diff --git a/classes/level/level.gd b/classes/level/level.gd
index 4d6d57b..faa26db 100644
--- a/classes/level/level.gd
+++ b/classes/level/level.gd
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class_name Level extends Node2D
 @export var block_layer: BlockTileLayer
 #@export var goal_layer: GoalTileLayer
 
+@onready var player_scene: PackedScene = preload("res://scenes/player/player.tscn")
+
 var player_1: Player
 var player_2: Player
 var ball: Ball
diff --git a/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd b/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65fed9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+extends LevelState
+
+
+func _enter(_previous_state_path: String, _data: Dictionary = {"round": 0, "restart": false}) -> void:
+	assert((_data["round"] as int) in range(3), "round number is invalid")
+	assert(
+		(_data["restart"] as bool) == true or
+		(_data["restart"] as bool) == false,
+		"round restart data is invalid"
+	)
+	level.current_round = _data["round"]
+	level.restarted = _data["restart"]
+	if level.restarted:
+		level.current_round = 0
+		level.scoreboard = Vector2i(0,0)
+		level.restarted = false
+	
+	if level.current_round + 1 == 4:
+		finished.emit(FINISHING)
+	
+	assert(
+		(level.player_1 != null and level.player_2 != null) or
+		(level.player_1 == null and level.player_2 == null),
+		"desynced player instantiation?"
+	)
+	
+	if level.player_1 != null and level.player_2 != null:
+		level.player_1.queue_free()
+		level.player_2.queue_free()
+	
+	level.current_round += 1
+	
+	level.player_1 = _instantiate_player(1)
+	level.player_2 = _instantiate_player(2)
+
+func _instantiate_player(id: int) -> Player:
+	var p: Player = level.player_1 if id == 1 else level.player_2
+	var s: PlayerSpawnPoint = level.player_1_spawn if id == 1 else level.player_2_spawn
+	
+	p = level.player_scene.instantiate()
+	p.id = id
+	p.name = "Player"+str(id)
+	
+	level.add_child(p)
+	
+	p.global_position = s.global_position
+	p.global_position = s.global_position
+	
+	return p
diff --git a/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd.uid b/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d0598a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://dikxx4j1auywf