diff --git a/apps/wolf_3d_cli/lib/cli_game_loop.dart b/apps/wolf_3d_cli/lib/cli_game_loop.dart
index 2a6df2e..cc09591 100644
--- a/apps/wolf_3d_cli/lib/cli_game_loop.dart
+++ b/apps/wolf_3d_cli/lib/cli_game_loop.dart
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ class CliGameLoop {
                'CliGameLoop requires a CliInput instance.',
              ),
 
-       primaryRenderer = AsciiRenderer(
+       primaryRenderer = SixelRenderer(),
+       secondaryRenderer = AsciiRenderer(
          mode: AsciiRendererMode.terminalAnsi,
-       ),
-       secondaryRenderer = SixelRenderer() {
+       ) {
     _renderer = primaryRenderer;
   }
 
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ class CliGameLoop {
   StreamSubscription<List<int>>? _stdinSubscription;
   Timer? _timer;
   bool _isRunning = false;
+  bool _isSixelAvailable = false;
   Duration _lastTick = Duration.zero;
 
   /// Starts terminal probing, enters raw input mode, and begins the frame timer.
@@ -57,6 +58,11 @@ class CliGameLoop {
       sixel.isSixelSupported = await SixelRenderer.checkTerminalSixelSupport(
         inputStream: _stdinStream,
       );
+      _isSixelAvailable = sixel.isSixelSupported;
+      _renderer = _isSixelAvailable ? primaryRenderer : secondaryRenderer;
+    } else {
+      _isSixelAvailable = false;
+      _renderer = secondaryRenderer;
     }
 
     if (stdin.hasTerminal) {
@@ -118,6 +124,9 @@ class CliGameLoop {
     }
 
     if (input.matchesRendererToggleShortcut(bytes)) {
+      if (!_isSixelAvailable) {
+        return;
+      }
       // Allow dynamic renderer-switch bindings configured on the CLI input.
       _renderer = identical(_renderer, secondaryRenderer)
           ? primaryRenderer
@@ -204,6 +213,9 @@ class CliGameLoop {
 
     final int safeCols = cols > 1 ? cols - 1 : cols;
     final String hint = _buildShortcutHintText();
+    if (hint.isEmpty) {
+      return;
+    }
     final String visible = hint.length > safeCols
         ? hint.substring(0, safeCols)
         : hint;
@@ -214,6 +226,14 @@ class CliGameLoop {
   }
 
   String _buildShortcutHintText() {
+    if (!_isSixelAvailable) {
+      if (_renderer is AsciiRenderer) {
+        final AsciiRenderer ascii = _renderer as AsciiRenderer;
+        return '<${input.asciiThemeCycleKeyLabel}> ${ascii.activeTheme.name}';
+      }
+      return '';
+    }
+
     final String rendererMode = _renderer is SixelRenderer ? 'sixel' : 'ascii';
     final String rendererHint =
         '<${input.rendererToggleKeyLabel}> $rendererMode';
diff --git a/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/ascii_renderer.dart b/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/ascii_renderer.dart
index 5d99c9b..7ffc4bf 100644
--- a/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/ascii_renderer.dart
+++ b/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/ascii_renderer.dart
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
     }
 
     // 1. Pull Retro Colors
-    final int vgaStatusBarBlue = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[153];
+    final int hudBackground = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[0];
     final int vgaPanelDark = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[0];
     final int white = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[15];
     final int yellow = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[11];
@@ -1364,7 +1364,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
         viewHeight * 2,
         projectionWidth,
         hudRows * 2,
-        vgaStatusBarBlue,
+        hudBackground,
       );
       _fillTerminalRect(
         projectionOffsetX,
@@ -1380,7 +1380,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
         width,
         height - viewHeight,
         ' ',
-        vgaStatusBarBlue,
+        hudBackground,
       );
       _writeString(0, viewHeight, "═" * width, white);
     }
@@ -1481,7 +1481,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
   }
 
   void _drawMinimalHud(WolfEngine engine) {
-    final int vgaStatusBarBlue = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[153];
+    final int hudBackground = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[0];
     final int white = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[15];
     final int red = ColorPalette.vga32Bit[4];
 
@@ -1492,7 +1492,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
         viewHeight * 2,
         projectionWidth,
         hudRows * 2,
-        vgaStatusBarBlue,
+        hudBackground,
       );
       _fillTerminalRect(
         projectionOffsetX,
@@ -1502,7 +1502,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
         white,
       );
     } else {
-      _fillRect(0, viewHeight, width, hudRows, ' ', vgaStatusBarBlue);
+      _fillRect(0, viewHeight, width, hudRows, ' ', hudBackground);
       _writeString(0, viewHeight, "═" * width, white);
     }
 
@@ -1527,7 +1527,7 @@ class AsciiRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<dynamic> {
     }
 
     final int startX = drawStartX + ((drawWidth - clipped.length) ~/ 2);
-    _writeString(startX, lineY, clipped, healthColor, vgaStatusBarBlue);
+    _writeString(startX, lineY, clipped, healthColor, hudBackground);
   }
 
   void _drawFullVgaHud(WolfEngine engine) {
diff --git a/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/sixel_renderer.dart b/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/sixel_renderer.dart
index a33f0b5..1f028f0 100644
--- a/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/sixel_renderer.dart
+++ b/packages/wolf_3d_dart/lib/src/rendering/sixel_renderer.dart
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ class SixelRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<String> {
   static const int _maxRenderHeight = 240;
   static const int _menuFooterBottomMargin = 1;
   static const int _headerHeadingY = 24;
-  static const String _terminalTealBackground = '\x1b[48;2;0;150;136m';
 
   late Uint8List _screen;
   List<int>? _mainMenuBandFirstColumn;
@@ -877,9 +876,7 @@ class SixelRenderer extends CliRendererBackend<String> {
       return _renderNotSupportedMessage();
     }
 
-    final String clearPrefix = _needsBackgroundClear
-        ? '$_terminalTealBackground\x1b[2J\x1b[0m'
-        : '';
+    final String clearPrefix = _needsBackgroundClear ? '\x1b[0m\x1b[2J' : '';
     _needsBackgroundClear = false;
     return '$clearPrefix\x1b[${_offsetRows + 1};${_offsetColumns + 1}H${toSixelString()}';
   }