The game is extremely simple, but many players also find it to be frustratingly hard at times. Unlike Bust a Move, there is no time limit in Snood, so the player need not hit rush; instead Snood requires hand-eye coordination and strategy.
The pieces in the game are called Snoods. Each turn the player launches a Snood of randomly-selected colour into the playfield. If the Snood lands adjacent to two ore more Snoods of the same colour, all connecting Snoods of that colour vanish and any subsequently unattached pieces underneath drop free. The player's score increases with the number of Snoods eliminated. With each Snood launched, a danger meter increases and when it reaches the top, all the Snoods in play lower a level. If the Snoods reach the lowest level of the playing field, the game is over. Releasing Snoods reduces the “Danger Meter.”
Snood is considered to be a difficult game that requires a lot of skill. Despite the fact that it involves no time limit or bloodshed, many of its fans find it highly addictive and competitive.