Joystick: Use the 8-way joystick to direct the Runner through each of the game's thirty-two rounds. Pushing it to the right shall increase the Runner's speed, while pushing it back to the left shall decrease his speed, and pushing it either up or down adjusts his 2.5-dimensional position on the ground.
Jump Button: Use this button to make the Runner jump into the air, allowing him to leap over enemies and obstacles. Hold it down while the Runner is approaching a Springboard to launch off it, but try not to propel him onto a Pitfall or a Cracker, as it costs him time if stunned by either one of them.
1 or 2 Player Buttons: Push these buttons to begin a one or two player game.
This man, who wears a white crash helmet with a blue stripe down it, a pair of black sunglasses, an orange jumpsuit with a white collar and cuffs and a pair of red boots with yellow laces, is the protagonist of the game. He is given a preset time limit to make it to the goal at the end of each of the game's thirty-two rounds, and the player must adjust his running speed and 2.5-dimensional position on the ground by using the eight-directional joystick. If he kicks one of the Aluminum Cans that are sitting on the ground in some of the rounds he shall receive extra points (from 100 to 5000 as he kicks the same can continuously), but if he jumps on one of them, it shall temporarily stop the timer. If he jumps on one of the Special Cans, it shall temporarily stop the timer as well, but if he kicks one of them he will receive a temporary increase in speed. Contact with any enemies or obstacles will temporarily stun the Runner (unless he is in mid-jump), but he shall always get back on his feet and continue onward, and if he runs out of time before he manages to make it to the round's goal, he will be electrified as the text "YOUR TIME IS UP" appears, and the game shall end, so you should not let that happen. The Runner also reappeared as the Namco Stars' catcher under the game's Katakana name "Metorokurosu" (メトロクロス), in Super World Stadium '99.
Jump over these overgrown Coca-Cola cans or they will flatten you to the ground. But pay close attention regarding their movement, later on.
These oversized monstertruck tires shall attempt to flatten the Runner as they are bouncing along the ground, so you shall have to move out of their way if you can.
The Runner must cleanly jump over the Hurdles, or they shall trip him up and make him land on his face (costing him time).
These will emerge from and recede into the ground, and halt the Runner's passing if he runs into or trips on one.
Cube
Mouse
Chess King
Chess Knight
These red 3D shapes rotate through a particular column of tiles and shall once again flatten the Runner to the ground if he falls under one of them.
These green rodents love to run up to the Runner then latch onto him, weighing him down and reducing his speed. Wiggle the joystick back and forth to shake them off.
The Chess Kings bounce from one tile to the next, attempting to stop the Runner's progress, unlike the move in real chess.
Like the Kings, the Chess Knights can hop from one tile to the next (only in the same way as real chess).
Looking somewhat like a smaller, static, and vertically-oriented version of the Jumbo Cans, these cans are often found sitting on the ground. If the Runner kicks one of them, he will receive 100 extra points, and if he should kick the same can a second time, he shall receive 200 extra points. He will then receive 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 extra points for each consecutive kick he gives it, as it will disappear off the bottom of the screen after the seventh. If the Runner instead jumps on one of the cans, the timer shall stop for two seconds, so it is advisable to jump on as many as possible in rounds that do not have much time.
Special Can
As with the Almicans, jumping on top of these cans (which are slightly fatter than the Almicans) will stop the timer as well. However, if you kick one of them, the Runner will receive an increase in speed, indicated by the text "SPEED UP". But he can still be slowed down by running over a Slip Zone (unless he happens to be riding a Skateboard as he passes over it).
Skateboard
If the Runner runs onto one of the Skateboards that he finds, he shall instantly begin riding it. While he is riding a Skateboard, he can travel over Slip Zones just as quickly as regular floor tiles. However, if he crashes into an enemy, falls into a Pitfall, or just jumps into the air, the Skateboard shall roll away off the left side of the screen.
Springboard
When the Runner encounters a Springboard, press the Jump Button to launch off it and propel him through the air. You will maximize the distance that the Runner can spring by holding down the Jump Button as he runs up to or bounces onto a Springboard. But you must try not to propel him onto a Pitfall or a Cracker as he is falling.
