This is a traditional action-platformer: you jump from brick to brick while avoiding pits and shooting robots. It´s quite similar, in all respects, to other Mega Man games; however, this is the first time that you get a sidekick. It´s also the first time you´re allowed to slide instead of merely walking. Also, there is a mysterious character called Protoman who may or may not be your friend.

Rush is your dog who helps out by offering other modes of transportation when you need it. He starts out with the ´Rush Coil´ ability to launch you to the top of the screen like a springboard; later he acquires the ´Rush Jet´ ability to turn into a guided, floating platform to carry you wherever you need to go; and he also gets the ´Rush Marine´ ability which is a submarine that works just like the jet except underwater and with the added ability to hop around out of the water(you can actually jump while on the jet but the jet continues to hover beneath you whereas you stay inside the submarine). All of these abilities function just like boss weapons.

How do those work, you ask? When you defeat the boss at the end of a level you gain his power - or at least a similar power. You may pause the game at any time and switch to any single power you have. It supplants your regular Arm Cannon with a limited - but superior - ability. The weapon ammo is displayed next to your energy meter. There are 8 of these, corresponding to the 8 main levels, even though there are 21 levels in the entire game. The bosses are as follows: Snake Man, Gemini Man, Needle Man, Shadow Man, Spark Man, Top Man, Magnet Man, & Hard Man.