diff --git a/achievement.cpp b/achievement.cpp
index 3e16fe8b..c60a3b49 100644
--- a/achievement.cpp
+++ b/achievement.cpp
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ void achievement_victory(bool hyper) {
   if(chaosmode) return;
   DEBB(DF_STEAM, (debugfile,"after checks\n"))
 
-  int t = savetime + time(NULL) - timerstart;
+  int t = getgametime();
   
   if(hyper && shmup::on) return;
   if(hyper && inv::on) return;
diff --git a/basegraph.cpp b/basegraph.cpp
index 4813cc6f..fe1cd616 100644
--- a/basegraph.cpp
+++ b/basegraph.cpp
@@ -725,6 +725,12 @@ void flashMessages() {
       }
   }
 
+string fullmsg(msginfo& m) {
+  string s = m.msg;
+  if(m.quantity > 1) s += " (x" + its(m.quantity) + ")";
+  return s;
+  }
+
 void addMessageToLog(msginfo& m, vector<msginfo>& log) {
 
   if(size(log) != 0) {
@@ -735,7 +741,7 @@ void addMessageToLog(msginfo& m, vector<msginfo>& log) {
       return;
       }
     }
-  if(size(log) < 200)
+  if(size(log) < 1000)
     log.push_back(m);
   else {
     for(int i=0; i<size(log)-1; i++) swap(log[i], log[i+1]);
@@ -750,6 +756,9 @@ void addMessage(string s, char spamtype) {
 
   msginfo m;
   m.msg = s; m.spamtype = spamtype; m.flashout = false; m.stamp = ticks;
+  m.rtstamp = time(NULL);
+  m.gtstamp = getgametime();
+  m.turnstamp = turncount;
   m.quantity = 1;
   
   addMessageToLog(m, gamelog);
@@ -819,9 +828,7 @@ void drawmessages() {
       int age = msgs[j].flashout * (t - msgs[j].stamp);
       poly_outline = gradient(bordcolor, backcolor, 0, age, 256*vid.flashtime) << 8;
       int col = gradient(forecolor, backcolor, 0, age, 256*vid.flashtime);
-      string s = msgs[j].msg;
-      if(msgs[j].quantity > 1) s += " (x" + its(msgs[j].quantity) + ")";
-      drawmessage(s, y, col);
+      drawmessage(fullmsg(msgs[j]), y, col);
       }
     }
   else {
@@ -829,10 +836,8 @@ void drawmessages() {
       int age = msgs[j].flashout * (t - msgs[j].stamp);
       int x = vid.msgleft ? 0 : vid.xres / 2;
       int y = vid.yres - vid.fsize * (size(msgs) - j) - (ISIOS ? 4 : 0);
-      string s = msgs[j].msg;
-      if(msgs[j].quantity > 1) s += " (x" + its(msgs[j].quantity) + ")";
       poly_outline = gradient(bordcolor, backcolor, 0, age, 256*vid.flashtime) << 8;
-      displayfr(x, y, 1, vid.fsize, s, gradient(forecolor, backcolor, 0, age, 256*vid.flashtime), vid.msgleft ? 0 : 8);
+      displayfr(x, y, 1, vid.fsize, fullmsg(msgs[j]), gradient(forecolor, backcolor, 0, age, 256*vid.flashtime), vid.msgleft ? 0 : 8);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index d1caabcc..5af030d4 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ void initConfig() {
   
   // basic config
   addsaver(vid.flashtime, "flashtime", 8);
+  addsaver(vid.msgleft, "message style", 2);
+  addsaver(vid.msglimit, "message limit", 5);
+  addsaver(vid.timeformat, "message log time format", 0);
+
   addsaver(vid.mobilecompasssize, "mobile compass size", 30);
   addsaver(vid.axes, "movement help", 1);
   addsaver(vid.shifttarget, "shift-targetting", 2);
@@ -302,9 +306,6 @@ void initConfig() {
   
   addsaver(viewdists, "expansion mode");
   
-  addsaver(vid.msgleft, "message style", 2);
-  addsaver(vid.msglimit, "message limit", 5);
-
 #if CAP_SHMUP  
   shmup::initConfig();
 #endif
diff --git a/game.cpp b/game.cpp
index 0d5369ce..1c2df4ba 100644
--- a/game.cpp
+++ b/game.cpp
@@ -3789,7 +3789,6 @@ void killHardcorePlayer(int id, flagtype flags) {
   else {
     canmove = false;
     achievement_final(true);
-    msgscroll = 0;
     }
   }
 
