Highrise is a puzzle game where the player has to construct a tower out of blocks. The player controls a character called Barnaby who moves under five chutes full of blocks. From these the player picks blocks and moves them to the springboard where they are strategically positioned. Then the blocks are sent to the building area where they are stacked over the previous selection of blocks. Once the constructed tower reaches the required height, Barnaby will use it to climb up to a ladder at the top of the screen that leads to the next level. Picking the right blocks at the right position is necessary or the tower will be unstable and collapse. The game is on time and for each new level the player has less time available. There is also an instructor mode where the player can play without the time restriction.