diff --git a/src/bank4.asm b/src/bank4.asm
index c362a99..872d60c 100644
--- a/src/bank4.asm
+++ b/src/bank4.asm
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ game_end_routine_05:
     lda #$00                    ; a = #$00
     sta GRAPHICS_BUFFER_MODE    ; set GRAPHICS_BUFFER_MODE to #$00 to prepare writing text to screen (write_text_palette_to_mem)
     sta CURRENT_LEVEL           ; set current level to #$00
-    dec GAME_MODE               ; reset game mode to normal (not demo, not intro)
+    dec GAME_ROUTINE_INDEX      ; set game routine to be game_routine_05 to start the first level
     rts
 
 ; pointer table for ending credits text (#$49 * #$2 = #$90 bytes)
diff --git a/src/bank7.asm b/src/bank7.asm
index 00cd9e4..cf122e9 100644
--- a/src/bank7.asm
+++ b/src/bank7.asm
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ vertical_blank_entry:
     lda PPUSTATUS            ; read PPU status with bit layout -> VSO- ----
     bpl vertical_blank_entry ; ensure still in VBLANK
     lda #$00                 ; clear accumulator
-    sta GAME_MODE            ; set the game mode to normal #$00 (not demo)
+    sta GAME_ROUTINE_INDEX   ; set the game routine index so that game is in game_routine_00
     jsr clear_ppu            ; initialize PPU
     ldx #$ff
     txs                      ; initialize stack pointer location to $01ff, stack range is from $01ff down to $0100 (descending stack)
diff --git a/src/constants.asm b/src/constants.asm
index a3e35f6..25e9db1 100644
--- a/src/constants.asm
+++ b/src/constants.asm
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@
 ; palette colors.
 
 BANK_NUMBER                    = $8000
-GAME_MODE                      = $18   ; 0 for normal, 1 for demo, 3 for intro
 GAME_ROUTINE_INDEX             = $18   ; which part of the game routine to execute (see game_routine_pointer_table)
-GAME_END_ROUTINE_INDEX         = $19   ; which part of the ending sequence to execute (see game_end_routine_tbl)
-GAME_ROUTINE_INIT_FLAG         = $19   ; used to determine if the current game_routine has initialized, used in game_routine_02 and game_routine_03
+GAME_END_ROUTINE_INDEX         = $19   ; used after beating the game to know which part of the ending sequence to execute for sequencing the animations, credits, restart, etc. (see game_end_routine_tbl)
+GAME_ROUTINE_INIT_FLAG         = $19   ; (same address as above) used to determine if the current game_routine has been initialized, used in game_routine_02 and game_routine_03
 FRAME_COUNTER                  = $1a   ; the frame counter loops from #$00 to #$ff increments once per frame. Also known as the global timer
 NMI_CHECK                      = $1b   ; set to #$01 at start of nmi and #$00 at end
                                        ; used to track if nmi occurred during game loop