diff --git a/api/scores.php b/api/scores.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48df61f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/scores.php
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+header('Content-Type: application/json');
+
+$storageDir = __DIR__ . '/../data';
+$storageFile = $storageDir . '/scores.json';
+
+if (!is_dir($storageDir)) {
+    mkdir($storageDir, 0777, true);
+}
+if (!file_exists($storageFile)) {
+    file_put_contents($storageFile, json_encode([], JSON_PRETTY_PRINT));
+}
+
+function loadScores(string $file): array {
+    $raw = file_get_contents($file);
+    if ($raw === false || trim($raw) === '') {
+        return [];
+    }
+    $decoded = json_decode($raw, true);
+    return is_array($decoded) ? $decoded : [];
+}
+
+function saveScores(string $file, array $scores): void {
+    usort($scores, fn($a, $b) => ($b['score'] ?? 0) <=> ($a['score'] ?? 0));
+    $scores = array_slice($scores, 0, 10);
+    file_put_contents($file, json_encode($scores, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT));
+}
+
+$method = $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] ?? 'GET';
+
+if ($method === 'GET') {
+    $scores = loadScores($storageFile);
+    usort($scores, fn($a, $b) => ($b['score'] ?? 0) <=> ($a['score'] ?? 0));
+    echo json_encode(array_slice($scores, 0, 10));
+    exit;
+}
+
+if ($method === 'POST') {
+    $payload = json_decode(file_get_contents('php://input') ?: '{}', true);
+    $name = trim((string)($payload['name'] ?? 'Anonymous'));
+    $score = (int)($payload['score'] ?? 0);
+
+    if ($name === '') $name = 'Anonymous';
+    $name = mb_substr($name, 0, 20);
+    if ($score < 0) $score = 0;
+
+    $scores = loadScores($storageFile);
+    $scores[] = [
+        'name' => $name,
+        'score' => $score,
+        'date' => date('c')
+    ];
+
+    saveScores($storageFile, $scores);
+
+    echo json_encode(['ok' => true]);
+    exit;
+}
+
+http_response_code(405);
+echo json_encode(['error' => 'Method Not Allowed']);
diff --git a/data/scores.json b/data/scores.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe51488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/scores.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+[]
diff --git a/js/game.js b/js/game.js
index 066080f..79d1700 100644
--- a/js/game.js
+++ b/js/game.js
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@ const canvas = document.getElementById('game');
 const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
 const scoreEl = document.getElementById('score');
 const heartsEl = document.getElementById('hearts');
+const deathScreenEl = document.getElementById('deathScreen');
+const finalScoreEl = document.getElementById('finalScore');
+const leaderboardEl = document.getElementById('leaderboard');
+const saveScoreFormEl = document.getElementById('saveScoreForm');
+const playerNameEl = document.getElementById('playerName');
+const restartBtnEl = document.getElementById('restartBtn');
 
 const keys = new Set();
 const gravity = 1900;
@@ -16,62 +22,87 @@ const waterGaps = [
   { x: 3900, width: 200 }
 ];
 
