The game is a side-scrolling platformer viewed from the side. The objective is to earn as many points as possible during the contest timer by moving through specially edited Donkey Kong Country sections, collecting bananas and useful items, defeating enemies, and finishing quickly.

Donkey Kong is stronger, while Diddy Kong is faster and more agile. A second Kong can be carried or rescued, and losing the active Kong changes which character remains available. Players jump over hazards, roll or run into enemies, use barrels, enter bonus areas when available, and exploit familiar Donkey Kong Country routes rather than progressing through the full retail world map.

Learn the edited route before attempting a high score. Prioritize bananas, letters, tokens, and other score-bearing objects only when collecting them does not cost more time than they are worth.

Keep both Kongs available whenever possible, use rolls and jumps to avoid slowdowns, and memorize enemy and barrel positions. Because the contest timer is central to the cartridge, a fast finish and a clean route are generally more valuable than exploring every side path.