import { enqueue as enqueueSpeech, resetQueue as resetSpeechQueue } from '../ui/SpeechQueue.js';
 
@@ -17,8 +18,8 @@ const CARD_TILE_GAP = 14;
 
 // Opponent grid scroll area
 const OPP_SCROLL_W = 1780;
-const OPP_SCROLL_H = 440;
-const OPP_SCROLL_TOP = 155; // top edge of scroll area
+const OPP_SCROLL_H = 415;
+const OPP_SCROLL_TOP = 180; // top edge of scroll area (below the subtitle plaque)
 
 export default class OpponentSelectScene extends Phaser.Scene {
   constructor() { super('OpponentSelect'); }
@@ -58,21 +59,32 @@ export default class OpponentSelectScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.add.image(cx, GAME_HEIGHT / 2, bgKey).setDisplaySize(GAME_WIDTH, GAME_HEIGHT).setDepth(-1);
     this.add.rectangle(cx, GAME_HEIGHT / 2, GAME_WIDTH, GAME_HEIGHT, 0x000000, 0.45).setDepth(-1);
 
-    const titleText = this.add.text(cx, 60, this.gameDef.name, {
+    // Brass-plaque headers, same treatment as the game menu headings. The
+    // subtitle plaque sits in the band between the title plaque and the
+    // opponent list (OPP_SCROLL_TOP) — keep those in sync if you move either.
+    const TITLE_Y = 55;
+    const PLATE_GAP = 10;
+    const titleText = this.add.text(cx, TITLE_Y, this.gameDef.name, {
       fontFamily: 'Righteous',
       fontSize: '52px',
       color: COLORS.textHex,
     }).setOrigin(0.5);
-    const titlePill = this.add.rectangle(cx, 60, titleText.width + 48, titleText.height + 20, 0x000000, 0.72);
-    this.children.moveBelow(titlePill, titleText);
+    titleText.setLetterSpacing(2);
+    titleText.setShadow(0, 4, 'rgba(0,0,0,0.9)', 8);
+    const titlePlate = new Plaque(this, titleText.width + 64, titleText.height + 28).setPosition(cx, TITLE_Y);
+    this.children.moveBelow(titlePlate, titleText);
 
-    const subtitleText = this.add.text(cx, 122, 'Choose your opponent', {
+    const subtitleText = this.add.text(cx, 0, 'Choose your opponent', {
       fontFamily: 'Righteous',
       fontSize: '36px',
       color: COLORS.mutedHex,
     }).setOrigin(0.5);
-    const subtitlePill = this.add.rectangle(cx, 122, subtitleText.width + 48, subtitleText.height + 20, 0x000000, 0.72);
-    this.children.moveBelow(subtitlePill, subtitleText);
+    subtitleText.setShadow(0, 3, 'rgba(0,0,0,0.8)', 5);
+    const subPlateH = subtitleText.height + 28;
+    const subtitleY = TITLE_Y + (titleText.height + 28) / 2 + PLATE_GAP + subPlateH / 2;
+    subtitleText.setY(subtitleY);
+    const subtitlePlate = new Plaque(this, subtitleText.width + 64, subPlateH, { radius: 16 }).setPosition(cx, subtitleY);
+    this.children.moveBelow(subtitlePlate, subtitleText);
 
     let opponents = [];
     try {
@@ -87,7 +99,7 @@ export default class OpponentSelectScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
 
     const min = this.gameDef.minOpponents ?? 1;
-    new Button(this, cx - 150, 1013, 'Back', () => this.scene.start('GameMenu'), {
+    new Button(this, cx - 150, 1013, 'Back', () => this.scene.start('GameMenu', { category: this.gameDef.category }), {
       variant: 'ghost',
       width: 280,
     });