diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/include/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/include/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp
index 10d64268..8cc6882a 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/include/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/include/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp
@@ -43,6 +43,22 @@ oxModelBegin(Sprite)
 	oxModelField(priority)
 oxModelEnd()
 
+struct BgTile {
+	static constexpr auto TypeName = "net.drinkingtea.nostalgia.core.BgTile";
+	static constexpr auto TypeVersion = 1;
+	unsigned tileIdx = 0;
+	unsigned palBank = 0;
+	unsigned horizontalFlip = false;
+	unsigned verticalFlip = false;
+};
+
+oxModelBegin(BgTile)
+	oxModelField(tileIdx)
+	oxModelField(palBank)
+	oxModelField(horizontalFlip)
+	oxModelField(verticalFlip)
+oxModelEnd()
+
 struct TileSheetSetEntrySection {
 	static constexpr auto TypeName = "net.drinkingtea.nostalgia.core.TileSheetSetEntrySection";
 	static constexpr auto TypeVersion = 1;
@@ -86,6 +102,7 @@ oxModelEnd()
 
 ox::Error loadBgPalette(
 		Context &ctx,
+		size_t palBank,
 		ox::FileAddress const&paletteAddr) noexcept;
 
 ox::Error loadSpritePalette(
@@ -101,7 +118,7 @@ ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(
 		Context &ctx,
 		unsigned cbb,
 		ox::FileAddress const&tilesheetAddr,
-		bool loadDefaultPalette = false) noexcept;
+		ox::Optional<unsigned> const&paletteBank = {}) noexcept;
 
 ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(
 		Context &ctx,
@@ -112,7 +129,9 @@ ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(
 		Context &ctx,
 		TileSheetSet const&set) noexcept;
 
-void setBgTile(Context &ctx, uint_t bgIdx, int column, int row, uint8_t tile) noexcept;
+void setBgTile(Context &ctx, uint_t bgIdx, int column, int row, unsigned tile, unsigned palBank = 0) noexcept;
+
+void setBgTile(Context &ctx, uint_t bgIdx, int column, int row, BgTile const&tile) noexcept;
 
 void clearBg(Context &ctx, uint_t bgIdx) noexcept;
 
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gba/gfx.cpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gba/gfx.cpp
index 39530f60..dcd33ba2 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gba/gfx.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gba/gfx.cpp
@@ -158,9 +158,10 @@ ox::Error initGfx(Context&, InitParams const&) noexcept {
 
 ox::Error loadBgPalette(
 		Context &ctx,
+		size_t palBank,
 		ox::FileAddress const&paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	auto &rom = ctx.rom();
-	GbaPaletteTarget const palTarget{.palette = MEM_BG_PALETTE};
+	GbaPaletteTarget const palTarget{.palette = MEM_BG_PALETTE + palBank * 16};
 	oxRequire(palStat, rom.stat(paletteAddr));
 	oxRequire(pal, rom.directAccess(paletteAddr));
 	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(pal, static_cast<std::size_t>(palStat.size), &palTarget));
@@ -189,11 +190,11 @@ static ox::Error loadTileSheetSet(
 		oxRequire(ts, rom.directAccess(entry.tilesheet));
 		unsigned tilesheetBpp{};
 		GbaTileMapTarget target{
-				.bpp = tilesheetBpp,
-				.defaultPalette = {},
-				.tileMap = tileMapTargetMem + tileWriteIdx,
-				.targetBpp = static_cast<unsigned>(set.bpp),
-				.setEntry = &entry,
+			.bpp = tilesheetBpp,
+			.defaultPalette = {},
+			.tileMap = tileMapTargetMem + tileWriteIdx,
+			.targetBpp = static_cast<unsigned>(set.bpp),
+			.setEntry = &entry,
 		};
 		oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ts, static_cast<std::size_t>(tsStat.size), &target));
 		tileWriteIdx += target.tileWriteIdx;
@@ -205,7 +206,7 @@ ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(
 		Context &ctx,
 		unsigned cbb,
 		ox::FileAddress const&tilesheetAddr,
-		bool loadDefaultPalette) noexcept {
+		ox::Optional<unsigned> const&paletteBank) noexcept {
 	auto &rom = ctx.rom();
 	oxRequire(tsStat, rom.stat(tilesheetAddr));
 	oxRequire(ts, rom.directAccess(tilesheetAddr));
@@ -222,8 +223,8 @@ ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(
 			teagba::bgSetBpp(bgCtl, bpp);
 		}
 	});
-	if (loadDefaultPalette && target.defaultPalette) {
-		oxReturnError(loadBgPalette(ctx, target.defaultPalette));
+	if (paletteBank.has_value() && target.defaultPalette) {
+		oxReturnError(loadBgPalette(ctx, *paletteBank, target.defaultPalette));
 	}
 	return {};
 }
@@ -283,9 +284,14 @@ ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(
 	return {};
 }
 
