Bart begins in a scrolling neighborhood viewed from the side. He searches for homework pages, avoids hazards, and enters nightmare scenes found throughout the area. The main objective is to collect enough pages before time runs out, with progress leading to a final confrontation.

Nightmare sections use different rules and perspectives. They include platforming, projectile-based action, maze-like movement, and other short challenges based on Simpsons characters and jokes. Lives, time, and collected pages determine how far a run progresses; the game is structured around repeated attempts rather than a conventional password-driven campaign.

Learn the neighborhood layout before concentrating on speed. Collect reachable pages first, avoid unnecessary damage, and use the street section to choose which nightmare entrances to attempt.

Each nightmare has different timing and hazards, so do not use one universal approach. Memorize enemy patterns, preserve lives for unfamiliar scenes, and prioritize survival over risky page pickups when the timer is low.