Mario must reach Pauline at the top of each construction-themed stage while avoiding rolling barrels, fireballs, and other hazards. The game uses a fixed-screen perspective, with ladders, platforms, gaps, and moving obstacles defining each route.

The NES version includes four stage types: 25m, 50m, 75m, and 100m. Players score points by collecting items, jumping over hazards, and completing stages; after the fourth stage, the sequence repeats with increasing difficulty. Mario has limited lives, and contact with a hazard or a fall costs one.

Learn the timing of each barrel pattern before climbing. Wait when a barrel is approaching a ladder or gap instead of committing to a risky jump.

Use hammers to clear nearby enemies, but remember that the hammer temporarily prevents climbing and jumping. On 75m, watch the moving elevators and fireballs carefully; on 100m, remove the bolts efficiently while keeping an escape route available.