-void setBgTile(Context&, uint_t bgIdx, int column, int row, uint8_t tile) noexcept {
-	const auto tileIdx = static_cast<std::size_t>(row * GbaTileColumns + column);
-	MEM_BG_MAP[bgIdx][tileIdx] = tile;
+void setBgTile(Context&, uint_t bgIdx, int column, int row, BgTile const&tile) noexcept {
+	auto const tileIdx = static_cast<std::size_t>(row * GbaTileColumns + column);
+	// see Tonc 9.3
+	MEM_BG_MAP[bgIdx][tileIdx] =
+			static_cast<uint16_t>(tile.tileIdx & 0b1'1111'1111) |
+			static_cast<uint16_t>(tile.horizontalFlip << 0xa) |
+			static_cast<uint16_t>(tile.verticalFlip << 0xb) |
+			static_cast<uint16_t>(tile.palBank << 0xc);
 }
 
 void clearBg(Context&, uint_t bgIdx) noexcept {
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gfx.cpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gfx.cpp
index db44ed66..2628e964 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gfx.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/gfx.cpp
@@ -137,13 +137,20 @@ constexpr ox::Array<char, 128> charMap = {
 	50, // ~
 };
 
+void setBgTile(Context &ctx, uint_t bgIdx, int column, int row, unsigned tile, unsigned palBank) noexcept {
+	setBgTile(ctx, bgIdx, column, row, {
+		.tileIdx = tile,
+		.palBank = palBank,
+	});
+}
+
 ox::Error initConsole(Context &ctx) noexcept {
 	constexpr ox::FileAddress TilesheetAddr = ox::StringLiteral("/TileSheets/Charset.ng");
 	constexpr ox::FileAddress PaletteAddr = ox::StringLiteral("/Palettes/Charset.npal");
 	setBgStatus(ctx, 0b0001);
 	setBgCbb(ctx, 0, 0);
 	oxReturnError(loadBgTileSheet(ctx, 0, TilesheetAddr));
-	return loadBgPalette(ctx, PaletteAddr);
+	return loadBgPalette(ctx, 0, PaletteAddr);
 }
 
 void puts(
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/context.hpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/context.hpp
index f100a23a..e6727c8d 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/context.hpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/context.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class Context {
 		ox::Array<renderer::CBB, 4> cbbs;
 		renderer::SpriteBlockset spriteBlocks;
 		ox::Array<Sprite, 128> spriteStates;
+		ox::Array<GLfloat, 1024> bgPalette;
 		ox::Array<renderer::Background, 4> backgrounds;
 		renderer::Drawer drawer;
 		uint_t spriteCount = 0;
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.cpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.cpp
index 188251a3..602a80bd 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ constexpr ox::CStringView bgvshadTmpl = R"glsl(
 	in vec2 vTexCoord;
 	in vec3 vPosition;
 	in float vTileIdx;
+	in float vPalOffset;
 	out vec2 fTexCoord;
+	out float fPalOffset;
 	uniform float vXScale;
 	uniform float vTileHeight;
 	uniform float vBgIdx;
@@ -49,17 +51,19 @@ constexpr ox::CStringView bgvshadTmpl = R"glsl(
 		fTexCoord = vec2(
 			vTexCoord.x,
 			vTexCoord.y * vTileHeight + vTileIdx * vTileHeight);
+		fPalOffset = vPalOffset;
 	})glsl";
 
