diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index a4ddc0d3..a569d352 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ string explain3D(ld *param) {
   }
 
 void showStereo() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);
   using namespace geom3;
   dialog::init(XLAT("stereo vision config"));
diff --git a/control.cpp b/control.cpp
index 8fcce65d..34488b3e 100644
--- a/control.cpp
+++ b/control.cpp
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ void delayed_reset() {
 
 void show() {
 #if CAP_ORIENTATION
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);
 
   dialog::init(XLAT("scrolling by device rotation"));
diff --git a/geom-exp.cpp b/geom-exp.cpp
index 0ff70f81..ea0db8e5 100644
--- a/geom-exp.cpp
+++ b/geom-exp.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void prepare_torusconfig() {
   }
 
 void showTorusConfig() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   if(euclid) cmode |= sm::TORUSCONFIG;
   gamescreen(2);
   
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ void validity_info() {
 bool showquotients;
 
 void showEuclideanMenu() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);  
   if(cheater) for(int i=0; i<landtypes; i++) landvisited[i] = true;
   for(int i=0; i<landtypes; i++)
diff --git a/goldberg.cpp b/goldberg.cpp
index 6a87e219..4665ec27 100644
--- a/goldberg.cpp
+++ b/goldberg.cpp
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ namespace hr { namespace gp {
     }  
 
   void show() {
-    cmode = sm::SIDE;
+    cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
     gamescreen(0);  
     dialog::init(XLAT("variations"));
     
diff --git a/irregular.cpp b/irregular.cpp
index f0a21fc0..af91d0d6 100644
--- a/irregular.cpp
+++ b/irregular.cpp
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ string irrhelp =
   "For technical reasons, the density cannot be too small.";
 
 void show_gridmaker() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);  
   dialog::init(XLAT("irregular grid"));
   dialog::addSelItem(XLAT("density"), fts(density), 'd');
diff --git a/menus.cpp b/menus.cpp
index f4e2c746..35c6c69d 100644
--- a/menus.cpp
+++ b/menus.cpp
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ void editScale() {
   }
 
 void showDisplayMode() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);
 
   dialog::init(XLAT("special display modes"));
diff --git a/rogueviz-flocking.cpp b/rogueviz-flocking.cpp
index 895fe172..1859c2dc 100644
--- a/rogueviz-flocking.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz-flocking.cpp
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ namespace flocking {
     }
 
   void show() {
-    cmode = sm::SIDE;
+    cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
     gamescreen(0);
     dialog::init(XLAT("flocking"), iinf[itPalace].color, 150, 0);
     
diff --git a/rogueviz-kohonen.cpp b/rogueviz-kohonen.cpp
index 27024234..e4c1a402 100644
--- a/rogueviz-kohonen.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz-kohonen.cpp
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ namespace levelline {
   void show() {
     if(levellines.size() == 0) create();
     gamescreen(0);
-    cmode = vid.xres > vid.yres * 1.4 ? sm::SIDE : 0;
+    cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
     dialog::init("level lines");
     char nx = 'a';
     for(auto &l : levellines) {
diff --git a/rogueviz-staircase.cpp b/rogueviz-staircase.cpp
index 4eb1b726..4482a971 100644
--- a/rogueviz-staircase.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz-staircase.cpp
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ void check() {
   }
 
 void showMenu() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);
   dialog::init(XLAT("Spiral Staircase"), iinf[itPalace].color, 150, 0);
 
diff --git a/rug.cpp b/rug.cpp
index 380f320e..2f0d5197 100644
--- a/rug.cpp
+++ b/rug.cpp
@@ -1766,7 +1766,7 @@ string makehelp() {
   }
 
 void show() {
-  cmode = sm::SIDE;
+  cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(0);
   dialog::init(XLAT("hypersian rug mode"), iinf[itPalace].color, 150, 100);