Cells & Serpents is a roleplaying game. The player explores a series of unending randomized dungeon rooms fighting monsters and looking for treasure. At any time the player can choose to move left, right, or forwards. These can take the player to stairs up, stairs down, a blank wall, corridors, rooms, or doors. The player can not move beyond level 1, but as they move lower they encounter harder enemies and acquire greater treasure. Blank walls damage the player, and corridors present more movement options. Doors allow movement into rooms, and the player can listen at the door for clues prior to entering. Treasure contains gold, but sometimes contains armor and scrolls which make the player more powerful. When encountering an enemy, the player can choose to zap it with their limited spells to weaken the monster before attacking. In combat the player receives a randomized amount of damage, and if hit points reach 0 it's game over. The player receives a final score based upon levels cleared and monsters defeated.