 constexpr ox::CStringView bgfshadTmpl = R"glsl(
 	{}
 	out vec4 outColor;
+	in float fPalOffset;
 	in vec2 fTexCoord;
 	uniform sampler2D image;
 	uniform vec2 fSrcImgSz;
 	uniform vec4 fPalette[256];
 	void main() {
-		outColor = fPalette[int(texture(image, fTexCoord).rgb.r * 256)];
+		outColor = fPalette[int(texture(image, fTexCoord).rgb.r * 256) + int(fPalOffset)];
 		//outColor = vec4(0.0, 0.7, 1.0, 1.0);
 		if (outColor.a == 0) {
 			discard;
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ static void setTileBufferObject(
 		float y,
 		float textureTileIdx,
 		float priority,
+		float palOffset,
 		float *vbo,
 		GLuint *ebo) noexcept {
 	// don't worry, this memcpy gets optimized to something much more ideal
@@ -158,10 +163,10 @@ static void setTileBufferObject(
 	y += 1.0f - ymod;
 	auto const prif = priority * PriorityScale;
 	ox::Array<float, BgVertexVboLength> const vertices {
-			       x,        y, prif, 0, 1, textureTileIdx, // bottom left
-			x + xmod,        y, prif, 1, 1, textureTileIdx, // bottom right
-			x + xmod, y + ymod, prif, 1, 0, textureTileIdx, // top right
-			       x, y + ymod, prif, 0, 0, textureTileIdx, // top left
+			       x,        y, prif, 0, 1, textureTileIdx, palOffset, // bottom left
+			x + xmod,        y, prif, 1, 1, textureTileIdx, palOffset, // bottom right
+			x + xmod, y + ymod, prif, 1, 0, textureTileIdx, palOffset, // top right
+			       x, y + ymod, prif, 0, 0, textureTileIdx, palOffset, // top left
 	};
 	memcpy(vbo, vertices.data(), sizeof(vertices));
 	ox::Array<GLuint, BgVertexEboLength> const elms {
@@ -191,6 +196,7 @@ static void initBackgroundBufferObjects(glutils::BufferSet &bs) noexcept {
 				static_cast<float>(y),
 				0,
 				0,
+				0,
 				vbo,
 				ebo);
 		}
@@ -252,6 +258,11 @@ static void initBackgroundBufferset(
 	glVertexAttribPointer(
 			heightMultAttr, 1, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, BgVertexVboRowLength * sizeof(float),
 			std::bit_cast<void*>(uintptr_t{5 * sizeof(float)}));
+	auto const palBankAttr = static_cast<GLuint>(glGetAttribLocation(shader, "vPalOffset"));
+	glEnableVertexAttribArray(palBankAttr);
+	glVertexAttribPointer(
+			palBankAttr, 1, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, BgVertexVboRowLength * sizeof(float),
+			std::bit_cast<void*>(uintptr_t{6 * sizeof(float)}));
 }
 
 static glutils::GLTexture createTexture(
@@ -337,18 +348,19 @@ static void drawSprites(Context &ctx, ox::Size const&renderSz) noexcept {
 }
 
 static void loadPalette(
+		ox::Array<GLfloat, 1024> &palette,
+		size_t palOffset,
 		GLuint shaderPgrm,
 		Palette const&pal) noexcept {
 	static constexpr std::size_t ColorCnt = 256;
-	ox::Array<GLfloat, ColorCnt * 4> palette{};
-	for (auto i = 0u; const auto c : pal.colors) {
+	for (auto i = palOffset; auto const c : pal.colors) {
 		palette[i++] = redf(c);
 		palette[i++] = greenf(c);
 		palette[i++] = bluef(c);
 		palette[i++] = 255;
 	}
 	// make first color transparent
-	palette[3] = 0;
+	palette[palOffset + 3] = 0;
 	glUseProgram(shaderPgrm);
 	const auto uniformPalette = static_cast<GLint>(glGetUniformLocation(shaderPgrm, "fPalette"));
 	glUniform4fv(uniformPalette, ColorCnt, palette.data());
@@ -488,10 +500,11 @@ static ox::Result<TileSheetData> normalizeTileSheet(
 
 ox::Error loadBgPalette(
 		Context &ctx,
+		size_t palBank,
 		ox::FileAddress const&paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	auto &kctx = keelCtx(ctx.turbineCtx);
 	oxRequire(palette, readObj<Palette>(kctx, paletteAddr));
-	renderer::loadPalette(ctx.bgShader, *palette);
+	renderer::loadPalette(ctx.bgPalette, palBank * 16 * 4, ctx.bgShader, *palette);
 	return {};
 }
 
@@ -500,7 +513,8 @@ ox::Error loadSpritePalette(
 		ox::FileAddress const&paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	auto &kctx = keelCtx(ctx.turbineCtx);
 	oxRequire(palette, readObj<Palette>(kctx, paletteAddr));
-	renderer::loadPalette(ctx.spriteShader, *palette);
+	ox::Array<GLfloat, 1024> pal;
+	renderer::loadPalette(pal, 0, ctx.spriteShader, *palette);
 	return {};
 }
 