@@ -5669,7 +5668,6 @@ void checkmove() {
 
   if(multi::players > 1 && !multi::checkonly) return;
   if(hardcore) return;
-  msgscroll = 0;
   bool orbusedbak[ittypes];
   
   // do not activate orbs!
diff --git a/hyper.h b/hyper.h
index b0b78abe..643bf483 100644
--- a/hyper.h
+++ b/hyper.h
@@ -237,8 +237,6 @@ namespace shmup {
 
 // graph
 
-extern int msgscroll;
-
 void showMissionScreen();
 
 void restartGraph();
@@ -370,6 +368,7 @@ struct videopar {
   bool drawmousecircle; // draw the circle around the mouse
   bool skipstart;       // skip the start menu
   int quickmouse;       // quick mouse on the map
+  int timeformat;       // time format used in the message log
   };
 
 extern videopar vid;
@@ -1374,6 +1373,9 @@ charstyle& getcs(int id = multi::cpid);
 
 struct msginfo {
   int stamp;
+  time_t rtstamp;
+  int gtstamp;
+  int turnstamp;
   char flashout;
   char spamtype;
   int quantity;
@@ -1582,3 +1584,11 @@ void gainItem(eItem it);
 
 void destroyTrapsOn(cell *c);
 void destroyTrapsAround(cell *c);
+
+extern int messagelogpos;
+
+void showMessageLog();
+
+int getgametime();
+string getgametime_s(int timespent = getgametime());
+extern int stampbase;
diff --git a/init.cpp b/init.cpp
index ccbf1652..ae8f6bf6 100644
--- a/init.cpp
+++ b/init.cpp
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ string buildScoreDescription() {
   
   s += XLAT("HyperRogue for Android");
   s += " ( " VER "), http://www.roguetemple.com/z/hyper/\n";
-  s += XLAT("Date: %1 time: %2 s ", buf, its(savetime + time(NULL) - timerstart));
+  s += XLAT("Date: %1 time: %2 s ", buf, getgametime());
   s += XLAT("distance: %1\n", its(celldist(cwt.c)));
   // s += buf2;
   if(cheater) s += XLAT("Cheats: ") + its(cheater) + "\n";
diff --git a/menus.cpp b/menus.cpp
index fd2a1ea0..1271ff76 100644
--- a/menus.cpp
+++ b/menus.cpp
@@ -659,6 +659,17 @@ void showEuclideanMenu() {
 
 bool showstartmenu;
 
+bool showHalloween() {
+  if(canmove) return false;
+  time_t t = time(NULL);
+  struct tm tm = *localtime(&t);
+  int month = tm.tm_mon + 1;
+  int day = tm.tm_mday;
+  if(month == 10 && day >= 24) return true;
+  if(month == 11 && day <= 7) return true;
+  return false;
+  }
+
 void showStartMenu() {
   gamescreen(2);
 
@@ -700,6 +711,12 @@ void showStartMenu() {
   dialog::addInfo(XLAT("see the visualizations"));
 #endif
 
+  if(showHalloween()) {
+    dialog::addBreak(100);
+    dialog::addBigItem(XLAT1("Halloween"), 'z');
+    dialog::addInfo(XLAT("Halloween mini-game"));
+    }
+
   dialog::addBreak(100);
   dialog::addBigItem(XLAT("main menu"), 'm');
   dialog::addInfo(XLAT("more options"));
@@ -729,6 +746,19 @@ void showStartMenu() {
       if(shmup::on != (uni == 's')) restartGame('s');
       clearMessages();
       welcomeMessage();
+      stampbase = ticks;
+      }
+    else if(uni == 'z') {
+      popScreenAll();
+      resetModes();
+      stampbase = ticks;
+      if(!sphere) {
+        specialland = laHalloween;
+        targetgeometry = gSphere;
+        restartGame('g');
+        vid.alpha = 999;
+        vid.scale = 998;
+        }
       }
 #if CAP_TOUR
     else if(uni == 't') {
@@ -751,8 +781,13 @@ void showStartMenu() {
       quitmainloop = true;
     else if(sym == SDLK_F1)
       gotoHelp(help);
-    else if(sym == SDLK_ESCAPE || sym == ' ')
+    else if(sym == SDLK_ESCAPE || sym == ' ') {
       popScreen();
+      timerstart = time(NULL);
+      stampbase = ticks;
+      clearMessages();
+      welcomeMessage();
+      }
     };
   }
  
