Emma the King has lost his senses, causing him to lose order of his Underworld domain – enabling evil entities to roam freely.

In order to find Emma, Bonze must survive against hordes of yokai, such as snakes, giant eyeballs, ghosts, kitsune, spiders, entities appearing to be hitodama/will-o'-the-wisp, as well as other evils.

In an unusual twist, the allotted time appears in the manner of melting candles, rather than a traditional timer.

The game consists of several rounds: Dilapidated Backyard Cemetery, The Dead-or-Alive River, Burning Inferno, Bloody Pond, Glacier Trap, Lose-Your-Way-Maze, and finally Emma's Lair.

In Japan, Game Machine listed Bonze Adventure on their July 15, 1988 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.