Hot Pixel is a casual game set in a pixellized universe, blending elements of street culture, digital lifestyle, and old-school video games. The game consists of 200 micro games, which can be played randomly or grouped together into 10 episodes, each linked by cut-scenes featuring the teenager DJON. In this fast-paced game, players must work quickly to complete each micro game within a few seconds, aided by short sentences that appear at the start. The player also has access to tutorials and training modes to help improve their skills. As they progress, longer "boss" micro games become available, which are generally more challenging.
As players progress through the game, new content is unlocked, including different gameplay modes and features such as a rating system for characters, music jukebox, and playlists to share with friends or online. The playlists come in three modes: Challenge, Survive, and Freeplay. Players can also compete against a friend in Ad Hoc multiplayer mode using the best score as the goal.
Some micro games incorporate concepts from popular titles such as Battlezone and Breakout. Additional content can be downloaded from the developer's website and imported via memory stick.