diff --git a/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.test.ts b/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78bf14b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+/**
+ * G3 (gap closure 02-06) — assert tile-renderer uses the brightened
+ * outline colors and the hover fill bump.
+ *
+ * Phaser cannot import under happy-dom — its boot probe `checkInverseAlpha`
+ * calls `canvas.getContext('2d')` which returns null and the call into
+ * `context.fillStyle = '...'` then crashes (Plan 02-02 SUMMARY documents
+ * this). We mock the `phaser` module entirely so importing tile-renderer.ts
+ * does not pull the real Phaser bundle.
+ *
+ * The rest of the test mocks the Scene API surface that drawTiles uses.
+ */
+vi.mock('phaser', () => ({
+  default: {},
+  // No named exports needed — tile-renderer uses only Phaser types and
+  // the runtime call surface comes from the mocked scene argument below.
+}));
+
+const { drawTiles, OUTLINE_COLOR, OUTLINE_HOVER } = await import('./tile-renderer');
+type Scene = Parameters<typeof drawTiles>[0];
+
+describe('tile-renderer (Plan 02-06 G3 closure)', () => {
+  it('exports OUTLINE_COLOR=0x5a5a60 (brightened from 0x4d4d52)', () => {
+    expect(OUTLINE_COLOR).toBe(0x5a5a60);
+  });
+
+  it('exports OUTLINE_HOVER=0x7a7a82 (brightened from 0x6e6e75)', () => {
+    expect(OUTLINE_HOVER).toBe(0x7a7a82);
+  });
+
+  function makeMocks(): {
+    graphics: { clear: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>; lineStyle: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>; strokeRoundedRect: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn> };
+    rectangle: {
+      setInteractive: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+      on: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+      setData: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+      setFillStyle: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+    };
+    scene: Scene;
+    pointerOverHandlers: Array<() => void>;
+  } {
+    const graphics = {
+      clear: vi.fn(),
+      lineStyle: vi.fn(),
+      strokeRoundedRect: vi.fn(),
+    };
+    const pointerOverHandlers: Array<() => void> = [];
+    const rectangle = {
+      setInteractive: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+      on: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+      setData: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+      setFillStyle: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+    };
+    rectangle.on.mockImplementation((evt: string, fn: () => void) => {
+      if (evt === 'pointerover') pointerOverHandlers.push(fn);
+      return rectangle;
+    });
+    const scene = {
+      add: {
+        graphics: vi.fn(() => graphics),
+        rectangle: vi.fn(() => rectangle),
+      },
+    } as unknown as Scene;
+    return { graphics, rectangle, scene, pointerOverHandlers };
+  }
+
+  it('drawTiles creates 16 tile groups with outline graphics + hit rectangles', () => {
+    const { scene } = makeMocks();
+    const tiles = drawTiles(scene);
+    expect(tiles).toHaveLength(16);
+    expect((scene.add.graphics as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>)).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(16);
+    expect((scene.add.rectangle as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>)).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(16);
+  });
+
+  it('initial draw uses OUTLINE_COLOR (resting state)', () => {
+    const { graphics, scene } = makeMocks();
+    drawTiles(scene);
+    const calls = graphics.lineStyle.mock.calls;
+    expect(calls.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    // Every initial call uses OUTLINE_COLOR; assert the first.
+    expect(calls[0][1]).toBe(OUTLINE_COLOR);
+  });
+
+  it('pointerover handler swaps to OUTLINE_HOVER and adds fill alpha bump', () => {
+    const { graphics, rectangle, scene, pointerOverHandlers } = makeMocks();
+    drawTiles(scene);
+    expect(pointerOverHandlers.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // Fire the first tile's pointerover handler.
+    pointerOverHandlers[0]!();
+
+    // After pointerover, the most recent lineStyle call uses OUTLINE_HOVER.
+    const lineStyleCalls = graphics.lineStyle.mock.calls;
+    const lastLineCall = lineStyleCalls[lineStyleCalls.length - 1];
+    expect(lastLineCall[1]).toBe(OUTLINE_HOVER);
+
+    // setFillStyle was called with the hover alpha bump (>0, ≤0.1).
+    const fillCalls = rectangle.setFillStyle.mock.calls;
+    const fillBumpCall = fillCalls.find((c) => c[1] && c[1] > 0);
+    expect(fillBumpCall).toBeDefined();
+    expect(fillBumpCall![1]).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(fillBumpCall![1]).toBeLessThanOrEqual(0.1);   // sanity: subtle bump, not a flash
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.ts b/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.ts
index ef9eb72..2cbab0b 100644
--- a/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.ts
+++ b/src/render/garden/tile-renderer.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,18 @@ import { GRID_SIZE } from '../../sim/garden/types';
 import { tileTopLeftCanvas, GRID_LAYOUT } from './tile-coords';
 
 /**
- * Empty-tile look: faint outlined rounded rectangle with subtle hover.
+ * Empty-tile look: outlined rounded rectangle with subtle hover.
  * Per CONTEXT D-06; Phase 3 paints the watercolor treatment over this
  * primitive without changing the function signature.
+ *
+ * Plan 02-06 G3 — outline + hover values brightened so the 4×4 grid
+ * reads as legible interactive surfaces against the #1a1a1a canvas
+ * background. No painted assets (Phase 3 deferral preserved).
  */
-const OUTLINE_COLOR = 0x4d4d52;
-const OUTLINE_HOVER = 0x6e6e75;
+export const OUTLINE_COLOR = 0x5a5a60;     // ← Plan 02-06 G3 (was 0x4d4d52 — too dim against #1a1a1a)
+export const OUTLINE_HOVER = 0x7a7a82;     // ← Plan 02-06 G3 (was 0x6e6e75 — needed clearer contrast in resting vs hover)
 const OUTLINE_ALPHA = 0.6;
+const HOVER_FILL_ALPHA = 0.06;             // ← Plan 02-06 G3 — slight fill on hover to reinforce the affordance (no animation noise, reduced-motion-safe)
 
 export interface TileGameObjects {
   /** Hit-area rectangle (interactive). */
@@ -34,11 +39,18 @@ export function drawTiles(scene: Phaser.Scene): TileGameObjects[] {
     const g = scene.add.graphics();
     drawOutline(g, tl.x, tl.y, OUTLINE_COLOR);
 
-    // Hit rectangle (transparent, interactive).
+    // Hit rectangle (interactive). Holds a faint hover fill to reinforce
+    // the click affordance — Plan 02-06 G3.
     const hit = scene.add.rectangle(cx, cy, GRID_LAYOUT.tileSize, GRID_LAYOUT.tileSize, 0xffffff, 0);
     hit.setInteractive({ useHandCursor: true });
-    hit.on('pointerover', () => drawOutline(g, tl.x, tl.y, OUTLINE_HOVER));
-    hit.on('pointerout', () => drawOutline(g, tl.x, tl.y, OUTLINE_COLOR));
+    hit.on('pointerover', () => {
+      drawOutline(g, tl.x, tl.y, OUTLINE_HOVER);
+      hit.setFillStyle(0xffffff, HOVER_FILL_ALPHA);   // ← Plan 02-06 G3 — slight fill bump
+    });
+    hit.on('pointerout', () => {
+      drawOutline(g, tl.x, tl.y, OUTLINE_COLOR);
+      hit.setFillStyle(0xffffff, 0);                  // ← Plan 02-06 G3 — reset
+    });
 
     // Tag the hit object with its index for handler dispatch.
     hit.setData('tileIdx', i);