The player can neither slow down the falling pieces nor stop them, but can accelerate them in most versions
The objective of the game is to use the pieces to create as many horizontal lines of blocks as possible
When a line is completed, it disappears, and the blocks placed above fall one rank
Completing lines grants points, and accumulating a certain number of points moves the player up a level, which increases the number of points granted per completed line
The player can clear multiple lines at once, which can earn bonus points in some versions