diff --git a/docs/reference/game.md b/docs/reference/game.md
index 2d44bf4a..c1fc166d 100644
--- a/docs/reference/game.md
+++ b/docs/reference/game.md
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ game.setScore(0);
 ```cards
 game.startCountdown(10000);
 game.gameOver();
+game.pause();
+game.resume();
 ```
 
 ### See also
@@ -38,4 +40,5 @@ game.gameOver();
 [ifOnEdgeBounce](/reference/game/if-on-edge-bounce), [get](/reference/game/get), [set](/reference/game/set),
 [change](/reference/game/change), [isTouching](/reference/game/touching) [isTouchingEdge](/reference/game/touching-edge),
 [addScore](/reference/game/change-score-by), [score](/reference/game/score), [setScore](/reference/game/set-score),
-[startCountdown](/reference/game/start-countdown), [gameOver](/reference/game/game-over)
+[startCountdown](/reference/game/start-countdown), [gameOver](/reference/game/game-over),
+[pause](/reference/game/pause), [resume](/reference/game/resume)
diff --git a/docs/reference/game/pause.md b/docs/reference/game/pause.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..083bbb1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/reference/game/pause.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Pause
+
+Pauses the game rendering engine to allow other animations on the screen.
+
+```sig
+game.pause()
+```
+
+### See Also
+
+[resume](/reference/game/resume)
diff --git a/docs/reference/game/resume.md b/docs/reference/game/resume.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc1a01df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/reference/game/resume.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Resume
+
+Resumes the game rendering engine after a pause.
+
+```sig
+game.resume()
+```
+
+### See Also
+
+[pause](/reference/game/pause)
diff --git a/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json b/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json
index 99194fca..6c53cc1a 100644
--- a/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json
+++ b/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json
@@ -81,12 +81,15 @@
   "game.gameOver": "Displays a game over animation and the score.",
   "game.invalidSprite": "Gets an invalid sprite; used to initialize locals.",
   "game.isGameOver": "Indicates if the game is display the game over sequence.",
+  "game.isPaused": "Indicates if the game rendering is paused to allow other animations",
   "game.isRunning": "Gets a value indicating if the game is still running. Returns `false` if game over.",
   "game.level": "Gets the current level",
   "game.levelUp": "Increments the level and display a message.",
   "game.life": "Gets the current life",
+  "game.pause": "Pauses the game rendering engine to allow other animations",
   "game.removeLife": "Removes some life",
   "game.removeLife|param|life": "TODO",
+  "game.resume": "Resumes the game rendering engine",
   "game.score": "Gets the current score",
   "game.setLife": "Sets the current life value",
   "game.setLife|param|value": "TODO",
@@ -142,6 +145,7 @@
   "input.temperature": "Gets the temperature in Celsius degrees (°C).",
   "led": "Control of the LED screen.",
   "led.brightness": "Get the screen brightness from 0 (off) to 255 (full bright).",
+  "led.displayMode": "Gets the current display mode",
   "led.enable": "Turns on or off the display",
   "led.fadeIn": "Fades in the screen display.",
   "led.fadeIn|param|ms": "TODO",
diff --git a/libs/core/_locales/core-strings.json b/libs/core/_locales/core-strings.json
index b99c5445..99d516bd 100644
--- a/libs/core/_locales/core-strings.json
+++ b/libs/core/_locales/core-strings.json
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@
   "game.addScore|block": "change score by|%points",
   "game.createSprite|block": "create sprite at|x: %x|y: %y",
   "game.gameOver|block": "game over",
+  "game.pause|block": "pause",
+  "game.resume|block": "resume",
   "game.score|block": "score",
   "game.setScore|block": "set score %points",
   "game.startCountdown|block": "start countdown|(ms) %duration",
diff --git a/libs/core/game.ts b/libs/core/game.ts
index 12c67b60..650687a7 100644
--- a/libs/core/game.ts
+++ b/libs/core/game.ts
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@ namespace game {
     let _countdownPause: number = 0;
     let _level: number = 1;
     let _gameId: number = 0;
-    let img: Image;
-    let sprites: LedSprite[];
+    let _img: Image;
+    let _sprites: LedSprite[];
+    let _paused: boolean = false;
 
     /**
      * Creates a new LED sprite pointing to the right.
@@ -67,14 +68,15 @@ namespace game {
     //% parts="ledmatrix"
     export function addScore(points: number): void {
         setScore(_score + points);
-        control.inBackground(() => {
-            led.stopAnimation();
-            basic.showAnimation(`0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
-0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0`, 20);
-        });
+        if (!_paused)
+            control.inBackground(() => {
+                led.stopAnimation();
+                basic.showAnimation(`0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
+    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+    0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0`, 20);
+            });
     }
 
     /**
@@ -94,6 +96,7 @@ namespace game {
             _countdownPause = Math.max(500, ms);
             _startTime = -1;
             _endTime = input.runningTime() + _countdownPause;
+            _paused = false;
             control.inBackground(() => {
                 basic.pause(_countdownPause);
                 gameOver();
@@ -201,14 +204,15 @@ namespace game {
     //% parts="ledmatrix"
     export function removeLife(life: number): void {
         setLife(_life - life);
-        control.inBackground(() => {
-            led.stopAnimation();
-            basic.showAnimation(`1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
+        if (!_paused)
+            control.inBackground(() => {
+                led.stopAnimation();
+                basic.showAnimation(`1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0`, 40);
-        });
+            });
     }
 
