diff --git a/examples/basics/src/components/Card.astro b/examples/basics/src/components/Card.astro
index a87ab7291e..2515ee70fc 100644
--- a/examples/basics/src/components/Card.astro
+++ b/examples/basics/src/components/Card.astro
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ const { href, title, body } = Astro.props;
 <li class="link-card">
 	<a href={href}>
 		<h2>
-			{title}
-			<span>&rarr;</span>
+			{title} <span>&rarr;</span>
 		</h2>
 		<p>
 			{body}
@@ -20,57 +19,44 @@ const { href, title, body } = Astro.props;
 	</a>
 </li>
 <style>
-	:root {
-		--link-gradient: linear-gradient(45deg, #4f39fa, #da62c4 30%, var(--color-border) 60%);
-	}
-
 	.link-card {
 		list-style: none;
 		display: flex;
 		padding: 0.15rem;
-		background-image: var(--link-gradient);
+		background-color: white;
+		background-image: var(--accent-gradient);
 		background-size: 400%;
 		border-radius: 0.5rem;
 		background-position: 100%;
 		transition: background-position 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
+		box-shadow: 0 4px 6px -1px rgba(0,0,0,.1),0 2px 4px -2px rgba(0,0,0,.1);
 	}
 
 	.link-card > a {
 		width: 100%;
 		text-decoration: none;
 		line-height: 1.4;
-		padding: 1em 1.3em;
+		padding: 1rem 1.3rem;
 		border-radius: 0.35rem;
-		color: var(--text-color);
+		color: #111;
 		background-color: white;
 		opacity: 0.8;
 	}
-
 	h2 {
 		margin: 0;
+		font-size: 1.25rem;
 		transition: color 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
 	}
-
 	p {
-		margin-top: 0.75rem;
+		margin-top: 0.5rem;
 		margin-bottom: 0;
+		color: #444;
 	}
-
-	h2 span {
-		display: inline-block;
-		transition: transform 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
-	}
-
 	.link-card:is(:hover, :focus-within) {
 		background-position: 0;
 	}
-
 	.link-card:is(:hover, :focus-within) h2 {
-		color: #4f39fa;
+		color: rgb(var(--accent));
 	}
 
-	.link-card:is(:hover, :focus-within) h2 span {
-		will-change: transform;
-		transform: translateX(2px);
-	}
 </style>
diff --git a/examples/basics/src/layouts/Layout.astro b/examples/basics/src/layouts/Layout.astro
index 5c724bfdd7..f1a62a537b 100644
--- a/examples/basics/src/layouts/Layout.astro
+++ b/examples/basics/src/layouts/Layout.astro
@@ -19,40 +19,15 @@ const { title } = Astro.props;
 		<slot />
 	</body>
 </html>
-<style>
+<style is:global>
 	:root {
-		--font-size-base: clamp(1rem, 0.34vw + 0.91rem, 1.19rem);
-		--font-size-lg: clamp(1.2rem, 0.7vw + 1.2rem, 1.5rem);
-		--font-size-xl: clamp(2.44rem, 2.38vw + 1.85rem, 3.75rem);
-
-		--color-text: hsl(12, 5%, 4%);
-		--color-bg: hsl(10, 21%, 95%);
-		--color-border: hsl(17, 24%, 90%);
+		--accent: 124, 58, 237;
+		--accent-gradient: linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(var(--accent)), #da62c4 30%, white 60%);
 	}
-
 	html {
 		font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
-		font-size: var(--font-size-base);
-		color: var(--color-text);
-		background-color: var(--color-bg);
+		background-color: #F6F6F6;
 	}
-
-	body {
-		margin: 0;
-	}
-
-
-</style>
-
-<style is:global>
-	h1 {
-		font-size: var(--font-size-xl);
-	}
-
-	h2 {
-		font-size: var(--font-size-lg);
-	}
-
 	code {
 		font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Lucida Console, Liberation Mono, DejaVu Sans Mono,
 			Bitstream Vera Sans Mono, Courier New, monospace;
diff --git a/examples/basics/src/pages/index.astro b/examples/basics/src/pages/index.astro
index 4867875360..304b339762 100644
--- a/examples/basics/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/examples/basics/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import Card from '../components/Card.astro';
 	<main>
 		<h1>Welcome to <span class="text-gradient">Astro</span></h1>
 		<p class="instructions">
-			Check out the <code>src/pages</code> directory to get started.<br />
+			To get started, open the directory <code>src/pages</code> in your project.<br />
 			<strong>Code Challenge:</strong> Tweak the "Welcome to Astro" message above.
 		</p>
 		<ul role="list" class="link-card-grid">
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import Card from '../components/Card.astro';
 			/>
 			<Card
 				href="https://astro.build/chat/"
-				title="Chat"
+				title="Community"
 				body="Come say hi to our amazing Discord community. ❤️"
 			/>
 		</ul>
@@ -36,57 +36,42 @@ import Card from '../components/Card.astro';
 </Layout>
 
 <style>
-	:root {
-		--astro-gradient: linear-gradient(0deg, #4f39fa, #da62c4);
-	}
-
-	h1 {
-		margin: 2rem 0;
-	}
-
 	main {
 		margin: auto;
-		padding: 1em;
+		padding: 1.5rem;
 		max-width: 60ch;
 	}
-
+	h1 {
+		font-size: 3rem;
+		font-weight: 800;
+		margin: 0;
+	}
 	.text-gradient {
-		font-weight: 900;
-		background-image: var(--astro-gradient);
+		background-image: var(--accent-gradient);
 		-webkit-background-clip: text;
 		-webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
-		background-size: 100% 200%;
-		background-position-y: 100%;
-		border-radius: 0.4rem;
-		animation: pulse 4s ease-in-out infinite;
+		background-size: 400%;
+		background-position: 0%;
 	}
-
-	@keyframes pulse {
-		0%,
-		100% {
-			background-position-y: 0%;
-		}
-		50% {
-			background-position-y: 80%;
-		}
-	}
-
 	.instructions {
 		line-height: 1.6;
 		margin: 1rem 0;
-		background: #4f39fa;
+		border: 1px solid rgba(var(--accent), 25%);
+		background-color: white;
 		padding: 1rem;
 		border-radius: 0.4rem;
-		color: var(--color-bg);
 	}
-
 	.instructions code {
 		font-size: 0.875em;
-		border: 0.1em solid var(--color-border);
+		font-weight: bold;
+		background:  rgba(var(--accent), 12%);
+		color: rgb(var(--accent));
 		border-radius: 4px;
-		padding: 0.15em 0.25em;
+		padding: 0.3em 0.45em;
+	}
+	.instructions strong {
+		color: rgb(var(--accent));
 	}
-
 	.link-card-grid {
 		display: grid;
 		grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(24ch, 1fr));