diff --git a/src/game/game.c b/src/game/game.c
index 9b2e7c8..96d88c5 100644
--- a/src/game/game.c
+++ b/src/game/game.c
@@ -9,15 +9,16 @@
 #include <time.h>
 
 #include "../io/audio.h"
+#include "../util/types.h"
 #include "./tetromino/shapes.h"
 #include "gametime.h"
 #include "tetromino/placing.h"
 
 /* shuffle the array using a Fisher–Yates shuffle */
-static inline void shuffle(uint8_t const size, shape_id* const elmnts) {
-	for (uint8_t i = 0; i < (size - 1); i++) {
-		uint8_t const j = i + rand() % (size - i);
-		shape_id const cache = elmnts[i];
+static inline void shuffle(uint8_t const size, u8* const elmnts) {
+	for (uint i = 0; i < (size - 1); i++) {
+		uint const j = i + rand() % (size - i);
+		u8 const cache = elmnts[i];
 		elmnts[i] = elmnts[j];
 		elmnts[j] = cache;
 	}
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ void next_shape(gamedata* const dat) {
 	dat->curr_idx = 0;
 
 	shuffle(TETROMINO_COUNT - 1, dat->nxt);
-	shape_id cache = dat->nxt[0];
+	u8 cache = dat->nxt[0];
 	dat->nxt[0] = dat->nxt[TETROMINO_COUNT - 1];
 	dat->nxt[TETROMINO_COUNT - 1] = cache;
 }
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ void game_init(gamedata* const dat) {
 	}
 
 	// set the shape data in each slot to it's corrsponding ID
-	for (shape_id i = 0; i < TETROMINO_COUNT; i++)
+	for (uint i = 0; i < TETROMINO_COUNT; i++)
 		dat->nxt[i] = i;
 
 	dat->curr_idx = -1;                 // set the current index to the max so it becomes zero after increasement
diff --git a/src/game/game.h b/src/game/game.h
index 3648cbb..f272cf0 100644
--- a/src/game/game.h
+++ b/src/game/game.h
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "../io/audio.h"
 #include "../io/colour/colour8.h"
-#include "./tetromino/shapes.h"
+#include "../util/types.h"
 #include "gametime.h"
 
 // constants for pi(π) and tau(τ)
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	audiodata music;
 	audiodata place_sfx;
 	uint16_t score;
-	shape_id nxt[7];  // the order of the shape ids that they should appear in
+	u8 nxt[7];        // the order of the shape ids that they should appear in
 	uint8_t curr_idx; // current shape index
 	int8_t sel_x;     // selected shape x position
 	int8_t sel_y;     // selected shape y position
diff --git a/src/game/tetromino/placing.c b/src/game/tetromino/placing.c
index 154032c..8406aae 100644
--- a/src/game/tetromino/placing.c
+++ b/src/game/tetromino/placing.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "../../io/audio.h"
 #include "../../io/colour/colour8.h"
+#include "../../util/types.h"
 #include "../game.h"
 #include "shapes.h"
 
@@ -56,11 +57,11 @@ static void clear_rows(row* const rows, uint16_t* const score) {
 }
 
 // sets a shape to the screen
-static void set_shape_i(row const* const row, shape_id const id, int8_t const pos_x) {
-	shape const shape = shape_from_id(id);
+static void set_shape_i(row const* const row, u8 const id, int8_t const pos_x) {
+	u16 const shape = shape_from_id(id);
 	colour8 const colour = colour_from_id(id);
 	for (int8_t y = 0; y < SHAPE_HEIGHT; y++) {
-		shape_row const shape_row = shape_get_row(shape, y);
+		u8 const shape_row = shape_get_row(shape, y);
 
 		if (shape_row == 0)
 			continue;
@@ -71,16 +72,16 @@ static void set_shape_i(row const* const row, shape_id const id, int8_t const po
 	}
 }
 
-static inline void set_shape(row const* const row, shape_id const id, int8_t const pos_x, int8_t const pos_y) {
+static inline void set_shape(row const* const row, u8 const id, int8_t const pos_x, int8_t const pos_y) {
 	set_shape_i(&row[pos_y], id, pos_x); // calls itself, but omitting the pos_y argument, instead opting for specifying the row
 }
 
