Magic John is an action-adventure game where you control one player at a time, navigating through a horizontally-scrolling gameplay. Your goal is to beat the opposition to earn a higher salary. With five skill levels to choose from, each providing quicker gameplay and tougher defense, you can compete against the computer or up to three friends.
The gameplay is fast-paced, with an arrow appearing on-screen above your player's head that you need to hit B to switch between players. The game is divided into four quarters, each lasting three minutes, and you can review statistics such as field goal percentage and rebounds during downtime.