How Gravity Works
Gravity determines how fast pieces fall automatically. It increases with each level, making the game progressively harder.
Gravity Formula
The interval between each gravity tick (in milliseconds):
interval = (0.8 - ((level - 1) x 0.007)) ^ (level - 1) x 1000
Minimum interval: 16.67ms (one frame at 60fps)
Speed by Level
| Level | Gravity Interval | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1000ms | 1 cell per second |
| 5 | 616ms | Comfortable pace |
| 10 | 263ms | Getting fast |
| 15 | 92ms | Very fast |
| 20 | 26ms | Near instant |
| 25+ | 16.67ms | Maximum speed (20G) |
At level 20+, pieces effectively fall instantly (20G). At this point, the game becomes about quick decision-making and precise piece placement.
Lock Delay
When a piece lands on the stack or the floor, a 500ms lock delay timer starts. During this time, you can still move and rotate the piece.
- Lock delay resets when you successfully move or rotate the piece
- Maximum 15 resets per piece to prevent infinite stalling
- Hard drop bypasses lock delay entirely (instant lock)
Soft Drop
Holding the soft drop key multiplies gravity speed by your SDF setting. See Handling Settings for details.
Level Progression
In Marathon mode, levels increase as you clear lines:
- Generally, clearing 10 lines advances you one level
- Start level can be set from 1-15 before starting a game