Teslagrad is a side-scrolling platformer with strong puzzle elements, where you play as a boy trapped inside the mysterious Tesla Tower. The game communicates through visuals, leaving it up to the player's intuition.
The player explores the tower, which can be navigated in a generally upward direction, with limited branching paths. To progress, you use special abilities to solve puzzles based on magnetic fields: objects with different colors are attracted to each other, while objects of the same color are repelled. You're equipped with gloves that allow you to change the polarity of objects.
As you progress through the game, you earn new abilities and gadgets, such as a cannon to change polarity over distances or a short-distance teleporter. These tools help you overcome platforming challenges that require precise jumping and quick reflexes, as well as boss battles.