Similar to other stepping or dance-based games, StepManiaX uses a "stage" that the user stands on with certain areas being pressure-sensitive buttons, or "panels".

StepManiaX uses five identically sized inputs, arranged similarly to a Directional Pad - Up, Down, Left, Right, and the inclusion of Center.

The core gameplay involves players stepping on the panel with their feet to correspond with the scrolling arrows (or "Notes") on-screen once they reach the end of beat lines (horizontal bars that move up the screen).

Hard makes the different colored rhythm panels more common and may add a few advanced features like pits.

The game then grew its design to appeal to a wide variety of locations: Home, Health & Fitness, Education, Competitive E-Sports, and Family Recreation.

During this time, the all-in-one cabinet design was exhibited at various trade fairs and gaming events like Gamescom 2017[5] as sales were limited due to stock shortages and gauging interest with distribution partners.

[6] The following year, a coin-operated version of the game premiered at 8 on the Break as an initial location and hardware test.

[14] It features a 65" touchscreen display, dynamic lighting show, and an improved sound system over the Dedicated model.

The StepManiaX stage features five pressable panels by default: Up, down, left, right, and center.

The stage is fully compatible with various simulators such as StepMania, Project OutFox, MAME, or any application capable of using HID Joystick input.

Due to its breakout wiring, StepManiaX stages can be modified to completely bypass the USB output and natively work with other I/O solutions.

The soundtrack generally consists of higher tempo music with easy to follow beats and well-defined rhythms.

For the dedicated game itself, the majority of the praise comes from the large song library and its focus on otherwise neglected dance music genres, and lack of subscription fees or unlocks.

[22][23] StepManiaX has been criticized for limited supply availability and having no support for cheaper, non-standard home offerings, such as video game console and personal computer versions.

While stages are available on their own to private customers, restocking happens infrequently and sales periods typically only last for a few minutes.

[25] StepManiaX's relative newness, position within current family entertainment center industry trends, and its advertised return on investment[26] has led to some operators setting generally higher prices per credit compared to the games it is meant to replace from years prior.