-static int shape_intersects(row const* const rows, shape_id const id, int8_t const x, int8_t const y) {
-	shape const shape = shape_from_id(id);
+static int shape_intersects(row const* const rows, u8 const id, int8_t const x, int8_t const y) {
+	u16 const shape = shape_from_id(id);
 
 	for (int y0 = 0; y0 < SHAPE_HEIGHT; y0++) {
-		shape_row const shape_row = shape_get_row(shape, y0); // get the shape row
-		if (shape_row == 0) continue;                         // if the row doesn't contain data; continue
+		u8 const shape_row = shape_get_row(shape, y0); // get the shape row
+		if (shape_row == 0) continue;                  // if the row doesn't contain data; continue
 
 		for (int x0 = 0; x0 < SHAPE_WIDTH; x0++) {
 			if (shape_is_set(shape_row, x0) == false) continue; // if the bit isn't set at this index; continue
@@ -95,14 +96,14 @@ static int shape_intersects(row const* const rows, shape_id const id, int8_t con
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static inline shape_id rotate_id(shape_id const id, int const dir) {
+static inline u8 rotate_id(u8 const id, int const dir) {
 	return (id + dir) & 31;
 }
 
 void place_update(gamedata* const game_data, input_data const move) {
 	// store the current index and ID, only changes when placed (which yields no movement) and rotation (which occurs last)
 	uint8_t const curr_idx = game_data->curr_idx;
-	shape_id const curr_id = game_data->nxt[curr_idx];
+	u8 curr_id = game_data->nxt[curr_idx];
 
 
 	// set the shape if we moved vertically and intersected
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ void place_update(gamedata* const game_data, input_data const move) {
 
 	// update the shape's rotation
 	if (move & 8 || move & 16) {
-		shape_id const id = move & 8 // check which direction we should move
+		u8 const id = move & 8 // check which direction we should move
 			? rotate_id(curr_id, -8)
 			: rotate_id(curr_id, 8);
 		if (shape_intersects(game_data->rows, id, game_data->sel_x, game_data->sel_y) == false) {
diff --git a/src/game/tetromino/shapes.c b/src/game/tetromino/shapes.c
index 6494dcd..4ac0423 100644
--- a/src/game/tetromino/shapes.c
+++ b/src/game/tetromino/shapes.c
@@ -1,42 +1,43 @@
 #include "shapes.h"
 
 #include "../../io/colour/colour8.h"
+#include "../../util/types.h"
 
-/*                                     0    1    2    3         */
-#define SHAPE_O     ((shape)0x0660) // 0000 0110 0110 0000      the O tetromino with no rotation
+/*                                   0    1    2    3         */
+#define SHAPE_O     ((u16)0x0660) // 0000 0110 0110 0000      the O tetromino with no rotation
 
-#define SHAPE_I     ((shape)0x0F00) // 0000 1111 0000 0000      the I tetromino with no rotation
-#define SHAPE_I_90  ((shape)0x2222) // 0010 0010 0010 0010      the I tetromino with a 90° rotation
-#define SHAPE_I_180 ((shape)0x00F0) // 0000 0000 1111 0000      the I tetromino with a 180° rotation
-#define SHAPE_I_270 ((shape)0x4444) // 0100 0100 0100 0100      the I tetromino with a 270° rotation
+#define SHAPE_I     ((u16)0x0F00) // 0000 1111 0000 0000      the I tetromino with no rotation
+#define SHAPE_I_90  ((u16)0x2222) // 0010 0010 0010 0010      the I tetromino with a 90° rotation
+#define SHAPE_I_180 ((u16)0x00F0) // 0000 0000 1111 0000      the I tetromino with a 180° rotation
+#define SHAPE_I_270 ((u16)0x4444) // 0100 0100 0100 0100      the I tetromino with a 270° rotation
 