@@ -774,3 +809,66 @@ void setAppropriateOverview() {
     }
   }
 
+int messagelogpos;
+int timeformat;
+int stampbase;
+
+string gettimestamp(msginfo& m) {
+  char buf[128]; 
+  switch(timeformat) {
+    case 0:
+      return its(m.turnstamp);
+    case 1:
+      strftime(buf, 128, "%H:%M:%S", localtime(&m.rtstamp));
+      return buf;
+    case 2:
+      snprintf(buf, 128, "%2d:%02d", m.gtstamp/60, m.gtstamp % 60);
+      return buf;
+    case 3:
+      { int t = m.stamp - stampbase; 
+      bool sign = t < 0;
+      if(sign) t = -t;
+      snprintf(buf, 128, "%2d:%02d.%03d", t/60000, (t/1000) % 60, t % 1000);
+      string s = buf;
+      if(sign) s = "-"+s;
+      return s;
+      }
+    }     
+  return "";
+  }
+  
+void showMessageLog() {
+  DEBB(DF_GRAPH, (debugfile,"show message log\n"));
+
+  int lines = vid.yres / vid.fsize - 2;
+  int maxpos = size(gamelog) - lines;
+  messagelogpos = min(messagelogpos, maxpos);
+  messagelogpos = max(messagelogpos, 0);
+    
+  for(int y=0; y<lines && messagelogpos+y < size(gamelog); y++) {
+    msginfo& m = gamelog[messagelogpos+y];
+    displaystr(vid.fsize*8, vid.fsize*(y+1), 0, vid.fsize, fullmsg(m), 0xC0C0C0, 0);
+    displaystr(vid.fsize*7, vid.fsize*(y+1), 0, vid.fsize, gettimestamp(m), 0xC0C0C0, 16);
+    }
+
+  int i0 = vid.yres - vid.fsize;
+  int xr = vid.xres / 80;
+  
+  string timeformats[5] = {"turns", "real time", "game time", "precise", "no time"};
+  
+  displayButton(xr*70, i0, IFM("0 - ") + XLAT("back"), '0', 8);
+  displayButton(xr*10, i0, IFM("c - ") + XLAT("clear"), '0', 8);
+  displayButton(xr*40, i0, IFM("t - ") + XLAT(timeformats[timeformat]), '0', 8);
+  
+  keyhandler = [lines, maxpos] (int sym, int uni) {
+    if(uni == PSEUDOKEY_WHEELDOWN) messagelogpos++;
+    else if(uni == PSEUDOKEY_WHEELUP) messagelogpos--;
+    else if(uni == SDLK_DOWN || uni == SDLK_KP2) messagelogpos++;
+    else if(uni == SDLK_UP || uni == SDLK_KP8) messagelogpos--;
+    else if(uni == SDLK_PAGEUP || uni == SDLK_KP9) messagelogpos -= lines;
+    else if(uni == SDLK_PAGEDOWN || uni == SDLK_KP3) messagelogpos -= lines;
+    else if(uni == 'c') gamelog.clear();
+    else if(uni == 't') { timeformat++; timeformat %= 5; }
+    else if(doexiton(sym, uni)) popScreen();
+    };
+  }
diff --git a/quit.cpp b/quit.cpp
index b19d6c19..fa623df2 100644
--- a/quit.cpp
+++ b/quit.cpp
@@ -6,17 +6,22 @@ bool needConfirmation() {
   return canmove && (gold() >= 30 || tkills() >= 50) && !cheater && !quitsaves();
   }
 
-int msgscroll = 0;
+int getgametime() {
+  return (int) (savetime + (timerstopped ? 0 : (time(NULL) - timerstart)));
+  }
 
