Where the original Puyo Puyo used a linear Scenario mode, Puyo Puyo Tsu centers its main mode around a tower that Arle Nadja climbs by defeating opponents selected through a roulette system. Clearing a floor requires not just defeating every opponent but reaching a set EXP threshold in the process. Fall short after beating everyone and one more challenger appears. Still under the threshold after that and Arle is ejected from the tower and the game ends. The specific EXP targets shift depending on the version—the Super Puyo Puyo Tsu edition requires twice the points to clear the opening floor compared to the arcade or Mega Drive releases.