@@ -529,14 +543,14 @@ ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(
 		Context &ctx,
 		uint_t cbb,
 		ox::FileAddress const&tilesheetAddr,
-		bool loadDefaultPalette) noexcept {
+		ox::Optional<unsigned> const&paletteBank) noexcept {
 	auto &kctx = keelCtx(ctx.turbineCtx);
 	oxRequire(tilesheet, readObj<CompactTileSheet>(kctx, tilesheetAddr));
 	oxRequire(tsd, normalizeTileSheet(*tilesheet));
 	oxTracef("nostalgia.core.gfx.gl", "loadBgTexture: { cbbIdx: {}, w: {}, h: {} }", cbb, tsd.width, tsd.height);
 	ctx.cbbs[cbb].tex = renderer::createTexture(tsd.width, tsd.height, tsd.pixels.data());
-	if (loadDefaultPalette) {
-		oxReturnError(loadBgPalette(ctx, tilesheet->defaultPalette));
+	if (paletteBank.has_value() && tilesheet->defaultPalette) {
+		oxReturnError(loadBgPalette(ctx, *paletteBank, tilesheet->defaultPalette));
 	}
 	return {};
 }
@@ -578,7 +592,8 @@ void setBgTile(
 		uint_t bgIdx,
 		int column,
 		int row,
-		uint8_t tile) noexcept {
+		unsigned tile,
+		unsigned palBank) noexcept {
 	oxTracef(
 			"nostalgia.core.gfx.setBgTile",
 			"bgIdx: {}, column: {}, row: {}, tile: {}",
@@ -597,6 +612,7 @@ void setBgTile(
 			static_cast<float>(y),
 			static_cast<float>(tile),
 			bg.priority,
+			static_cast<float>(palBank * 16),
 			vbo,
 			ebo);
 	cbb.updated = true;
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.hpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.hpp
index 03649ac1..2e248ec4 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.hpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/core/src/opengl/gfx.hpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ constexpr uint64_t TileRows = 128;
 constexpr uint64_t TileColumns = 128;
 constexpr uint64_t TileCount = TileRows * TileColumns;
 constexpr uint64_t BgVertexVboRows = 4;
-constexpr uint64_t BgVertexVboRowLength = 6;
+constexpr uint64_t BgVertexVboRowLength = 7;
 constexpr uint64_t BgVertexVboLength = BgVertexVboRows * BgVertexVboRowLength;
 constexpr uint64_t BgVertexEboLength = 6;
 constexpr uint64_t SpriteVertexVboRows = 4;
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/modules/scene/src/scene.cpp b/src/nostalgia/modules/scene/src/scene.cpp
index 46ec2f83..877858ce 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/modules/scene/src/scene.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/modules/scene/src/scene.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ ox::Error Scene::setupDisplay(core::Context &ctx) const noexcept {
 	}
 	auto const&palette = m_sceneStatic.palettes[0];
 	oxReturnError(core::loadBgTileSheet(ctx, 0, m_sceneStatic.tilesheet));
-	oxReturnError(core::loadBgPalette(ctx, palette));
+	oxReturnError(core::loadBgPalette(ctx, 0, palette));
 	// disable all backgrounds
 	core::setBgStatus(ctx, 0);
 	for (auto layerNo = 0u; auto const&layer : m_sceneStatic.tileMapIdx) {
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/player/app.cpp b/src/nostalgia/player/app.cpp
index 3af8ebe0..acf26912 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/player/app.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/player/app.cpp
@@ -96,14 +96,16 @@ static ox::Error runTileSheetSetTest(turbine::Context &tctx) {
 			{ .tilesheet = ox::StringLiteral("/TileSheets/AB.ng"),      .sections{{.begin = 1, .tiles = 1}} },
 		},
 	};
+	constexpr auto bgPalBank = 1;
 	oxReturnError(core::loadBgTileSheet(*cctx, 0, set));
 	oxReturnError(core::loadSpriteTileSheet(*cctx, set));
-	oxReturnError(core::loadBgPalette(*cctx, PaletteAddr));
+	oxReturnError(core::loadBgPalette(*cctx, bgPalBank, PaletteAddr));
+	oxReturnError(core::loadBgPalette(*cctx, 0, ox::StringLiteral("/Palettes/Chester.npal")));
 	oxReturnError(core::loadSpritePalette(*cctx, PaletteAddr));
 	core::setBgStatus(*cctx, 0, true);
-	core::setBgTile(*cctx, 0, 10, 9, 1);
-	core::setBgTile(*cctx, 0, 11, 9, 2);
-	core::setBgTile(*cctx, 0, 13, 9, 4);
+	core::setBgTile(*cctx, 0, 10, 9, 1, bgPalBank);
+	core::setBgTile(*cctx, 0, 11, 9, 2, bgPalBank);
+	core::setBgTile(*cctx, 0, 13, 9, 4, bgPalBank);
 	core::setSprite(*cctx, 16, {
 		.enabled = true,
 		.x = 12 * 8,