diff --git a/onboard/DevcadeClient.cs b/onboard/DevcadeClient.cs
index c81654e..55b762f 100644
--- a/onboard/DevcadeClient.cs
+++ b/onboard/DevcadeClient.cs
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ public class DevcadeClient
     {
         private readonly string _apiDomain;
 
+        // Basically a semaphore for communicating between the main thread (doing the menu animations)
+        // and the thread that loads the game.
         public bool DownloadFailed = false;
 
         public DevcadeClient()
diff --git a/onboard/Game1.cs b/onboard/Game1.cs
index 9606b99..dd8446d 100644
--- a/onboard/Game1.cs
+++ b/onboard/Game1.cs
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ private enum MenuState
         // To indicate that there was a problem running the game
         private bool _errorLoading = false;
 
+        // If we can't fetch the game list (like if the API is down)
+        private bool _cantFetch = false;
+
         public Game1()
         {
             _graphics = new GraphicsDeviceManager(this);
@@ -92,8 +95,16 @@ protected override void LoadContent()
             loadingSpin = Content.Load<Texture2D>("loadingSheet");
 
             // TODO: use this.Content to load your game content here
-            _mainMenu.gameTitles = _client.GetGames();
-            _mainMenu.setCards(_client, GraphicsDevice);
+            try 
+            {
+                _mainMenu.gameTitles = _client.GetGames();
+                _mainMenu.setCards(_client, GraphicsDevice);
+            } catch (System.AggregateException e)
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine($"Failed to fetch games: {e}");
+                state = MenuState.Loading;
+                _cantFetch = true;
+            }
         }
 
         protected override void Update(GameTime gameTime)
@@ -126,6 +137,27 @@ protected override void Update(GameTime gameTime)
                     break;
 
                 case MenuState.Loading:
+
+                    if (_cantFetch)
+                    {
+                        if (myState.IsKeyDown(Keys.Space) || (Input.GetButton(1, Input.ArcadeButtons.Menu) && Input.GetButton(2, Input.ArcadeButtons.Menu)))
+                        {
+                            try {
+                                _mainMenu.clearGames();
+                                _mainMenu.gameTitles = _client.GetGames();
+                                _mainMenu.setCards(_client, GraphicsDevice);
+                                _cantFetch = false;
+                                state = MenuState.Input;
+                            } catch (System.AggregateException e)
+                            {
+                                Console.WriteLine($"Failed to fetch games: {e}");
+                                state = MenuState.Loading;
+                                _cantFetch = true;
+                            }
+
+                        }
+                    }
+
                     _errorLoading = false; // Clear error loading if we successfully load.
                                            // Check for process that matches last launched game and display loading screen if it's running 
                                            // This can be done easier by keeping a reference to the process spawned and .HasExited property...
@@ -154,6 +186,21 @@ protected override void Update(GameTime gameTime)
                     _mainMenu.descFadeOut(gameTime);
                     _mainMenu.cardFadeIn(gameTime);
 
+                    if (myState.IsKeyDown(Keys.Space) || (Input.GetButton(1, Input.ArcadeButtons.Menu) && Input.GetButton(2, Input.ArcadeButtons.Menu)))
+                    {
+                        _mainMenu.clearGames();
+                        try 
+                        {
+                            _mainMenu.gameTitles = _client.GetGames();
+                            _mainMenu.setCards(_client, GraphicsDevice);
+                        } catch (System.AggregateException e)
+                        {
+                            Console.WriteLine($"Failed to fetch games: {e}");
+                            state = MenuState.Loading;
+                            _cantFetch = true;
+                        }
+                    }
+
                     if (((myState.IsKeyDown(Keys.Down)) ||                                   // Keyboard down
                         Input.GetButton(1, Input.ArcadeButtons.StickDown) ||             // or joystick down
                         Input.GetButton(2, Input.ArcadeButtons.StickDown)))              // of either player
@@ -243,6 +290,8 @@ protected override void Draw(GameTime gameTime)
                 case MenuState.Loading:
                     _mainMenu.drawLoading(_spriteBatch, loadingSpin, fadeColor);
                     _mainMenu.drawTitle(_spriteBatch, titleTextureWhite, fadeColor);
+                    if (_cantFetch)
+                        _mainMenu.drawError(_spriteBatch, _devcadeMenuBig);
                     break;
             }
 
diff --git a/onboard/Menu.cs b/onboard/Menu.cs
index d023161..fee41f1 100644
--- a/onboard/Menu.cs
+++ b/onboard/Menu.cs
@@ -59,9 +59,13 @@ public void updateDims(GraphicsDeviceManager _graphics)
         // Empties the gameTitles and cards lists. Called when the reload buttons are pressed
         public void clearGames()
         {
+            try {
             gameTitles.Clear();
             cards.Clear();
             itemSelected = 0;
+            } catch (System.NullReferenceException e) {
+                Console.WriteLine($"No game titles or cards yet. {e}");
+            }
         }
 
         public void setCards(DevcadeClient _client, GraphicsDevice graphics)
@@ -176,8 +180,8 @@ public void drawTitle(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, Texture2D titleTexture, float co
 
         public void drawInstructions(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, SpriteFont font)
         {
-            List<string> instructions = wrapText("Press the Red button to play!", 25);
-            float instructSize = font.MeasureString("Press the Red button to play!").Y;
+            List<string> instructions = wrapText("Press the Red button to play! Press both Black Buttons to refresh", 25);
+            float instructSize = font.MeasureString("Press the Red button to play! Press both Black Buttons to refresh").Y;
             int lineNum = 0;
 
             foreach (string line in instructions)
@@ -192,6 +196,27 @@ public void drawInstructions(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, SpriteFont font)
             }
         }
 
+
+        public void drawError(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, SpriteFont font)
+        {
+            string error = "Error: Could not get game list. Is API Down? Press both black buttons to reload.";
+            List<string> instructions = wrapText(error, 25);
+            float instructSize = font.MeasureString(error).Y;
+            int lineNum = 0;
+
+            foreach (string line in instructions)
+            {
+                writeString(_spriteBatch,
+                    font,
+                    line,
+                    new Vector2(_sWidth / 2.0f, (int)(500 * scalingAmount) + (instructSize * lineNum)), // 500 is the height of the title, this string goes right beneath that
+                    1f,
+                    Color.Red
+                );
+                lineNum++;
+            }
+        }
+
         public void drawLoading(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, Texture2D loadingSpin, float col)
         {
             if (loadingCol > 4)
@@ -339,6 +364,22 @@ public static List<string> wrapText(string desc, int lineLimit)
             return lines;
         }
 
+        public void writeString(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, SpriteFont font, string str, Vector2 pos, float opacity, Color color)
+        {
+            Vector2 strSize = font.MeasureString(str);
+
+            _spriteBatch.DrawString(font,
+                str,
+                pos,
+                color,
+                0f,
+                new Vector2(strSize.X / 2, strSize.Y / 2),
+                (float)(1f * scalingAmount),
+                SpriteEffects.None,
+                0f
+            );
+        }
+
         public void writeString(SpriteBatch _spriteBatch, SpriteFont font, string str, Vector2 pos, float opacity)
         {
             Vector2 strSize = font.MeasureString(str);