Players move through stages, attack groups, use throws and special techniques, pick up weapons, avoid hazards, and defeat a boss at the end of each route. Two-player play requires controlling crowd position and protecting both characters from attacks arriving from opposite sides.

Keep enemies in front, use throws to interrupt a crowd, and do not advance beyond a partner. Preserve health before a boss, learn the Japanese menu and move mapping, and keep Japanese states separate from the European and USA Rival Turf versions.