Lava Showdown is played similarly to the games Pacman and Frogger. The player must cage a specified amount of Lava Monsters. Without a cage, the player loses one life if he is hit by a Lava Monster. If the player has encaged the monsters, gates will open to allow access to the lava river. Bricks float along the lava river, Lava Monsters harry the player and, on one side, Eruptorr, leader of the Lava Monsters, is throwing lava balls across the fiery river. The lava balls, the Lava Monsters and the lava river cost the player one life on contact. If the Power Miner can get to the other side, the next level will start. A player has a total of three lives until he has to restart from the beginning.