diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Mods/OsuModGrow.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Mods/OsuModGrow.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..65e9eb7a1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Mods/OsuModGrow.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+// Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
+// See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
+
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using osu.Framework.Graphics;
+using osu.Game.Graphics;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables;
+
+namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Mods
+{
+    internal class OsuModGrow : Mod, IApplicableToDrawableHitObjects
+    {
+        public override string Name => "Grow";
+
+        public override string Acronym => "GR";
+
+        public override FontAwesome Icon => FontAwesome.fa_arrows_v;
+
+        public override ModType Type => ModType.Fun;
+
+        public override string Description => "Hit them at the right size!";
+
+        public override double ScoreMultiplier => 1;
+
+        public void ApplyToDrawableHitObjects(IEnumerable<DrawableHitObject> drawables)
+        {
+            foreach (var drawable in drawables)
+            {
+                switch (drawable)
+                {
+                    case DrawableSpinner _:
+                        continue;
+                    default:
+                        drawable.ApplyCustomUpdateState += ApplyCustomState;
+                        break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        protected virtual void ApplyCustomState(DrawableHitObject drawable, ArmedState state)
+        {
+            var h = (OsuHitObject)drawable.HitObject;
+
+            // apply grow effect
+            switch (drawable)
+            {
+                case DrawableSliderHead _:
+                case DrawableSliderTail _:
+                    // special cases we should *not* be scaling.
+                    break;
+                case DrawableSlider _:
+                case DrawableHitCircle _:
+                {
+                    using (drawable.BeginAbsoluteSequence(h.StartTime - h.TimePreempt, true))
+                        drawable.ScaleTo(0.5f).Then().ScaleTo(1, h.TimePreempt, Easing.OutSine);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // remove approach circles
+            switch (drawable)
+            {
+                case DrawableHitCircle circle:
+                    // we don't want to see the approach circle
+                    using (circle.BeginAbsoluteSequence(h.StartTime - h.TimePreempt, true))
+                        circle.ApproachCircle.Hide();
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs
index df0769982d..7dd2fa69ce 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ using System;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Configuration;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
+using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables.Pieces;
 using osuTK;
@@ -27,40 +28,58 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
         private readonly IBindable<int> stackHeightBindable = new Bindable<int>();
         private readonly IBindable<float> scaleBindable = new Bindable<float>();
 
+        private readonly Container explodeContainer;
+
+        private readonly Container scaleContainer;
+
         public DrawableHitCircle(HitCircle h)
             : base(h)
         {
             Origin = Anchor.Centre;
 
             Position = HitObject.StackedPosition;
-            Scale = new Vector2(h.Scale);
 
             InternalChildren = new Drawable[]
             {
-                glow = new GlowPiece(),
-                circle = new CirclePiece
+                scaleContainer = new Container
                 {
-                    Hit = () =>
+                    RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                    Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                    Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+                    Child = explodeContainer = new Container
                     {
-                        if (AllJudged)
-                            return false;
+                        RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                        Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                        Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+                        Children = new Drawable[]
+                        {
+                            glow = new GlowPiece(),
+                            circle = new CirclePiece
+                            {
+                                Hit = () =>
+                                {
+                                    if (AllJudged)
+                                        return false;
 
-                        UpdateResult(true);
-                        return true;
-                    },
+                                    UpdateResult(true);
+                                    return true;
+                                },
+                            },
+                            number = new NumberPiece
+                            {
+                                Text = (HitObject.IndexInCurrentCombo + 1).ToString(),
+                            },
+                            ring = new RingPiece(),
+                            flash = new FlashPiece(),
+                            explode = new ExplodePiece(),
+                            ApproachCircle = new ApproachCircle
+                            {
+                                Alpha = 0,
+                                Scale = new Vector2(4),
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
                 },
-                number = new NumberPiece
-                {
-                    Text = (HitObject.IndexInCurrentCombo + 1).ToString(),
-                },
-                ring = new RingPiece(),
-                flash = new FlashPiece(),
-                explode = new ExplodePiece(),
-                ApproachCircle = new ApproachCircle
-                {
-                    Alpha = 0,
-                    Scale = new Vector2(4),
-                }
             };
 
             //may not be so correct
@@ -72,7 +91,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
         {
             positionBindable.BindValueChanged(_ => Position = HitObject.StackedPosition);
             stackHeightBindable.BindValueChanged(_ => Position = HitObject.StackedPosition);
-            scaleBindable.BindValueChanged(v => Scale = new Vector2(v));
+            scaleBindable.BindValueChanged(v => scaleContainer.Scale = new Vector2(v), true);
 
             positionBindable.BindTo(HitObject.PositionBindable);
             stackHeightBindable.BindTo(HitObject.StackHeightBindable);
@@ -156,8 +175,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                         circle.FadeOut();
                         number.FadeOut();
 
-                        this.FadeOut(800)
-                            .ScaleTo(Scale * 1.5f, 400, Easing.OutQuad);
+                        this.FadeOut(800);
+                        explodeContainer.ScaleTo(1.5f, 400, Easing.OutQuad);
                     }
 
                     Expire();
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/OsuRuleset.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/OsuRuleset.cs
index 6fa1532580..a450d52aa9 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/OsuRuleset.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/OsuRuleset.cs
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu
                     return new Mod[] {
                         new OsuModTransform(),
                         new OsuModWiggle(),
+                        new OsuModGrow()
                     };
                 default:
                     return new Mod[] { };
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/RulesetStore.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/RulesetStore.cs
index 5283c5c3cf..0ebadd73d2 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/RulesetStore.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/RulesetStore.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets
         {
             AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += currentDomain_AssemblyResolve;
 
-            foreach (string file in Directory.GetFiles(Environment.CurrentDirectory, $"{ruleset_library_prefix}.*.dll"))
+            foreach (string file in Directory.GetFiles(Environment.CurrentDirectory, $"{ruleset_library_prefix}.*.dll")
+                                             .Where(f => !Path.GetFileName(f).Contains("Tests")))
                 loadRulesetFromFile(file);
         }
 
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets
             }
             catch (Exception e)
             {
-                Logger.Error(e, "Failed to load ruleset");
+                Logger.Error(e, $"Failed to load ruleset {filename}");
             }
         }
     }