-const state = {
-  running: true,
-  dead: false,
-  deadReason: '',
-  lastTs: performance.now(),
-  score: 0,
-  stepCarry: 0,
-  cameraX: 0,
-  hearts: 3,
-  hitCooldown: 0,
-  ants: [
-    { x: 1000, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -65, alive: true },
-    { x: 1750, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -70, alive: true },
-    { x: 2600, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -80, alive: true },
-    { x: 3400, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -75, alive: true }
-  ],
-  pterodactyls: [],
-  pteroSpawnTimer: 0,
-  meteors: [],
-  meteorSpawnTimer: 0,
-  player: {
-    x: 160,
-    y: 0,
-    width: 64,
-    height: 76,
-    standingHeight: 76,
-    duckHeight: 48,
-    vx: 0,
-    vy: 0,
-    speed: 300,
-    jumpPower: 760,
-    onGround: true,
-    ducking: false
-  }
-};
-state.player.y = groundY - state.player.height;
+function createInitialState() {
+  return {
+    running: true,
+    dead: false,
+    deadReason: '',
+    lastTs: performance.now(),
+    score: 0,
+    stepCarry: 0,
+    cameraX: 0,
+    hearts: 3,
+    hitCooldown: 0,
+    ants: [
+      { x: 1000, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -65, alive: true },
+      { x: 1750, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -70, alive: true },
+      { x: 2600, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -80, alive: true },
+      { x: 3400, y: groundY - 20, width: 22, height: 20, vx: -75, alive: true }
+    ],
+    pterodactyls: [],
+    pteroSpawnTimer: 0,
+    meteors: [],
+    meteorSpawnTimer: 0,
+    player: {
+      x: 160,
+      y: groundY - 76,
+      width: 64,
+      height: 76,
+      standingHeight: 76,
+      duckHeight: 48,
+      vx: 0,
+      vy: 0,
+      speed: 300,
+      jumpPower: 760,
+      onGround: true,
+      ducking: false
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+let state = createInitialState();
+let saveEligible = false;
 
 window.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
-  if (["ArrowUp", "ArrowDown", "ArrowLeft", "ArrowRight"].includes(e.key)) {
-    e.preventDefault();
-  }
+  if (["ArrowUp", "ArrowDown", "ArrowLeft", "ArrowRight"].includes(e.key)) e.preventDefault();
   keys.add(e.key);
-  if (e.key === 'ArrowUp' && state.player.onGround) {
+  if (e.key === 'ArrowUp' && state.player.onGround && state.running) {
     state.player.vy = -state.player.jumpPower;
     state.player.onGround = false;
   }
 });
 window.addEventListener('keyup', (e) => keys.delete(e.key));
 
+restartBtnEl.addEventListener('click', () => {
+  state = createInitialState();
+  keys.clear();
+  deathScreenEl.classList.add('hidden');
+  saveScoreFormEl.classList.add('hidden');
+  saveEligible = false;
+});
+
+saveScoreFormEl.addEventListener('submit', async (e) => {
+  e.preventDefault();
+  if (!saveEligible) return;
+  const name = playerNameEl.value.trim() || 'Anonymous';
+
+  await fetch('api/scores.php', {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ name, score: state.score })
+  });
+
+  saveEligible = false;
+  saveScoreFormEl.classList.add('hidden');
+  await populateLeaderboard();
+});
+
 function drawBackground() {
   ctx.fillStyle = '#8ddcff';
   ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
   ctx.fillStyle = '#88d34f';
   ctx.fillRect(0, groundY, canvas.width, canvas.height - groundY);
 
-  // Water gaps
   for (const gap of waterGaps) {
     const sx = gap.x - state.cameraX;
     if (sx + gap.width < 0 || sx > canvas.width) continue;
@@ -122,27 +153,47 @@ function drawMeteors() {
   }
 }
 
-function intersects(a, b) {
-  return a.x < b.x + b.width && a.x + a.width > b.x && a.y < b.y + b.height && a.y + a.height > b.y;
-}
+const intersects = (a, b) => a.x < b.x + b.width && a.x + a.width > b.x && a.y < b.y + b.height && a.y + a.height > b.y;
 
 function updateHeartsUI() {
   heartsEl.textContent = '❤'.repeat(state.hearts) + '🖤'.repeat(Math.max(0, 3 - state.hearts));
 }
 
