diff --git a/src/engine/datatypes.ts b/src/engine/datatypes.ts
index 273e5e4..3923a8f 100644
--- a/src/engine/datatypes.ts
+++ b/src/engine/datatypes.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,57 @@ export class Size {
   }
 }
 
+export class Circle {
+  readonly center: Point;
+  readonly radius: number;
+
+  constructor(center: Point, radius: number) {
+    this.center = center;
+    this.radius = radius;
+  }
+
+  getContactWithRect(rect: Rect): Point | null {
+    // port: https://www.jeffreythompson.org/collision-detection/circle-rect.php
+    let cx = this.center.x;
+    let cy = this.center.y;
+    let testX = this.center.x;
+    let testY = this.center.y;
+
+    let rx = rect.top.x;
+    let ry = rect.top.y;
+    let rw = rect.size.w;
+    let rh = rect.size.h;
+
+    if (cx < rx) { testX = rx; }
+    else if (cx > rx + rw) { testX = rx + rw; }
+    if (cy < ry) { testY = ry; }
+    else if (cy > ry + rh) { testY = ry + rh; }
+
+    let distX = cx - testX;
+    let distY = cy - testY;
+    let sqDistance = (distX * distX) + (distY * distY);
+
+    if (sqDistance <= this.radius * this.radius) {
+      return new Point(testX, testY);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  overlappedCells(size: Size): Rect[] {
+    let meAsRect = new Rect(
+      this.center.offset(new Point(-this.radius, -this.radius)),
+      new Size(this.radius * 2, this.radius * 2)
+    );
+    let all: Rect[] = [];
+    for (let cell of meAsRect.overlappedCells(size).values()) {
+      if (this.getContactWithRect(cell) != null) {
+        all.push(cell);
+      }
+    }
+    return all;
+  }
+}
+
 export class Rect {
   readonly top: Point;
   readonly size: Size;
diff --git a/src/floater.ts b/src/floater.ts
index 48474b4..008ab32 100644
--- a/src/floater.ts
+++ b/src/floater.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { BreakableBlockPickupCallbacks } from "./pickups.ts";
-import { Point, Rect, Size } from "./engine/datatypes.ts";
+import {Circle, Point} from "./engine/datatypes.ts";
 import { displace } from "./physics.ts";
 import { getHuntMode } from "./huntmode.ts";
 import { DrawPile } from "./drawpile.ts";
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export class Floater {
     let { displacement, dxy } = displace(
       bbox,
       this.velocity,
-      (r) => getHuntMode().isBlocked(r),
+      (r) => getHuntMode().getContact(r),
       { bounce: 0.6 },
     );
 
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ export class Floater {
     return !this.collected && this.frame < 1440;
   }
 
-  get bbox(): Rect {
+  get bbox(): Circle {
     let w = 0.25;
     let h = 0.25;
-    return new Rect(this.xy.offset(new Point(-w / 2, -h / 2)), new Size(w, h));
+    return new Circle(this.xy, w / 2);
   }
   drawParticle(projected: Point, isShadow: boolean): any {
     this.#callbacks.drawParticle(
diff --git a/src/huntmode.ts b/src/huntmode.ts
index 6a5b3d2..8896832 100644
--- a/src/huntmode.ts
+++ b/src/huntmode.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Point, Rect, Size } from "./engine/datatypes.ts";
+import {Circle, Point, Rect, Size} from "./engine/datatypes.ts";
 import { DrawPile } from "./drawpile.ts";
 import { D, I } from "./engine/public.ts";
 import { sprThrallLore } from "./sprites.ts";
@@ -201,39 +201,12 @@ export class HuntMode {
 
     this.velocity = new Point(dx, dy);
 
