diff --git a/experimental/2nub/src/server/routes.ts b/experimental/2nub/src/server/routes.ts
index 95a2faf..31b4414 100644
--- a/experimental/2nub/src/server/routes.ts
+++ b/experimental/2nub/src/server/routes.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,30 @@
-import { Router } from 'express';
+import { Router, Response } from 'express';
 import { gameStateManager } from './gameState';
 import { broadcastToGame, broadcastToAll } from './websocket';
 import { CreateGameRequest, JoinGameRequest, ApiResponse } from '../types';
 
+// TODO: consider not returning `game` state in the HTTP response, since websockets should handle real time server-to-client data updates
+
+function respondGameNotFound(res: Response, message: string | null) {
+  return respondFailure(res, 404, message ? `Game not found: ${message}` : 'Game not found');
+}
+
+function respondSuccessWithData<T>(res: Response, status: number, data: T) {
+  const response: ApiResponse = {
+    success: true,
+    data,
+  };
+  return res.status(status).json(response);
+}
+
+function respondFailure(res: Response, status: number, message: string) {
+  const response: ApiResponse = {
+    success: false,
+    error: message,
+  };
+  return res.status(status).json(response);
+}
+
 export function setupRoutes(): Router {
   const router = Router();
 
@@ -20,42 +42,26 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     const game = gameStateManager.getGame(gameId);
     
     if (!game) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Game not found'
-      };
-      return res.status(404).json(response);
+      return respondGameNotFound(res, null);
     }
-
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: game
-    };
-    res.json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 200, game);
   });
 
   router.post('/games', (req, res) => {
     const { name }: CreateGameRequest = req.body;
     
     if (!name || name.trim().length === 0) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Invalid game parameters'
-      };
-      return res.status(400).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 400, 'Invalid game parameters');
     }
 
     const game = gameStateManager.createGame(name.trim());
     
     broadcastToAll('gameCreated', game);
 
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: game
-    };
-    res.status(201).json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 201, game);
   });
 
+  // TODO: consider removing rejoining logic from here since /rejoin exists
   router.post('/games/:gameId/join', (req, res) => {
     const { gameId } = req.params;
     const { playerName, existingPlayerId }: { playerName?: string; existingPlayerId?: string } = req.body;
@@ -63,21 +69,13 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     // Joining as existing disconnected player
     if (existingPlayerId) {
       if (!existingPlayerId.trim()) {
-        const response: ApiResponse = {
-          success: false,
-          error: 'Player ID is required'
-        };
-        return res.status(400).json(response);
+        return respondFailure(res, 400, 'Player ID is required');
       }
 
       const result = gameStateManager.rejoinPlayer(gameId, existingPlayerId.trim());
       
       if (!result) {
-        const response: ApiResponse = {
-          success: false,
-          error: 'Game or player not found, or player is already connected'
-        };
-        return res.status(404).json(response);
+        return respondFailure(res, 404, 'Game or player not found, or player is already connected');
       }
 
       // Set player as connected
@@ -88,30 +86,21 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
 
       broadcastToGame(gameId, 'playerJoined', { player: result.player, game: updatedGame });
 
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: true,
-        data: { player: result.player, game: updatedGame }
-      };
-      return res.json(response);
+      return respondSuccessWithData(res, 200, {
+        player: result.player,
+        game: updatedGame
+      });
     }
 
     // Joining as new player
     if (!playerName || playerName.trim() === '') {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Player name is required when joining as new player'
-      };
-      return res.status(400).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 400, 'Player name is required when joining as new player');
     }
 
     const player = gameStateManager.addPlayer(gameId, playerName.trim());
     
     if (!player) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Game not found or full'
-      };
-      return res.status(400).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 400, 'Game not found or full');
     }
 
     // Set player as connected
@@ -121,11 +110,7 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     
     broadcastToGame(gameId, 'playerJoined', { player, game });
 
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: { player, game }
-    };
-    res.status(201).json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 201, { player, game });
   });
 
   router.post('/games/:gameId/rejoin', (req, res) => {
@@ -134,21 +119,13 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     const { playerId }: { playerId: string } = req.body;
 
     if (!playerId || playerId.trim() === '') {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Player ID is required'
-      };
-      return res.status(400).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 400, 'Player ID is required');
     }
 
     const result = gameStateManager.rejoinPlayer(gameId, playerId.trim());
     
     if (!result) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Game or player not found'
-      };
-      return res.status(404).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 404, 'Game or player not found');
     }
 
     // Set player as connected
@@ -159,11 +136,7 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
 
     broadcastToGame(gameId, 'playerJoined', { player: result.player, game: updatedGame });
 
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: { player: result.player, game: updatedGame }
-    };
-    res.json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 200, { player: result.player, game: updatedGame });
   });
 
   router.post('/games/:gameId/players/:playerId/disconnect', (req, res) => {
@@ -172,11 +145,7 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     const updated = gameStateManager.updatePlayerConnection(gameId, playerId, false);
     
     if (!updated) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Player or game not found'
-      };
-      return res.status(404).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 404, 'Player or game not found');
     }
 
     const game = gameStateManager.getGame(gameId);
@@ -185,11 +154,7 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
       broadcastToGame(gameId, 'gameState', game);
     }
 
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: { disconnected: true }
-    };
-    res.json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 200, { disconnected: true });
   });
 
   router.delete('/games/:gameId/players/:playerId', (req, res) => {
@@ -198,11 +163,7 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     const removed = gameStateManager.removePlayer(gameId, playerId);
     
     if (!removed) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Player or game not found'
-      };
-      return res.status(404).json(response);
+      return respondFailure(res, 404, 'Player or game not found');
     }
 
     const game = gameStateManager.getGame(gameId);
@@ -213,11 +174,7 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
       broadcastToAll('gameDeleted', { gameId });
     }
 
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: { removed: true }
-    };
-    res.json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 200, { removed: true });
   });
 
   router.delete('/games/:gameId', (req, res) => {
@@ -226,20 +183,12 @@ export function setupRoutes(): Router {
     const deleted = gameStateManager.deleteGame(gameId);
     
     if (!deleted) {
-      const response: ApiResponse = {
-        success: false,
-        error: 'Game not found'
-      };
-      return res.status(404).json(response);
+      return respondGameNotFound(res, null);
     }
 
     broadcastToAll('gameDeleted', { gameId });
 
-    const response: ApiResponse = {
-      success: true,
-      data: { deleted: true }
-    };
-    res.json(response);
+    return respondSuccessWithData(res, 200, { deleted: true });
   });
 
   return router;