-function kill(reason) {
+async function loadTopScores() {
+  const res = await fetch('api/scores.php');
+  return res.ok ? res.json() : [];
+}
+
+async function populateLeaderboard() {
+  const scores = await loadTopScores();
+  leaderboardEl.innerHTML = '';
+  scores.forEach((s) => {
+    const li = document.createElement('li');
+    li.textContent = `${s.name} — ${s.score}`;
+    leaderboardEl.appendChild(li);
+  });
+
+  const qualifies = scores.length < 10 || state.score > (scores[scores.length - 1]?.score ?? -1);
+  saveEligible = qualifies;
+  saveScoreFormEl.classList.toggle('hidden', !qualifies);
+}
+
+async function kill(reason) {
+  if (state.dead) return;
   state.running = false;
   state.dead = true;
   state.deadReason = reason;
+
+  finalScoreEl.textContent = `Final Score: ${state.score}`;
+  await populateLeaderboard();
+  deathScreenEl.classList.remove('hidden');
 }
 
 function applyHit(reason) {
   if (state.hitCooldown > 0 || state.dead) return;
   state.hearts -= 1;
-  state.hitCooldown = 1.0;
-  if (state.hearts <= 0) {
-    kill(reason);
-  }
+  state.hitCooldown = 1;
+  if (state.hearts <= 0) kill(reason);
 }
 
 function isOverWater(player) {
@@ -156,7 +207,6 @@ function updateAnts(dt) {
 
   for (const ant of state.ants) {
     if (!ant.alive) continue;
-
     ant.x += ant.vx * dt;
     if (ant.x < 200) ant.vx = Math.abs(ant.vx);
     if (ant.x > worldWidth - 200) ant.vx = -Math.abs(ant.vx);
@@ -176,13 +226,12 @@ function updateAnts(dt) {
 
 function updatePterodactyls(dt) {
   if (state.score <= 100) return;
-
   state.pteroSpawnTimer -= dt;
+
   if (state.pteroSpawnTimer <= 0) {
-    const altitude = groundY - (state.player.standingHeight - 24);
     state.pterodactyls.push({
       x: state.cameraX + canvas.width + 80,
-      y: altitude,
+      y: groundY - (state.player.standingHeight - 24),
       width: 54,
       height: 26,
       vx: -280
@@ -193,17 +242,15 @@ function updatePterodactyls(dt) {
   const p = state.player;
   for (const flyer of state.pterodactyls) {
     flyer.x += flyer.vx * dt;
-    if (intersects(p, flyer)) {
-      applyHit('Pterodactyl collision. Duck next time!');
-    }
+    if (intersects(p, flyer)) applyHit('Pterodactyl collision. Duck next time!');
   }
   state.pterodactyls = state.pterodactyls.filter((f) => f.x + f.width > state.cameraX - 150);
 }
 
 function updateMeteors(dt) {
   if (state.score <= 250) return;
-
   state.meteorSpawnTimer -= dt;
+
   if (state.meteorSpawnTimer <= 0) {
     const spawnX = state.cameraX + 80 + Math.random() * (canvas.width - 160);
     state.meteors.push({ x: spawnX, y: -30, width: 24, height: 30, vy: 420 });
@@ -254,10 +301,7 @@ function updatePlayer(dt) {
     p.y = groundY - p.height;
     p.vy = 0;
     p.onGround = true;
-
-    if (isOverWater(p)) {
-      kill('SPLASH! Water is instant death.');
-    }
+    if (isOverWater(p)) kill('SPLASH! Water is instant death.');
   } else {
     p.onGround = false;
   }
@@ -265,17 +309,6 @@ function updatePlayer(dt) {
   state.cameraX = Math.max(0, Math.min(worldWidth - canvas.width, p.x - 240));
 }
 
-function drawDeathText() {
-  if (!state.dead) return;
-  ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(0,0,0,0.55)';
-  ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
-  ctx.fillStyle = '#fff';
-  ctx.font = 'bold 42px Arial';
-  ctx.fillText('Game Over', 360, 220);
-  ctx.font = '24px Arial';
-  ctx.fillText(state.deadReason, 280, 270);
-}
-
 function tick(ts) {
   const dt = Math.min((ts - state.lastTs) / 1000, 0.05);
   state.lastTs = ts;
@@ -294,7 +327,6 @@ function tick(ts) {
   drawPterodactyls();
   drawMeteors();
   drawTRex(state.player);
-  drawDeathText();
 
   scoreEl.textContent = `Score: ${state.score}`;
   updateHeartsUI();