The playfield is viewed from above the falling pieces. The player moves and rotates tetrominoes, drops them into position, and clears complete horizontal lines. Most games end when new pieces can no longer enter the playfield.

Tetris Worlds includes multiple worlds with distinct rules, such as traditional line clearing and modes that use special block behavior. Progress generally comes from completing objectives and advancing through increasingly demanding stages. The Game Boy Advance version is designed primarily for solo play.

Prioritize keeping the stack low and build a flat surface whenever possible. Avoid creating isolated holes, because they are difficult to fill with the correct tetromino.

In variant worlds, learn the local clearing rule before committing to a long-term stacking pattern. Save the long straight column for a clean line clear when the standard rules apply.