Players take on the role of Tonzura-kun, a boy who's girlfriend keeps getting stuck on high platforms. In Tonzura-kun, players move the titular hero around a playfield filled with boxes. Players have a limited time to lift these boxes and form makeshift staircases in order to climb up to a platform the girl is stranded on. Occasionally enemy characters will get in the way and try to impede the player's progress by grabbing hold of Tonzura-kun. Tonzura's skill set include being able to jump one box high and having the strength to be able to throw a box on the ground up on top of three already stacked boxes.