-string timeline() {
-    int timespent = (int) (savetime + (timerstopped ? 0 : (time(NULL) - timerstart)));
+string getgametime_s(int timespent) {
   char buf[20];
   sprintf(buf, "%d:%02d", timespent/60, timespent % 60);
+  return buf;
+  }
+
+string timeline() {
   return 
     shmup::on ? 
-      XLAT("%1 knives (%2)", its(turncount), buf)
+      XLAT("%1 knives (%2)", its(turncount), getgametime_s())
     :
-      XLAT("%1 turns (%2)", its(turncount), buf);
+      XLAT("%1 turns (%2)", its(turncount), getgametime_s());
   }
 
 void noaction() {}
@@ -258,29 +263,21 @@ hint hints[] = {
 
   {
     0,
-    []() { 
-      if(canmove) return false;
-      time_t t = time(NULL);
-      struct tm tm = *localtime(&t);
-      int month = tm.tm_mon + 1;
-      int day = tm.tm_mday;
-      if(month == 10 && day >= 24) return true;
-      if(month == 11 && day <= 7) return true;
-      return false;
-      },
+    []() { return showHalloween(); },
     []() {
       dialog::addItem(XLAT("Halloween mini-game"), 'z');
       },
     [] () {
       if(!sphere) {
+        resetModes();
         specialland = laHalloween;
         targetgeometry = gSphere;
-        restartGame('E');
+        restartGame('g');
         vid.alpha = 999;
         vid.scale = 998;
         }
       else {
-        restartGame('E');
+        resetModes();
         vid.alpha = 1;
         vid.scale = 1;
         }
@@ -385,22 +382,6 @@ void showMission() {
     dialog::addInfo(timeline(), 0xC0C0C0);
     }
   
-  msgs.clear();
-  if(msgscroll < 0) msgscroll = 0;
-  int gls = size(gamelog) - msgscroll;
-  int mnum = 0;
-  for(int i=gls-5; i<gls; i++) 
-    if(i>=0) {
-      msginfo m;
-      m.spamtype = 0;
-      m.flashout = true;
-      m.stamp = ticks-128*vid.flashtime-128*(gls-i);
-      m.msg = gamelog[i].msg;
-      m.quantity = gamelog[i].quantity;
-      mnum++,
-      msgs.push_back(m);
-      }
-
   dialog::addBreak(100);
 
 #if CAP_TOUR  
@@ -456,13 +437,10 @@ void showMission() {
     #if CAP_ANDROIDSHARE
     dialog::addItem(XLAT("SHARE"), 's'-96);
     #endif
-    dialog::addBreak(500);
     }
+  dialog::addItem(XLAT("message log"), 'l');
   
   dialog::display();
-
-  if(mnum)
-    displayfr(vid.xres/2, vid.yres-vid.fsize*(mnum+1), 2, vid.fsize/2,  XLAT("last messages:"), 0xC0C0C0, 8);  
   }
 
 void handleKeyQuit(int sym, int uni) {
@@ -480,11 +458,8 @@ void handleKeyQuit(int sym, int uni) {
     restartGame();
     msgs.clear();
     }
-  else if(sym == SDLK_UP || sym == SDLK_KP8 || sym == PSEUDOKEY_WHEELUP) msgscroll++;
-  else if(sym == SDLK_DOWN || sym == SDLK_KP2 || sym == PSEUDOKEY_WHEELDOWN) msgscroll--;
-  else if(sym == SDLK_PAGEUP || sym == SDLK_KP9) msgscroll+=5;
-  else if(sym == SDLK_PAGEDOWN || sym == SDLK_KP3) msgscroll-=5;
   else if(uni == 'v') popScreenAll(), pushScreen(showMainMenu);
+  else if(uni == 'l') popScreenAll(), pushScreen(showMessageLog), messagelogpos = size(gamelog);
   else if(uni == 'z') hints[hinttoshow].action();
   else if(sym == SDLK_F3 || (sym == ' ' || sym == SDLK_HOME)) 
     fullcenter();
@@ -502,7 +477,6 @@ void handleKeyQuit(int sym, int uni) {
   
   else if(doexiton(sym, uni) && !didsomething) {
     popScreen();
-    msgscroll = 0;
     msgs.clear();
     if(!canmove) {
       addMessage(XLAT("GAME OVER"));
@@ -520,7 +494,6 @@ void showMissionScreen() {
   popScreenAll();
   pushScreen(showMission);
   achievement_final(false);
-  msgscroll = 0;
 
 #if CAP_TOUR
   if(!tour::on)