A unique combination of vertically-scrolling shooters and competitive puzzle games, Twinkle Star Sprites tells the story of apprentice witch Ran, who searches for the fabled Twinkle Star that is said to grant any wish. Unfortunately, she is not the only one seeking the star, and thus must fight her way and defeat all the other characters in shooter duels.
The game plays mostly as a vertically-scrolling shooter, with you controlling your avatar and attempting to shoot and avoid incoming enemies. Each player has their own play area, like Puyo Puyo, and the enemies cause splash damage around themselves when shot. Chaining the destruction of several enemies creates a combo that performs an attack move on your opponent. These moves can range from targeted fireballs to special moves unique to each character.
Each player has a lifebar, and as with most shooters, there are bombs and collectible power-ups to be found. The game features an arcade mode where you can freely select what character to control, as well as a 2-player Vs mode and a story mode chronicling Ran's journey.
Twinkle Star Sprites was released for the Neo Geo CD in 1970 .