The player takes the role of an Antarctic penguin, racing to various research stations owned by different countries in Antarctica (excluding the USSR).

The gameplay is similar to Sega's Turbo, but plays at a much slower pace, and features platform game elements.

The penguin, later named Penta, must reach the next station before time runs out while avoiding sea lions and breaks in the ice.

In 1990, Konami released only in Japan a handheld electronic game of Antarctic Adventure, although it is usually listed as South Pole (a more literal translation of the Japanese title).

[4][5] In 2014, Antarctic Adventure was released on a special version of the ColecoVision Flashback by AtGames,[6] available only through Dollar General[7] stores.