diff --git a/src/engine/fox_play.c b/src/engine/fox_play.c
index ff6f09cb..e080d479 100644
--- a/src/engine/fox_play.c
+++ b/src/engine/fox_play.c
@@ -7167,8 +7167,9 @@ void Play_Main(void) {
             }
 
             gDrawMode = DRAW_PLAY;
-
-            Play_Update();
+            if (CVarGetInteger("gDebugPause", 0) == 0){
+                Play_Update();
+            }
 
             if ((gControllerPress[gMainController].button & START_BUTTON) &&
                 (gPlayer[0].state == PLAYERSTATE_LEVEL_INTRO) &&
diff --git a/src/port/ui/ImguiUI.cpp b/src/port/ui/ImguiUI.cpp
index 122c446b..4091a943 100644
--- a/src/port/ui/ImguiUI.cpp
+++ b/src/port/ui/ImguiUI.cpp
@@ -713,6 +713,10 @@ void DrawDebugMenu() {
             .tooltip = "Jump to credits at the main menu"
         });
 
+        if (gGameState == GSTATE_PLAY){
+            UIWidgets::CVarCheckbox("Debug Pause", "gDebugPause");
+        }
+
         if (CVarGetInteger(StringHelper::Sprintf("gCheckpoint.%d.Set", gCurrentLevel).c_str(), 0)) {
             if (UIWidgets::Button("Clear Checkpoint")) {
                 CVarClear(StringHelper::Sprintf("gCheckpoint.%d.Set", gCurrentLevel).c_str());