diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp
index 1f065bc5..c0f20911 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "KeyPoll.h"
 #include "Map.h"
 #include "Music.h"
+#include "Screen.h"
 #include "Script.h"
 #include "UtilityClass.h"
 
@@ -1921,10 +1922,10 @@ void editorinput(void)
     game.my = (float) key.my;
     ed.tilex=(game.mx - (game.mx%8))/8;
     ed.tiley=(game.my - (game.my%8))/8;
-    if (graphics.screenbuffer->scalingMode == 1) {
+    if (gameScreen.scalingMode == 1) {
         // In this mode specifically, we have to fix the mouse coordinates
         int winwidth, winheight;
-        graphics.screenbuffer->GetWindowSize(&winwidth, &winheight);
+        gameScreen.GetWindowSize(&winwidth, &winheight);
         ed.tilex = ed.tilex * 320 / winwidth;
         ed.tiley = ed.tiley * 240 / winheight;
     }
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
index ce41922a..85e145ad 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "Map.h"
 #include "Music.h"
 #include "Network.h"
+#include "Screen.h"
 #include "Script.h"
 #include "UtilityClass.h"
 #include "Vlogging.h"
@@ -4326,13 +4327,8 @@ void Game::deserializesettings(tinyxml2::XMLElement* dataNode, ScreenSettings* s
 
 bool Game::savestats(bool sync /*= true*/)
 {
-    if (graphics.screenbuffer == NULL)
-    {
-        return false;
-    }
-
     ScreenSettings screen_settings;
-    graphics.screenbuffer->GetSettings(&screen_settings);
+    gameScreen.GetSettings(&screen_settings);
 
     return savestats(&screen_settings, sync);
 }
@@ -4596,13 +4592,8 @@ void Game::loadsettings(ScreenSettings* screen_settings)
 
 bool Game::savesettings(void)
 {
-    if (graphics.screenbuffer == NULL)
-    {
-        return false;
-    }
-
     ScreenSettings screen_settings;
-    graphics.screenbuffer->GetSettings(&screen_settings);
+    gameScreen.GetSettings(&screen_settings);
 
     return savesettings(&screen_settings);
 }
@@ -6094,7 +6085,7 @@ void Game::createmenu( enum Menu::MenuName t, bool samemenu/*= false*/ )
     case Menu::graphicoptions:
         option("toggle fullscreen");
         option("scaling mode");
-        option("resize to nearest", graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed);
+        option("resize to nearest", gameScreen.isWindowed);
         option("toggle filter");
         option("toggle analogue");
         option("toggle vsync");
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp
index a8f4f833..763a2602 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ void Graphics::init(void)
     m = 0;
     linedelay = 0;
     menubuffer = NULL;
-    screenbuffer = NULL;
     tempBuffer = NULL;
     warpbuffer = NULL;
     warpbuffer_lerp = NULL;
@@ -3014,7 +3013,7 @@ void Graphics::menuoffrender(void)
     BlitSurfaceStandard(tempBuffer, NULL, backBuffer, NULL);
     BlitSurfaceStandard(menubuffer, NULL, backBuffer, &offsetRect);
 
-    screenbuffer->UpdateScreen(backBuffer, NULL);
+    gameScreen.UpdateScreen(backBuffer, NULL);
     ClearSurface(backBuffer);
 }
 
@@ -3135,7 +3134,7 @@ void Graphics::flashlight(void)
 void Graphics::screenshake(void)
 {
     SDL_Rect shakeRect = {screenshake_x, screenshake_y, backBuffer->w, backBuffer->h};
-    screenbuffer->UpdateScreen(backBuffer, &shakeRect);
+    gameScreen.UpdateScreen(backBuffer, &shakeRect);
 
     ClearSurface(backBuffer);
 }
@@ -3148,12 +3147,7 @@ void Graphics::updatescreenshake(void)
 
 void Graphics::render(void)
 {
-    if (screenbuffer == NULL)
-    {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    screenbuffer->UpdateScreen(backBuffer, NULL);
+    gameScreen.UpdateScreen(backBuffer, NULL);
 }
 
 void Graphics::renderwithscreeneffects(void)
@@ -3180,7 +3174,7 @@ void Graphics::renderfixedpre(void)
         updatescreenshake();
     }
 
-    if (screenbuffer != NULL && screenbuffer->badSignalEffect)
+    if (gameScreen.badSignalEffect)
     {
         UpdateFilter();
     }
@@ -3414,10 +3408,7 @@ bool Graphics::reloadresources(void)
     images.push_back(grphx.im_image11);
     images.push_back(grphx.im_image12);
 