-#define SHAPE_S     ((shape)0xC600) // 1100 0110 0000 0000      the Z tetromino with no rotation
-#define SHAPE_S_90  ((shape)0x2640) // 0010 0110 0100 0000      the Z tetromino with a 90° rotation
-#define SHAPE_S_180 ((shape)0x0C60) // 0000 1100 0110 0000      the Z tetromino with a 180° rotation
-#define SHAPE_S_270 ((shape)0x4C80) // 0100 1100 1000 0000      the Z tetromino with a 270° rotation
+#define SHAPE_S     ((u16)0xC600) // 1100 0110 0000 0000      the Z tetromino with no rotation
+#define SHAPE_S_90  ((u16)0x2640) // 0010 0110 0100 0000      the Z tetromino with a 90° rotation
+#define SHAPE_S_180 ((u16)0x0C60) // 0000 1100 0110 0000      the Z tetromino with a 180° rotation
+#define SHAPE_S_270 ((u16)0x4C80) // 0100 1100 1000 0000      the Z tetromino with a 270° rotation
 
-#define SHAPE_Z     ((shape)0x6C00) // 0110 1100 0000 0000      the S tetromino with no rotation
-#define SHAPE_Z_90  ((shape)0x4620) // 0100 0110 0010 0000      the S tetromino with a 90° rotation
-#define SHAPE_Z_180 ((shape)0x06C0) // 0000 0110 1100 0000      the S tetromino with a 180° rotation
-#define SHAPE_Z_270 ((shape)0x8C40) // 1000 1100 0100 0000      the S tetromino with a 270° rotation
+#define SHAPE_Z     ((u16)0x6C00) // 0110 1100 0000 0000      the S tetromino with no rotation
+#define SHAPE_Z_90  ((u16)0x4620) // 0100 0110 0010 0000      the S tetromino with a 90° rotation
+#define SHAPE_Z_180 ((u16)0x06C0) // 0000 0110 1100 0000      the S tetromino with a 180° rotation
+#define SHAPE_Z_270 ((u16)0x8C40) // 1000 1100 0100 0000      the S tetromino with a 270° rotation
 
-#define SHAPE_T     ((shape)0x0E40) // 0000 1110 0100 0000      the T tetromino with no rotation
-#define SHAPE_T_90  ((shape)0x4C40) // 0100 1100 0100 0000      the T tetromino with a 90° rotation
-#define SHAPE_T_180 ((shape)0x4E00) // 0100 1110 0000 0000      the T tetromino with a 180° rotation
-#define SHAPE_T_270 ((shape)0x4640) // 0100 0110 0100 0000      the T tetromino with a 270° rotation
+#define SHAPE_T     ((u16)0x0E40) // 0000 1110 0100 0000      the T tetromino with no rotation
+#define SHAPE_T_90  ((u16)0x4C40) // 0100 1100 0100 0000      the T tetromino with a 90° rotation
+#define SHAPE_T_180 ((u16)0x4E00) // 0100 1110 0000 0000      the T tetromino with a 180° rotation
+#define SHAPE_T_270 ((u16)0x4640) // 0100 0110 0100 0000      the T tetromino with a 270° rotation
 
-#define SHAPE_L     ((shape)0x4460) // 0100 0100 0110 0000      the L tetromino with no rotation
-#define SHAPE_L_90  ((shape)0x0E80) // 0000 1110 1000 0000      the L tetromino with a 90° rotation
-#define SHAPE_L_180 ((shape)0xC440) // 1100 0100 0100 0000      the L tetromino with a 180° rotation
-#define SHAPE_L_270 ((shape)0x2E00) // 0010 1110 0000 0000      the L tetromino with a 270° rotation
+#define SHAPE_L     ((u16)0x4460) // 0100 0100 0110 0000      the L tetromino with no rotation
+#define SHAPE_L_90  ((u16)0x0E80) // 0000 1110 1000 0000      the L tetromino with a 90° rotation
+#define SHAPE_L_180 ((u16)0xC440) // 1100 0100 0100 0000      the L tetromino with a 180° rotation
+#define SHAPE_L_270 ((u16)0x2E00) // 0010 1110 0000 0000      the L tetromino with a 270° rotation
 
