In Turbo the Tortoise you take on the role of a turtle who gains superpowers after a failed experiment. To repair its owner's machine, it must travel across six time periods – from prehistoric times and ancient Egypt to the future. Each era is presented as a side-scrolling platform level filled with enemies that can be defeated either with limited weapons or by jumping on their heads. Moving platforms, switches, fragile floors, and water hazards make the journey tougher, while hidden power-ups and extra lives often require clever use of enemies as springboards.