-    if (screenbuffer != NULL)
-    {
-        screenbuffer->LoadIcon();
-    }
+    gameScreen.LoadIcon();
 
     music.destroy();
     music.init();
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Graphics.h b/desktop_version/src/Graphics.h
index c0e9d81a..ae046d99 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Graphics.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Graphics.h
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #include "GraphicsResources.h"
 #include "GraphicsUtil.h"
 #include "Maths.h"
-#include "Screen.h"
 #include "Textbox.h"
 #include "TowerBG.h"
 
@@ -258,7 +257,6 @@ public:
     bool notextoutline;
     //buffer objects. //TODO refactor buffer objects
     SDL_Surface* backBuffer;
-    Screen* screenbuffer;
     SDL_Surface* menubuffer;
     SDL_Surface* foregroundBuffer;
     SDL_Surface* tempBuffer;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Input.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Input.cpp
index c17555e4..1f501c8e 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Input.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Input.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "MakeAndPlay.h"
 #include "Map.h"
 #include "Music.h"
+#include "Screen.h"
 #include "Script.h"
 #include "UtilityClass.h"
 #include "Vlogging.h"
@@ -559,7 +560,7 @@ static void menuactionpress(void)
             && FILESYSTEM_openDirectory(FILESYSTEM_getUserLevelDirectory()))
             {
                 music.playef(11);
-                SDL_MinimizeWindow(graphics.screenbuffer->m_window);
+                SDL_MinimizeWindow(gameScreen.m_window);
             }
             else
             {
@@ -604,30 +605,24 @@ static void menuactionpress(void)
         map.nexttowercolour();
         break;
     case Menu::graphicoptions:
-        if (graphics.screenbuffer == NULL)
-        {
-            SDL_assert(0 && "Screenbuffer is NULL!");
-            break;
-        }
-
         switch (game.currentmenuoption)
         {
         case 0:
             music.playef(11);
-            graphics.screenbuffer->toggleFullScreen();
+            gameScreen.toggleFullScreen();
             game.savestatsandsettings_menu();
             break;
         case 1:
             music.playef(11);
-            graphics.screenbuffer->toggleScalingMode();
+            gameScreen.toggleScalingMode();
             game.savestatsandsettings_menu();
             break;
         case 2:
             // resize to nearest multiple
-            if (graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed)
+            if (gameScreen.isWindowed)
             {
                 music.playef(11);
-                graphics.screenbuffer->ResizeToNearestMultiple();
+                gameScreen.ResizeToNearestMultiple();
                 game.savestatsandsettings_menu();
             }
             else
@@ -637,13 +632,13 @@ static void menuactionpress(void)
             break;
         case 3:
             music.playef(11);
-            graphics.screenbuffer->toggleLinearFilter();
+            gameScreen.toggleLinearFilter();
             game.savestatsandsettings_menu();
             break;
         case 4:
             //change smoothing
             music.playef(11);
-            graphics.screenbuffer->badSignalEffect= !graphics.screenbuffer->badSignalEffect;
+            gameScreen.badSignalEffect= !gameScreen.badSignalEffect;
             game.savestatsandsettings_menu();
             break;
         case 5:
@@ -651,7 +646,7 @@ static void menuactionpress(void)
 #if SDL_VERSION_ATLEAST(2, 0, 17)
             //toggle vsync
             music.playef(11);
-            graphics.screenbuffer->toggleVSync();
+            gameScreen.toggleVSync();
             game.savestatsandsettings_menu();
 #endif
             break;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/KeyPoll.cpp b/desktop_version/src/KeyPoll.cpp
index 409ecc4f..cd777849 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/KeyPoll.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/KeyPoll.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "GlitchrunnerMode.h"
 #include "Graphics.h"
 #include "Music.h"
+#include "Screen.h"
 #include "Vlogging.h"
 
 int inline KeyPoll::getThreshold(void)
@@ -67,10 +68,7 @@ bool KeyPoll::textentry(void)
 
 void KeyPoll::toggleFullscreen(void)
 {
-    if (graphics.screenbuffer != NULL)
-    {
-        graphics.screenbuffer->toggleFullScreen();
-    }
+    gameScreen.toggleFullScreen();
 
     keymap.clear(); /* we lost the input due to a new window. */
     if (GlitchrunnerMode_less_than_or_equal(Glitchrunner2_2))
@@ -337,7 +335,7 @@ void KeyPoll::Poll(void)
                 {
                     if (wasFullscreen)
                     {
-                        graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed = false;
+                        gameScreen.isWindowed = false;
                         SDL_SetWindowFullscreen(
                             SDL_GetWindowFromID(evt.window.windowID),
                             SDL_WINDOW_FULLSCREEN_DESKTOP
@@ -359,8 +357,8 @@ void KeyPoll::Poll(void)
 