-    // try to push us away from walls if we're close
-    for (let offset of CARDINAL_DIRECTIONS.values()) {
-      let bigBbox = new Rect(
-        this.floatingPlayer
-          .offset(offset.scale(new Size(0.06, 0.06)))
-          .offset(new Point(-szX / 2, -szY / 2)),
-        new Size(szX, szY),
-      );
-
-      let hitsWall = false;
-      for (let cell of bigBbox.overlappedCells(new Size(1, 1)).values()) {
-        if (this.#blocksMovement(cell.top)) {
-          hitsWall = true;
-          break;
-        }
-      }
-      if (hitsWall) {
-        this.velocity = this.velocity.offset(
-          offset.scale(new Point(0.005, 0.005)).negate(),
-        );
-      }
-    }
-
-    let origin = new Point(szX / 2, szY / 2);
-    let bbox = new Rect(
-      this.floatingPlayer.offset(origin.negate()),
-      new Size(szX, szY),
-    );
-    let { displacement, dxy } = displace(bbox, this.velocity, (b: Rect) =>
-      this.isBlocked(b),
+    let bbox = new Circle( this.floatingPlayer, szX / 2);
+    let { displacement, dxy } = displace(bbox, this.velocity, (b: Circle) =>
+      this.getContact(b)
     );
     this.floatingPlayer = this.floatingPlayer.offset(displacement);
-    // this.velocity = dxy; // don't let the wall break our speed, this sucks on corners
+    this.velocity = dxy;
     // let friction do it
     getPlayerProgress().spendBlood(displacement.distance(new Point(0, 0)) * 10);
   }
@@ -455,13 +428,13 @@ export class HuntMode {
     });
   }
 
-  isBlocked(bbox: Rect): boolean {
+  getContact(bbox: Circle): Point | null {
     for (let cell of bbox.overlappedCells(new Size(1, 1)).values()) {
       if (this.#blocksMovement(cell.top)) {
-        return true;
+        return bbox.getContactWithRect(cell)!;
       }
     }
-    return false;
+    return null;
   }
 
   #blocksMovement(xy: Point) {
diff --git a/src/physics.ts b/src/physics.ts
index 67595eb..33fd9fe 100644
--- a/src/physics.ts
+++ b/src/physics.ts
@@ -1,36 +1,45 @@
-import { Point, Rect } from "./engine/datatypes.ts";
+import {Circle, lerp, Point, Rect} from "./engine/datatypes.ts";
 
 export function displace(
-  bbox: Rect,
+  bbox: Circle,
   dxy: Point,
-  blocked: (where: Rect) => boolean,
+  getContact: (where: Circle) => Point | null,
   options?: { bounce?: number },
-): { bbox: Rect; displacement: Point; dxy: Point } {
+): { bbox: Circle; displacement: Point; dxy: Point } {
   let nSteps = 40;
+  let nRedirections = 40;
   let bounce = options?.bounce ?? 0;
 
-  let xy = bbox.top;
+  let xy = bbox.center;
+  let redirections = 0;
   for (let i = 0; i < nSteps; i++) {
-    let trialXy = xy.offset(new Point(dxy.x / nSteps, 0));
-    let trialBbox = new Rect(trialXy, bbox.size);
+    let trialXy = xy.offset(new Point(dxy.x / nSteps, dxy.y / nSteps));
+    let trialBbox = new Circle(trialXy, bbox.radius);
 
-    if (blocked(trialBbox)) {
-      dxy = new Point(bounce * -dxy.x, dxy.y);
-    } else {
-      xy = trialXy;
-    }
+    let contact = getContact(trialBbox);
+    if (contact) {
+      let normal = contact.offset(trialXy.negate());
+      let mag = normal.distance(new Point(0, 0));
+      let nx = mag == 0 ? 0 : normal.x / mag;
+      let ny = mag == 0 ? 0 : normal.y / mag;
 
-    trialXy = xy.offset(new Point(0, dxy.y / nSteps));
-    trialBbox = new Rect(trialXy, bbox.size);
-    if (blocked(trialBbox)) {
-      dxy = new Point(dxy.x, bounce * -dxy.y);
+      let dot = dxy.x * nx + dxy.y * ny;
+      if (redirections < nRedirections) {
+        dxy = new Point(dxy.x - lerp(bounce, 1, 2) * dot * nx, dxy.y - lerp(bounce, 1, 2) * dot * ny);
+        i -= 1; // try again with reflection
+        redirections += 1;
+      } else {
+        dxy = new Point(0, 0);
+        break;
+      }
     } else {
       xy = trialXy;
     }
   }
+
   return {
-    bbox: new Rect(xy, bbox.size),
-    displacement: xy.offset(bbox.top.negate()),
+    bbox: new Circle(xy, bbox.radius),
+    displacement: xy.offset(bbox.center.negate()),
     dxy,
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/pickups.ts b/src/pickups.ts
index 5316f71..d115d3b 100644
--- a/src/pickups.ts
+++ b/src/pickups.ts
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ export class LadderPickup {
   }
 
   blocksMovement() {
-    return true;
+    return false;
   }
 
   obstructsVision() {