Torneko No Daibouken is a overhead view game similar to Hack, what might be called a "dungeon crawl". Torneko must venture into the mysterious dungeon gathering treasure. He may equip any weapons and shields he finds there, as well as gather up items such as spell scrolls, staffs and herbs with a variety of effect. A variety of enemies, familiar to the Dragon Quest series, await him. If Torneko successfully exits the dungeon, he is able to sell any of the items he has collected. This money then goes to improve the quality of his shop and living quarters. As the game progresses, Torneko is able to store special items in the vault, which he is then able to bring with him on subsequent trips to the dungeon.