                 if (SDL_strcmp(SDL_GetCurrentVideoDriver(), "x11") == 0)
                 {
-                    wasFullscreen = !graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed;
-                    graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed = true;
+                    wasFullscreen = !gameScreen.isWindowed;
+                    gameScreen.isWindowed = true;
                     SDL_SetWindowFullscreen(
                         SDL_GetWindowFromID(evt.window.windowID),
                         0
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
index 3f7e70e3..b00b5422 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "Map.h"
 #include "Maths.h"
 #include "Music.h"
+#include "Screen.h"
 #include "Script.h"
 #include "UtilityClass.h"
 #include "Version.h"
@@ -288,19 +289,13 @@ static void menurender(void)
         }
         break;
     case Menu::graphicoptions:
-        if (graphics.screenbuffer == NULL)
-        {
-            SDL_assert(0 && "Screenbuffer is NULL!");
-            break;
-        }
-
         switch (game.currentmenuoption)
         {
         case 0:
             graphics.bigprint( -1, 30, "Toggle Fullscreen", tr, tg, tb, true);
             graphics.Print( -1, 65, "Change to fullscreen/windowed mode.", tr, tg, tb, true);
 
-            if (graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed)
+            if (gameScreen.isWindowed)
             {
                 graphics.Print( -1, 85, "Current mode: WINDOWED", tr, tg, tb, true);
             }
@@ -314,7 +309,7 @@ static void menurender(void)
             graphics.bigprint( -1, 30, "Scaling Mode", tr, tg, tb, true);
             graphics.Print( -1, 65, "Choose letterbox/stretch/integer mode.", tr, tg, tb, true);
 
-            switch (graphics.screenbuffer->scalingMode)
+            switch (gameScreen.scalingMode)
             {
             case 2:
                 graphics.Print( -1, 85, "Current mode: INTEGER", tr, tg, tb, true);
@@ -331,7 +326,7 @@ static void menurender(void)
             graphics.bigprint(-1, 30, "Resize to Nearest", tr, tg, tb, true);
             graphics.Print(-1, 65, "Resize to the nearest window size", tr, tg, tb, true);
             graphics.Print(-1, 75, "that is of an integer multiple.", tr, tg, tb, true);
-            if (!graphics.screenbuffer->isWindowed)
+            if (!gameScreen.isWindowed)
             {
                 graphics.Print(-1, 95, "You must be in windowed mode", tr, tg, tb, true);
                 graphics.Print(-1, 105, "to use this option.", tr, tg, tb, true);
@@ -341,7 +336,7 @@ static void menurender(void)
             graphics.bigprint( -1, 30, "Toggle Filter", tr, tg, tb, true);
             graphics.Print( -1, 65, "Change to nearest/linear filter.", tr, tg, tb, true);
 
-            if (graphics.screenbuffer->isFiltered)
+            if (gameScreen.isFiltered)
             {
                 graphics.Print( -1, 85, "Current mode: LINEAR", tr, tg, tb, true);
             }
@@ -367,7 +362,7 @@ static void menurender(void)
             graphics.Print(-1, 75, "Edit the config file.", tr, tg, tb, true);
 #endif
 
-            if (!graphics.screenbuffer->vsync)
+            if (!gameScreen.vsync)
             {
                 graphics.Print(-1, 85, "Current mode: VSYNC OFF", tr/2, tg/2, tb/2, true);
             }
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Screen.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Screen.cpp
index 99784a55..30fb7179 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Screen.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Screen.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define GAMESCREEN_DEFINITION
 #include "Screen.h"
 
 #include <SDL.h>
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Screen.h b/desktop_version/src/Screen.h
index a5469fb2..aa3d076c 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Screen.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Screen.h
@@ -41,4 +41,8 @@ public:
     SDL_Surface* m_screen;
 };
 
+#ifndef GAMESCREEN_DEFINITION
+extern Screen gameScreen;
+#endif
+
 #endif /* SCREEN_H */
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/main.cpp b/desktop_version/src/main.cpp
index fc465ad5..50909257 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/main.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/main.cpp
@@ -576,7 +576,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         game.loadsettings(&screen_settings);
         gameScreen.init(screen_settings);
     }
-    graphics.screenbuffer = &gameScreen;
 
     graphics.create_buffers(gameScreen.GetFormat());