The player switches between six counselors on an overhead map of Camp Crystal Lake. The main objectives are to rescue children, search cabins and caves for useful items, and defeat Jason before the camp's time limit expires.

Entering locations changes the view to side-scrolling action. Counselors fight zombies and other creatures with found weapons, while Jason can appear unpredictably and attack a counselor directly. Each counselor has different statistics, and losing all counselors or allowing too many children to die ends the game. Progress comes from finding better weapons, medicine, and keys, then confronting Jason during his appearances.

Search cabins methodically and keep track of routes between the lake, cabins, and caves. Rescue children early, because their number can decrease while you explore.

Use the counselor with the best available statistics for dangerous encounters, collect medicine before major searches, and avoid wasting strong weapons on ordinary enemies. When Jason appears, switch to a prepared counselor and use the surrounding area to create room for attacks.