diff --git a/internal/ui/hud/elements.go b/internal/ui/hud/elements.go
index f7bf099..c7795d5 100644
--- a/internal/ui/hud/elements.go
+++ b/internal/ui/hud/elements.go
@@ -14,8 +14,15 @@ import (
 var (
 	basicFace       = text.NewGoXFace(basicfont.Face7x13)
 	basicFaceAscent = basicFace.Metrics().HAscent
+	rectPixel       = newRectPixel()
 )
 
+func newRectPixel() *ebiten.Image {
+	img := ebiten.NewImage(1, 1)
+	img.Fill(color.White)
+	return img
+}
+
 func drawHUDText(screen *ebiten.Image, txt string, clr color.Color, x, y int) {
 	if clr == nil {
 		clr = color.White
@@ -132,16 +139,16 @@ func drawRect(screen *ebiten.Image, x, y, width, height int, clr color.Color) {
 	if width <= 0 || height <= 0 {
 		return
 	}
-
-	// Create a small 1x1 pixel image and scale it
-	img := ebiten.NewImage(1, 1)
-	img.Fill(clr)
+	if clr == nil {
+		clr = color.White
+	}
 
 	op := &ebiten.DrawImageOptions{}
 	op.GeoM.Scale(float64(width), float64(height))
 	op.GeoM.Translate(float64(x), float64(y))
+	op.ColorScale.ScaleWithColor(clr)
 
-	screen.DrawImage(img, op)
+	screen.DrawImage(rectPixel, op)
 }
 
 // Empty padding block.
diff --git a/internal/ui/menu/menu.go b/internal/ui/menu/menu.go
index a20be42..3f0eb4d 100644
--- a/internal/ui/menu/menu.go
+++ b/internal/ui/menu/menu.go
@@ -13,8 +13,26 @@ import (
 var (
 	basicFace       = text.NewGoXFace(basicfont.Face7x13)
 	basicFaceAscent = basicFace.Metrics().HAscent
+	overlayImage    *ebiten.Image
+	overlaySize     struct {
+		width  int
+		height int
+	}
 )
 
+func getOverlayImage(width, height int) *ebiten.Image {
+	if width <= 0 || height <= 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if overlayImage == nil || overlaySize.width != width || overlaySize.height != height {
+		overlayImage = ebiten.NewImage(width, height)
+		overlayImage.Fill(color.RGBA{R: 0, G: 0, B: 0, A: 180})
+		overlaySize.width = width
+		overlaySize.height = height
+	}
+	return overlayImage
+}
+
 type MenuOption int
 
 const (
@@ -69,9 +87,9 @@ func (m *PauseMenu) Update() *MenuOption {
 
 func (m *PauseMenu) Draw(screen *ebiten.Image, screenWidth, screenHeight int) {
 	// Draw semi-transparent overlay
-	overlay := ebiten.NewImage(screenWidth, screenHeight)
-	overlay.Fill(color.RGBA{R: 0, G: 0, B: 0, A: 180})
-	screen.DrawImage(overlay, nil)
+	if overlay := getOverlayImage(screenWidth, screenHeight); overlay != nil {
+		screen.DrawImage(overlay, nil)
+	}
 
 	// Menu dimensions
 	menuWidth := 400