At its base, Tetris DS is the same Tetris gameplay that's been around for years: rotate and arrange Tetriminos to create full lines and make them disappear. However, it also has a style very different from earlier Tetris games, new play modes, and online play. Graphically and aurally, Tetris DS is based on classic NES games. A portion of the graphics are sprites directly ripped from Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Donkey Kong, Balloon Fight, Metroid, Yoshi's Cookie, and The Legend of Zelda. Remixes of music from these games are also used. Standard mode includes the standard endless play option, the standard "get 25 lines to win" option, and the standard versus mode where clearing multiple lines at once adds lines to the bottom of your opponents' well. Push mode is a versus game with a twist. The player's moves and pieces are shown on the top screen, while the opponent's are on the bottom screen, both with gravity moving towards the center. Instead of multiple line clears adding extra lines to the bottom of your opponent's well, though, the center is pushed towards their end, giving them a smaller play area. Push back and forth until one side loses.
| Boxed A | Factory Sealed Product |
| Boxed B | Product Boxed & Complete with Manual |
| Boxed C | Product Boxed without Manual |
| D | Loose Item |
