diff --git a/js/game.js b/js/game.js
index 59d96db..dfd8d56 100644
--- a/js/game.js
+++ b/js/game.js
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ function playSfx(type) {
       ptero_spawn: { f0: 520, f1: 460, dur: 0.1, wave: 'sawtooth', vol: 0.05 },
       meteor_spawn: { f0: 300, f1: 200, dur: 0.14, wave: 'sawtooth', vol: 0.06 },
       meteor_land: { f0: 140, f1: 70, dur: 0.18, wave: 'square', vol: 0.08 },
+      portal_fade: { f0: 240, f1: 480, dur: 0.28, wave: 'triangle', vol: 0.05 },
       hit: { f0: 260, f1: 140, dur: 0.1, wave: 'square', vol: 0.06 }
     };
 
@@ -409,7 +410,10 @@ function createInitialState(config = gameConfig) {
     worldCleared: false,
     portal: {
       active: false,
+      visible: false,
       entered: false,
+      fadeAlpha: 0,
+      fadeInSfxPlayed: false,
       // Keep portal close to the world edge so forward motion naturally carries
       // the player into it once progression is unlocked.
       x: worldWidth - 60,
@@ -721,7 +725,7 @@ function drawMeteors() {
 }
 
 function drawPortal() {
-  if (!state.portal.active) return;
+  if (!state.portal.visible || state.portal.fadeAlpha <= 0.01) return;
 
   const portal = state.portal;
   const sx = portal.x - state.cameraX;
@@ -732,7 +736,10 @@ function drawPortal() {
   const glowHeight = portal.height + 16;
 
   ctx.save();
-  ctx.globalAlpha = 0.2 + pulse * 0.2;
+  ctx.globalAlpha = portal.fadeAlpha;
+
+  ctx.save();
+  ctx.globalAlpha *= 0.2 + pulse * 0.2;
   ctx.fillStyle = '#84c7ff';
   ctx.fillRect(sx - 10, portal.y - 8, glowWidth, glowHeight);
   ctx.restore();
@@ -756,6 +763,7 @@ function drawPortal() {
   ctx.fillStyle = '#0f0f0f';
   ctx.font = 'bold 14px Arial';
   ctx.fillText('PORTAL', sx - 8, portal.y - 10);
+  ctx.restore();
 }
 
 function resetWorldForDifficulty(nextDifficulty) {
@@ -775,11 +783,14 @@ function resetWorldForDifficulty(nextDifficulty) {
 }
 
 function updatePortal(dt) {
-  state.portal.pulse += dt;
+  const portal = state.portal;
+  portal.pulse += dt;
 
   const nextDifficulty = getNextDifficulty(gameConfig.difficulty);
   if (!nextDifficulty) {
-    state.portal.active = false;
+    portal.active = false;
+    portal.visible = false;
+    portal.fadeAlpha = Math.max(0, portal.fadeAlpha - dt * 3.2);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -787,26 +798,40 @@ function updatePortal(dt) {
   const worldEndX = worldWidth - p.width - 8;
   // Activate slightly before the hard clamp at world end so the player can
   // continue moving right and enter the portal without reversing direction.
-  const portalActivationX = Math.max(0, state.portal.x - p.width - 24);
-  const reachedProgressionPoint = p.x >= portalActivationX;
+  const portalActivationX = Math.max(0, portal.x - p.width - 24);
+  // Reveal portal much earlier, while keeping its fixed world position.
+  const portalRevealX = Math.max(0, portal.x - canvas.width * 1.6);
 
-  if (reachedProgressionPoint) {
-    state.portal.active = true;
+  portal.visible = p.x >= portalRevealX;
+  portal.active = p.x >= portalActivationX;
+
+  if (portal.visible) {
+    portal.fadeAlpha = Math.min(1, portal.fadeAlpha + dt * 2.8);
+    if (!portal.fadeInSfxPlayed) {
+      playSfx('portal_fade');
+      portal.fadeInSfxPlayed = true;
+    }
+  } else {
+    portal.fadeAlpha = Math.max(0, portal.fadeAlpha - dt * 3.2);
+    portal.fadeInSfxPlayed = false;
+  }
+
+  if (portal.active) {
     state.worldCleared = p.x >= worldEndX;
   }
 
-  if (!state.portal.active || state.portal.entered) return;
+  if (!portal.active || portal.entered || portal.fadeAlpha < 0.9) return;
 
   const portalHitbox = {
-    x: state.portal.x,
-    y: state.portal.y,
-    width: state.portal.width,
-    height: state.portal.height
+    x: portal.x,
+    y: portal.y,
+    width: portal.width,
+    height: portal.height
   };
 
   if (intersects(p, portalHitbox)) {
-    state.portal.entered = true;
-    addFloatingText(state.portal.x + state.portal.width / 2, state.portal.y - 14, `${nextDifficulty.toUpperCase()}!`, '#9fe6ff');
+    portal.entered = true;
+    addFloatingText(portal.x + portal.width / 2, portal.y - 14, `${nextDifficulty.toUpperCase()}!`, '#9fe6ff');
     resetWorldForDifficulty(nextDifficulty);
   }
 }