diff --git a/src/features/discovery/Shelves.tsx b/src/features/discovery/Shelves.tsx
index b832554..c495179 100644
--- a/src/features/discovery/Shelves.tsx
+++ b/src/features/discovery/Shelves.tsx
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ const ROWS: { key: keyof ShelvesData; title: string; note?: string }[] = [
   { key: "featured", title: "Featured" },
   { key: "staff", title: "Staff picks" },
   { key: "new", title: "New this week", note: "Every new game shows here first" },
-  { key: "most_played", title: "Most played", note: "Players who stay, not just players who click" },
-  { key: "most_improved", title: "Most improved", note: "Growing the fastest" },
 ];
 
+const PER_SHELF = 5; // one row of the same cards as the games grid
+
 /** The homepage shelves (PRD A1): a row of games per shelf, from /discover/shelves. A shelf with no games isn't shown. */
 export default function Shelves({ games, user }: PagePartProps) {
   const [shelves, setShelves] = useState<ShelvesData | null>(null);
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export default function Shelves({ games, user }: PagePartProps) {
   }, [user?.id]);
   if (!shelves || !games) return null;
   const bySlug = new Map(games.map((g) => [g.slug, g]));
-  const rows = ROWS.map((r) => ({ ...r, games: shelves[r.key].map((n) => bySlug.get(n)).filter((g): g is Game => !!g) })).filter((r) => r.games.length > 0);
+  const rows = ROWS.map((r) => ({ ...r, games: shelves[r.key].map((n) => bySlug.get(n)).filter((g): g is Game => !!g).slice(0, PER_SHELF) })).filter((r) => r.games.length > 0);
   if (rows.length === 0) return null;
   return (
     <section className="container shelves" aria-label="Find a game">
@@ -31,13 +31,15 @@ export default function Shelves({ games, user }: PagePartProps) {
           <h2>{r.title} {r.note && <span className="note">{r.note}</span>}</h2>
           <ul>
             {r.games.map((g) => (
-              <li key={g.slug}>
-                <a href={`/games/${g.slug}`}>
-                  <span className="art" style={{ background: `linear-gradient(135deg, ${g.colors[0]}, ${g.colors[1]})` }}>
+              <li key={g.slug} className="game">
+                <a className="game-link" href={`/games/${g.slug}`}>
+                  <div className="art" style={{ background: `linear-gradient(135deg, ${g.colors[0]}, ${g.colors[1]})` }}>
                     {g.cover ? <img src={g.cover} alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async" /> : <span>{g.title.charAt(0)}</span>}
-                  </span>
-                  <b>{g.title}</b>
-                  <em>by {g.by}</em>
+                  </div>
+                  <div className="info">
+                    <h3>{g.title}</h3>
+                    <p>by {g.by}</p>
+                  </div>
                 </a>
               </li>
             ))}
diff --git a/src/features/discovery/discovery.css b/src/features/discovery/discovery.css
index 12ab7e1..1b2cf93 100644
--- a/src/features/discovery/discovery.css
+++ b/src/features/discovery/discovery.css
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 .shelves { display: grid; gap: 22px; margin: 8px auto 28px; }
 .shelf h2 { font-size: 1.1rem; margin: 0 0 8px; display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: baseline; flex-wrap: wrap; }
-.shelf ul { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0 0 6px; display: flex; gap: 12px; overflow-x: auto; scroll-snap-type: x proximity; }
-.shelf li { flex: 0 0 150px; scroll-snap-align: start; }
-.shelf a { display: grid; gap: 4px; color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
-.shelf .art { display: grid; place-items: center; height: 96px; border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; font-weight: 800; font-size: 1.6rem; color: #fff; }
-.shelf .art img { width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; }
-.shelf b { font-size: .92rem; }
-.shelf em { font-style: normal; font-size: .76rem; color: var(--muted); }
+.shelf ul { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; display: grid; gap: 16px; grid-template-columns: repeat(5, minmax(0, 1fr)); }
+.shelf .art span { font-size: 2.4rem; }
+.shelf .info { padding: 0 4px 4px; }
+.shelf .info h3 { font-size: 1rem; }
+/* a livelier pop than the grid cards: lifts higher, grows a little and overshoots slightly before it settles */
+.shelf .game { transition: transform .28s cubic-bezier(.34, 1.56, .64, 1), border-color .15s, box-shadow .15s; }
+.shelf .game:hover { transform: translateY(-8px) scale(1.05); border-color: var(--ink); box-shadow: 6px 8px 0 var(--lime); }
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .shelf .game { transition: none; } .shelf .game:hover { transform: none; } }
+@media (max-width: 600px) { .shelf ul { grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr)); gap: 12px; } }
 .play-next a { white-space: nowrap; }
 .feature-checklist { margin-top: 8px; font-size: .9rem; }
 .feature-checklist summary { cursor: pointer; font-weight: 600; }
diff --git a/src/styles.css b/src/styles.css
index 000e541..23271c0 100644
--- a/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/styles.css
@@ -576,8 +576,8 @@ code { color: var(--on-lime); }
 .tournament-banner-sub { margin: 0; color: var(--muted); }
 .tournament-banner .btn { grid-area: cta; justify-self: start; }
 .tournament-banner-games { grid-area: games; display: flex; gap: 8px; }
-.tournament-banner-games .art { width: 72px; aspect-ratio: 1; border-radius: 12px; border: 1px solid var(--line); }
-.tournament-banner-games .art span { font-size: 1.6rem; }
+.tournament-banner-games .art { width: 96px; aspect-ratio: 1; border-radius: 14px; border: 1px solid var(--line); }
+.tournament-banner-games .art span { font-size: 2.2rem; }
 .tournament-page { padding-top: 24px; padding-bottom: 72px; min-height: 60vh; display: grid; gap: 22px; align-content: start; }
 .tournament-page h1 { font-size: 2.4rem; letter-spacing: -.04em; margin: 0; }
 .tournament-page .section-head { margin-bottom: 0; }