[1][2] Each world feature levels where Lucky clears various objectives and searches for secrets in order to collect pages which contain a clover emblem, which grant access to a boss fight involving a member of the game's villainous faction, the Kitty Litter, and allow players to progress to the next world at its conclusion.

[3] New Super Lucky's Tale features a reworked story, along with an expanded cast of characters for players to interact with; a fully rotatable camera which can be zoomed in or out by pushing up and down on the right analog stick; and levels designed around the implementation of tighter controls.

[2][6] Foxington, a world containing challenge stages that was part of the Guardian Trials DLC in Super Lucky's Tale, is also included and unlocked after completing the main game.

With assistance and guidance offered by the friends he meets inside the Book, Lucky collects the missing pages to reopen the portals to the other worlds.

Along the way, he faces off against members of the Kitty Litter, including Master Mittens, a strategic cat capable of teleportation; Tess the Tinker, a hyper intelligent but frantic scientist; General Buttons, an abnormally small and battle-minded cat; Lt. Fluffinstuff, Buttons' unintelligent but physically imposing sidekick; and Lady Meowmalade, a toxic social media influencer.

[7][8][5] Playful Studios said Super Lucky's Tale was "rebuilt from the ground up", with improvements introduced to most aspects of the original game.

He listed the game's presentation, 3D platforming, and additional story content as its strengths, while its few weaknesses include control schemes for the 2D stages and mild performance issues.

[4] Chris Scullion from Nintendo Life summarized that New Super Lucky’s Tale is a "solid port of an underrated platformer with a greatly improved camera.

[3] John Cal McCormick gave a positive review: he found the game to be "relentlessly jolly" at "just the right length", and is amused by the option of dressing Lucky up like Indiana Jones, but disapproved of the excessive loading screens as well as cutscenes which cannot be skipped when replaying levels.