-#define SHAPE_J     ((shape)0x44C0) // 0100 0100 1100 0000      the J tetromino with no rotation
-#define SHAPE_J_90  ((shape)0x8E00) // 1000 1110 0000 0000      the J tetromino with a 90° rotation
-#define SHAPE_J_180 ((shape)0x6440) // 0110 0100 0100 0000      the J tetromino with a 180° rotation
-#define SHAPE_J_270 ((shape)0x0E20) // 0000 1110 0010 0000      the J tetromino with a 270° rotation
+#define SHAPE_J     ((u16)0x44C0) // 0100 0100 1100 0000      the J tetromino with no rotation
+#define SHAPE_J_90  ((u16)0x8E00) // 1000 1110 0000 0000      the J tetromino with a 90° rotation
+#define SHAPE_J_180 ((u16)0x6440) // 0110 0100 0100 0000      the J tetromino with a 180° rotation
+#define SHAPE_J_270 ((u16)0x0E20) // 0000 1110 0010 0000      the J tetromino with a 270° rotation
 
-shape shape_from_id(shape_id const id) {
-	static shape const shapes[TETROMINO_COUNT][4] = {
+u16 shape_from_id(u8 id) {
+	static u16 const shapes[TETROMINO_COUNT][4] = {
 		// 0°       90°         180°         170°
 		{SHAPE_O, SHAPE_O,    SHAPE_O,     SHAPE_O    },
 		{SHAPE_I, SHAPE_I_90, SHAPE_I_180, SHAPE_I_270},
@@ -47,11 +48,11 @@ shape shape_from_id(shape_id const id) {
 		{SHAPE_J, SHAPE_J_90, SHAPE_J_180, SHAPE_J_270},
 	};
 
-	// first 3 bits is the shape type, the rest is rotation data
+	// first 3 least significant bits is the shape type, the rest is rotation data
 	return shapes[id & 7][id >> 3];
 }
 
-colour8 colour_from_id(shape_id const id) {
+colour8 colour_from_id(u8 id) {
 	switch (id & 7) {
 	case TETROMINO_O: return COLOUR8_YELLOW;
 	case TETROMINO_I: return COLOUR8_CYAN;
diff --git a/src/game/tetromino/shapes.h b/src/game/tetromino/shapes.h
index f7add24..d61edf0 100644
--- a/src/game/tetromino/shapes.h
+++ b/src/game/tetromino/shapes.h
@@ -3,11 +3,8 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include "../../io/colour/colour8.h"
+#include "../../util/types.h"
 
-typedef uint16_t shape;
-typedef uint8_t shape_row;
-
-typedef uint8_t shape_id;
 enum {
 	TETROMINO_O = 0,
 	TETROMINO_I = 1,
@@ -27,13 +24,13 @@ enum {
 
 
 
-static inline shape_row shape_get_row(shape const shape, uint8_t const index) {
+static inline u8 shape_get_row(u16 shape, u8 index) {
 	return shape >> (((SHAPE_HEIGHT - 1) - index) * SHAPE_WIDTH) & 0xF;
 }
 
-static inline bool shape_is_set(shape_row const row, uint8_t const index) {
+static inline bool shape_is_set(u8 row, u8 index) {
 	return (row >> ((SHAPE_WIDTH - 1) - index) & 1) != 0;
 }
 
-shape shape_from_id(shape_id id);
-colour8 colour_from_id(shape_id id);
+u16 shape_from_id(u8 id);
+colour8 colour_from_id(u8 id);
diff --git a/src/io/render.c b/src/io/render.c
index 575687a..415174c 100644
--- a/src/io/render.c
+++ b/src/io/render.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "../error.h"
 #include "../game/game.h"
 #include "../game/tetromino/shapes.h"
+#include "../util/types.h"
 #include "colour/colour32.h"
 #include "colour/colour8.h"
 
@@ -90,12 +91,12 @@ static inline int draw_block(SDL_Renderer* const renderer, int8_t const x, int8_
 }
 
 // draws a shape at the specified position
-static void draw_shape(SDL_Renderer* const renderer, shape_id const id, int8_t const pos_x, int8_t const pos_y) {
-	shape const shape = shape_from_id(id);
+static void draw_shape(SDL_Renderer* const renderer, u8 const id, int8_t const pos_x, int8_t const pos_y) {
+	u16 shape = shape_from_id(id);
 	set_colour8(renderer, colour_from_id(id));
 
 	for (int8_t y = 0; y < SHAPE_HEIGHT; y++) {
-		shape_row const shape_row = shape_get_row(shape, y);
+		u8 shape_row = shape_get_row(shape, y);
 
 		if (shape_row == 0)
 			continue;