diff --git a/assets/fonts/x12y20pxScanLine.ttf b/assets/fonts/x12y20pxScanLine.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46900c5
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/fonts/x12y20pxScanLine.ttf differ
diff --git a/assets/loader-fonts.go b/assets/loader-fonts.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..adee5fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/loader-fonts.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package assets
+
+import (
+	"log"
+
+	"github.com/tinne26/etxt"
+)
+
+var FontRenderer = LoadFonts("fonts")
+
+const (
+	GameFont string = "x12y20pxScanLine"
+	FontSize int    = 16
+)
+
+type Texter struct {
+	Renderer *etxt.Renderer
+}
+
+func LoadFonts(dir string) *Texter {
+	fontlib := etxt.NewFontLibrary()
+	_, _, err := fontlib.ParseEmbedDirFonts(dir, assetfs)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Error while loading fonts: %s", err.Error())
+	}
+
+	if !fontlib.HasFont(GameFont) {
+		log.Fatal("missing font: " + GameFont)
+	}
+
+	err = fontlib.EachFont(checkMissingRunes)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	renderer := etxt.NewStdRenderer()
+
+	glyphsCache := etxt.NewDefaultCache(10 * 1024 * 1024) // 10MB
+	renderer.SetCacheHandler(glyphsCache.NewHandler())
+	renderer.SetFont(fontlib.GetFont(GameFont))
+
+	return &Texter{renderer}
+}
+
+// helper function used with FontLibrary.EachFont to make sure
+// all loaded fonts contain the characters or alphabet we want
+func checkMissingRunes(name string, font *etxt.Font) error {
+	const letters = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+	const symbols = "0123456789 .,;:!?-()[]{}_&#@"
+
+	missing, err := etxt.GetMissingRunes(font, letters+symbols)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(missing) > 0 {
+		log.Fatalf("Font '%s' missing runes: %s", name, string(missing))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/assets/loader-sprites.go b/assets/loader-sprites.go
index 6429ee3..7a6fa4c 100644
--- a/assets/loader-sprites.go
+++ b/assets/loader-sprites.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 // Maps image name to image data
 type AssetRegistry map[string]*ebiten.Image
 
-//go:embed levels/*.lvl sprites/*.png
+//go:embed levels/*.lvl sprites/*.png fonts/*.ttf
 var assetfs embed.FS
 
 var Assets = LoadImages("sprites")
diff --git a/game/game.go b/game/game.go
index 2acb0ce..f4e8493 100644
--- a/game/game.go
+++ b/game/game.go
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ type Game struct {
 	World                     *ecs.World
 	Bounds                    image.Rectangle
 	ScreenWidth, ScreenHeight int
-	Scenes                    map[int]Scene
+	Scenes                    map[SceneName]Scene
+	CurrentScene              SceneName
 	Observer                  *observers.GameObserver
 }
 
@@ -25,20 +26,26 @@ func NewGame(width, height, cellsize, startlevel int, startscene int) *Game {
 		World:        &world,
 		ScreenWidth:  width,
 		ScreenHeight: height,
-		Scenes:       map[int]Scene{},
+		Scenes:       map[SceneName]Scene{},
 	}
 
 	observers.NewPlayerObserver(&world)
 	observers.NewParticleObserver(&world)
 	game.Observer = observers.NewGameObserver(&world, startlevel, width, height, cellsize)
 
+	game.Scenes[Welcome] = NewWelcomeScene(game)
 	game.Scenes[Play] = NewLevelScene(game, startlevel)
+	game.CurrentScene = Welcome
 
 	fmt.Println(game.World.Stats().String())
 
 	return game
 }
 
+func (game *Game) GetCurrentScene() Scene {
+	return game.Scenes[game.CurrentScene]
+}
+
 func (game *Game) Update() error {
 	gameobserver := observers.GetGameObserver(game.World)
 	timer := gameobserver.StopTimer
@@ -49,8 +56,12 @@ func (game *Game) Update() error {
 		gameobserver.Score++ // FIXME: use level.Score(), see TODO
 	}
 
