diff --git a/src/particles.rs b/src/particles.rs
index b8fe47d..0b8eff4 100644
--- a/src/particles.rs
+++ b/src/particles.rs
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ impl Game {
             self.impact(&f);
         }
         self.spawn_lava_particles(dt);
+        self.spawn_torch_smoke(dt);
         // particles
         for p in self.parts.iter_mut() {
             p.t += dt;
@@ -395,6 +396,25 @@ impl Game {
         }
     }
 
+    // a thin wisp of smoke above every known torch, now and then a spark
+    fn spawn_torch_smoke(&mut self, dt: f32) {
+        let spots: Vec<(f32, f32)> = self.torches.iter().filter(|t| self.map.shown(t.wall)).map(|t| t.pos()).collect();
+        for (x, y) in spots {
+            if self.parts.len() >= PARTS_MAX - 100 {
+                break;
+            }
+            if self.vrng.f() < 1.1 * dt {
+                let v = ((self.vrng.f() - 0.5) * 0.08, (self.vrng.f() - 0.5) * 0.08, 0.32 + self.vrng.f() * 0.12);
+                let life = 1.8 + self.vrng.f() * 0.6;
+                self.part(SMOKE, (x, y, 1.0), v, life, abgr(70, 62, 58), 0.05);
+            }
+            if self.vrng.f() < 0.25 * dt {
+                let v = ((self.vrng.f() - 0.5) * 0.3, (self.vrng.f() - 0.5) * 0.3, 0.9);
+                self.part(EMBER, (x, y, 0.95), v, 0.9, abgr(255, 170, 60), 0.025);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     fn spawn_lava_particles(&mut self, dt: f32) {
         if self.parts.len() >= PARTS_MAX {
             return;
@@ -466,6 +486,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn projectiles_trail_and_explode_and_arrows_stick() {
         let mut g = Game::new(3, 64, 64);
+        g.torches.clear(); // no torch smoke in the count below
         let (cx, cy) = g.map.core;
         let (x, y) = (cx as f32 + 1.5, cy as f32 - 1.5);
         g.shot(x, y, 0.5, x + 3.0, y, 0.45, 0.3, 0xffffffff);
diff --git a/src/render3d.rs b/src/render3d.rs
index 487b39c..a8e1dd0 100644
--- a/src/render3d.rs
+++ b/src/render3d.rs
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@ impl R3d {
         for (k, tr) in g.torches.iter().enumerate() {
             let (x, z) = tr.pos();
             let fl = 0.85 + 0.1 * (t * 9.0 + k as f32 * 1.7).sin() + 0.05 * (t * 23.0 + k as f32).sin();
-            push(vec3(x, 0.75, z), 4.5, vec3(1.0, 0.62, 0.28), 0.9 * fl, 0.0);
+            push(vec3(x, 0.85, z), 5.5, vec3(1.0, 0.62, 0.28), 1.5 * fl, 0.0);
         }
         let (cx, cy) = g.map.core;
         let hp = (g.core_hp / CORE_HP).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
@@ -1297,10 +1297,7 @@ impl R3d {
             }
         }
         for (k, tr) in g.torches.iter().enumerate().filter(|(_, tr)| g.map.shown(tr.wall)) {
-            let (x, z) = tr.pos();
-            let fl = 1.0 + 0.15 * (t * 11.0 + k as f32 * 2.3).sin();
-            draw_sphere(vec3(x, 0.78, z), 0.09 * fl, None, Color::new(1.0, 0.55, 0.15, 0.9));
-            draw_sphere(vec3(x, 0.8, z), 0.05 * fl, None, Color::new(1.0, 0.95, 0.6, 1.0));
+            draw_torch_flame(tr.pos(), k as f32, t);
         }
         draw_shadows(g);
         if let Some(f) = g.flag {
@@ -2648,6 +2645,28 @@ fn draw_traps_glow(g: &Game, t: f32) {
     }
 }
 
+// a torch flame: stacked glowing blocks, hot and white at the bottom, red at the tip, that
+// sway and flicker; a soft halo around it (the smoke comes from particles.rs)
+fn draw_torch_flame((x, z): (f32, f32), k: f32, t: f32) {
+    let base = 0.72;
+    let flick = 0.8 + 0.2 * (t * 13.0 + k * 2.1).sin() + 0.1 * (t * 29.0 + k * 0.7).sin();
+    draw_sphere(vec3(x, base + 0.1, z), 0.24 * flick, None, Color::new(1.0, 0.55, 0.15, 0.16));
+    let n = 6;
+    for i in 0..n {
+        let f = i as f32 / (n - 1) as f32;
+        let sway = (t * 7.0 + k * 1.3 + f * 2.5).sin() * 0.035 * f;
+        let sway2 = (t * 5.3 + k * 2.7 + f * 1.9).cos() * 0.025 * f;
+        let h = base + f * 0.24 * flick;
+        let size = (0.11 - f * 0.08) * (1.0 + 0.18 * (t * 17.0 + k * 3.1 + f * 4.0).sin());
+        let c = if f < 0.4 {
+            vec3(1.0, 0.95, 0.65).lerp(vec3(1.0, 0.68, 0.2), f / 0.4)
+        } else {
+            vec3(1.0, 0.68, 0.2).lerp(vec3(0.95, 0.25, 0.06), (f - 0.4) / 0.6)
+        };
+        draw_cube(vec3(x + sway, h, z + sway2), Vec3::splat(size), None, Color::new(c.x, c.y, c.z, 0.95 - f * 0.4));
+    }
+}
+
 // particles that glow (embers, sparks, smoke, flashes, shock waves)
 fn draw_scorch_glow(g: &Game) {
     use crate::particles::*;