For the most part, "MDK" is a run-and-gun third-person shooter. It also features several minigames, and allows the player to enter first-person mode at any time they wish so as to use their sniper weapon. The basic design of the game involves distinct individual levels in which the player character, Kurt Hectic, must infiltrate a "Minecrawler", fight his way through an array of enemies, tackle some rudimentary puzzles, and reach the control centre, where he must then eliminate the pilot in a boss fight. Every level is completely different; enemies, level design, aesthetic, and control centre layout, with a different strategy required to eliminate each pilot.