-	for _, scene := range game.Scenes {
-		scene.Update()
+	scene := game.GetCurrentScene()
+	scene.Update()
+
+	next := scene.GetNext()
+	if next != game.CurrentScene {
+		game.CurrentScene = next
 	}
 
 	timer.Update()
@@ -59,9 +70,7 @@ func (game *Game) Update() error {
 }
 
 func (game *Game) Draw(screen *ebiten.Image) {
-	for _, scene := range game.Scenes {
-		scene.Draw(screen)
-	}
+	game.GetCurrentScene().Draw(screen)
 }
 
 func (g *Game) Layout(newWidth, newHeight int) (int, int) {
diff --git a/game/levelscene.go b/game/levelscene.go
index a9a4fed..27a43d9 100644
--- a/game/levelscene.go
+++ b/game/levelscene.go
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ type LevelScene struct {
 	Game         *Game
 	CurrentLevel int
 	Levels       []*Level
-	Next         int
-	Whoami       int
+	Next         SceneName
+	Whoami       SceneName
 	UseCache     bool
 }
 
 // Implements the actual playing Scene
 func NewLevelScene(game *Game, startlevel int) Scene {
-	scene := &LevelScene{CurrentLevel: startlevel, Whoami: Play, Game: game}
+	scene := &LevelScene{CurrentLevel: startlevel, Whoami: Play, Next: Play, Game: game}
 
 	scene.GenerateLevels(game)
 	scene.Levels[scene.CurrentLevel].SetupGrid(game)
@@ -33,12 +33,13 @@ func (scene *LevelScene) GenerateLevels(game *Game) {
 }
 
 // Interface methods
-func (scene *LevelScene) SetNext() int {
-	if scene.Whoami != scene.Next {
-		return scene.Next
-	}
+func (scene *LevelScene) SetNext(next SceneName) {
+	scene.Next = next
+}
 
-	return 0
+func (scene *LevelScene) GetNext() SceneName {
+	// FIXME: set to winner or options screen
+	return scene.Next
 }
 