     /**
@@ -263,10 +267,38 @@ namespace game {
      * Indicates if the game is display the game over sequence.
      */
     export function isGameOver(): boolean {
-        let over: boolean;
         return _isGameOver;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Indicates if the game rendering is paused to allow other animations
+     */
+    //%
+    export function isPaused(): boolean {
+        return _paused;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Pauses the game rendering engine to allow other animations
+     */
+    //% blockId=game_pause block="pause"
+    //% advanced=true blockGap=8 help=game/pause
+    export function pause(): void {
+        plot()
+        _paused = true;
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Resumes the game rendering engine
+     */
+    //% blockId=game_resume block="resume"
+    //% advanced=true blockGap=8 help=game/resumeP
+    export function resume(): void {
+        _paused = false;
+        plot();
+    }
+
     /**
      * returns false if game can't start
      */
@@ -301,7 +333,7 @@ namespace game {
             this._brightness = 255;
             this._enabled = true;
             init();
-            sprites.push(this);
+            _sprites.push(this);
             plot();
         }
 
@@ -651,7 +683,7 @@ namespace game {
         //% blockId="game_delete_sprite" block="delete %this"
         public delete(): void {
             this._enabled = false;
-            if (sprites.removeElement(this))
+            if (_sprites.removeElement(this))
                 plot();
         }
 
@@ -692,22 +724,21 @@ namespace game {
                     r = (now / ps._blink) % 2;
                 }
                 if (r == 0) {
-                    img.setPixelBrightness(ps._x, ps._y, img.pixelBrightness(ps._x, ps._y) + ps._brightness);
+                    _img.setPixelBrightness(ps._x, ps._y, _img.pixelBrightness(ps._x, ps._y) + ps._brightness);
                 }
             }
         }
     }
 
     function init(): void {
-        if (img == null) {
-            img = images.createImage(
+        if (_img == null) {
+            _img = images.createImage(
                 `0 0 0 0 0
 0 0 0 0 0
 0 0 0 0 0
 0 0 0 0 0
 0 0 0 0 0`);
-            sprites = (<LedSprite[]>[]);
-            led.setDisplayMode(DisplayMode.Greyscale);
+            _sprites = (<LedSprite[]>[]);
             basic.forever(() => {
                 basic.pause(30);
                 plot();
@@ -723,15 +754,18 @@ namespace game {
      */
     //% parts="ledmatrix"
     function plot(): void {
-        if (game.isGameOver()) {
+        if (game.isGameOver() || game.isPaused() || !_img) {
             return;
         }
         let now = input.runningTime();
-        img.clear();
-        for (let i = 0; i < sprites.length; i++) {
-            sprites[i]._plot(now);
+        _img.clear();
+        for (let i = 0; i < _sprites.length; i++) {
+            _sprites[i]._plot(now);
         }
-        img.plotImage(0);
+        const mode = led.displayMode() == DisplayMode.Greyscale ? DisplayMode.Greyscale : DisplayMode.BackAndWhite;
+        led.setDisplayMode(DisplayMode.Greyscale);
+        _img.plotImage(0);
+        led.setDisplayMode(mode);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/libs/core/led.cpp b/libs/core/led.cpp
index 740d9d85..33bc77ee 100644
--- a/libs/core/led.cpp
+++ b/libs/core/led.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ namespace led {
         uBit.display.setDisplayMode((DisplayMode)mode);
     }
 
+    /**
+    * Gets the current display mode
+    */
+    //% weight=1 parts="ledmatrix" advanced=true
+    DisplayMode_ displayMode() {
+        return (DisplayMode_)uBit.display.getDisplayMode();
+    }
+
     /**
     * Turns on or off the display
     */
diff --git a/libs/core/shims.d.ts b/libs/core/shims.d.ts
index 2cec45fd..4155db25 100644
--- a/libs/core/shims.d.ts
+++ b/libs/core/shims.d.ts
@@ -509,6 +509,12 @@ declare namespace led {
     //% parts="ledmatrix" advanced=true shim=led::setDisplayMode
     function setDisplayMode(mode: DisplayMode): void;
 
+    /**
+     * Gets the current display mode
+     */
+    //% weight=1 parts="ledmatrix" advanced=true shim=led::displayMode
+    function displayMode(): DisplayMode;
+
     /**
      * Turns on or off the display
      */
diff --git a/sim/state/ledmatrix.ts b/sim/state/ledmatrix.ts
index 1b3d74f3..fa4639de 100644
--- a/sim/state/ledmatrix.ts
+++ b/sim/state/ledmatrix.ts
@@ -305,6 +305,10 @@ namespace pxsim.led {
         runtime.queueDisplayUpdate()
     }
 
+    export function displayMode(): DisplayMode {
+        return board().ledMatrixState.displayMode;
+    }
+
     export function screenshot(): Image {
         let img = createImage(5)
         board().ledMatrixState.image.copyTo(0, 5, img, 0);