Teslagrad is a side-scrolling platformer with strong puzzle elements. The protagonist finds himself inside the mysterious Tesla Tower, where he explores a tower that can be freely moved in, but generally upwards. To progress, the player must use special abilities to solve puzzles based on magnetic fields: many objects have magnetic properties (red or blue); objects of different colours are attracted to each other, while those of the same colour are repelled. The player has gloves which allow him to change the polarity of objects.
The game communicates without words and requires pixel-perfect jumping and fast reactions to overcome platforming challenges. As the player progresses, more abilities and gadgets are earned, such as a cannon to change polarity over distances or a short-distance teleport to pass obstacles unharmed. These abilities help the player reach new parts of the tower, including boss battles.