 func (scene *LevelScene) Update() error {
diff --git a/game/scene.go b/game/scene.go
index fdc7c50..5d64933 100644
--- a/game/scene.go
+++ b/game/scene.go
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ const (
 // to render its content onto the running level, e.g. the options scene
 // etc.
 type Scene interface {
-	SetNext() int
+	SetNext(SceneName)
+	GetNext() SceneName
 	Update() error
 	Draw(screen *ebiten.Image)
 }
+
+type SceneName int
diff --git a/game/welcome_scene.go b/game/welcome_scene.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4085ad0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/game/welcome_scene.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"image/color"
+	"log/slog"
+	"openquell/assets"
+
+	"github.com/hajimehoshi/ebiten/v2"
+	"github.com/tinne26/etxt"
+)
+
+type WelcomeScene struct {
+	Game     *Game
+	Next     SceneName
+	Whoami   SceneName
+	UseCache bool
+}
+
+func NewWelcomeScene(game *Game) Scene {
+	scene := &WelcomeScene{Whoami: Welcome, Game: game, Next: Welcome}
+	return scene
+}
+
+func (scene *WelcomeScene) SetNext(next SceneName) {
+	scene.Next = next
+}
+
+func (scene *WelcomeScene) GetNext() SceneName {
+	return scene.Next
+}
+
+func (scene *WelcomeScene) Update() error {
+	switch {
+	case ebiten.IsKeyPressed(ebiten.KeyEnter):
+		slog.Debug("welcome.Update() next")
+		scene.SetNext(Play)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (scene *WelcomeScene) Draw(screen *ebiten.Image) {
+	screen.Clear()
+
+	op := &ebiten.DrawImageOptions{}
+
+	background := assets.Assets["background-lila"]
+	screen.DrawImage(background, op)
+
+	blue := color.RGBA{0, 255, 128, 255}
+
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.SetTarget(screen)
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.SetColor(blue)
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.SetAlign(etxt.YCenter, etxt.XCenter)
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.SetSizePx(45)
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.Draw("Welcome to Open Quell!", 320, 200)
+
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.SetAlign(etxt.Top, etxt.Left)
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.SetSizePx(32)
+	assets.FontRenderer.Renderer.Draw("[press enter to start]", 100, 300)
+
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 3eb6fa8..0aaed6c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@ require (
 	github.com/jezek/xgb v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13 // indirect
 	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.20 // indirect
-	github.com/tlinden/yadu v0.1.2 // indirect
+	github.com/tinne26/etxt v0.0.8 // indirect
+	github.com/tlinden/yadu v0.1.3 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/exp/shiny v0.0.0-20230817173708-d852ddb80c63 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/image v0.12.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/mobile v0.0.0-20230922142353-e2f452493d57 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.3.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.14.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/text v0.13.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 8a3bfcb..ea49675 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -15,8 +15,12 @@ github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.20 h1:xfD0iDuEKnDkl03q4limB+vH+GxLEtL/jb4xVJSWWE
 github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.20/go.mod h1:W+V8PltTTMOvKvAeJH7IuucS94S2C6jfK/D7dTCTo3Y=
 github.com/mlange-42/arche v0.10.0 h1:fEFDAYMAnWa+xHc1oq4gVcA4PuEQOCGSRXSKITXawMw=
 github.com/mlange-42/arche v0.10.0/go.mod h1:gJ5J8vBreqrf4TcBomBFPGnWdE5P3qa4LtxYHn1gDcg=
+github.com/tinne26/etxt v0.0.8 h1:rjb58jkMkapRGLmhBMWnT76E/nMTXC5P1Q956BRZkoc=
+github.com/tinne26/etxt v0.0.8/go.mod h1:QM/hlNkstsKC39elTFNKAR34xsMb9QoVosf+g9wlYxM=
 github.com/tlinden/yadu v0.1.2 h1:TYYVnUJwziRJ9YPbIbRf9ikmDw0Q8Ifixm+J/kBQFh8=
 github.com/tlinden/yadu v0.1.2/go.mod h1:l3bRmHKL9zGAR6pnBHY2HRPxBecf7L74BoBgOOpTcUA=
+github.com/tlinden/yadu v0.1.3 h1:5cRCUmj+l5yvlM2irtpFBIJwVV2DPEgYSaWvF19FtcY=
+github.com/tlinden/yadu v0.1.3/go.mod h1:l3bRmHKL9zGAR6pnBHY2HRPxBecf7L74BoBgOOpTcUA=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.4.13/go.mod h1:6yULJ656Px+3vBD8DxQVa3kxgyrAnzto9xy5taEt/CY=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20210921155107-089bfa567519/go.mod h1:GvvjBRRGRdwPK5ydBHafDWAxML/pGHZbMvKqRZ5+Abc=
@@ -56,6 +60,7 @@ golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.3/go.mod h1:5Zoc/QRtKVWzQhOtBMvqHzDpF6irO9z98xDceosuGiQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.7/go.mod h1:u+2+/6zg+i71rQMx5EYifcz6MCKuco9NR6JIITiCfzQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.7.0/go.mod h1:mrYo+phRRbMaCq/xk9113O4dZlRixOauAjOtrjsXDZ8=
+golang.org/x/text v0.13.0 h1:ablQoSUd0tRdKxZewP80B+BaqeKJuVhuRxj/dkrun3k=
 golang.org/x/text v0.13.0/go.mod h1:TvPlkZtksWOMsz7fbANvkp4WM8x/WCo/om8BMLbz+aE=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20180917221912-90fa682c2a6e/go.mod h1:n7NCudcB/nEzxVGmLbDWY5pfWTLqBcC2KZ6jyYvM4mQ=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20191119224855-298f0cb1881e/go.mod h1:b+2E5dAYhXwXZwtnZ6UAqBI28+e2cm9otk0dWdXHAEo=