Players had two run buttons and one action button. The run buttons were used to increase the speed of the character on-screen, while the action button was used to do things like initiate a jump or adjust the angle of a javelin throw.
100 meter dash - running by quickly alternating button presses.
Long jump - running by alternating button press and correct timing for jump - hold jump button to set angle (42 degrees is optimal).
Javelin throw - running by alternating button presses and then using action button correct timing for angle (43 degrees is optimal).
110 meter hurdles - running by alternating button presses and using action button to time jumps.
Hammer throw - spinning initiated by pressing a run button once and then correctly timed press of action button to choose angle (45 degrees is optimal).
High jump - running (speed set by computer) and then action button must be held down to determine angle of jump - once in the air, the run button can be rapidly pressed for additional height.
In each event, there is a qualifying time or level that the player must achieve to advance to the next event; failing to qualify (in one heat for running events or three tries in the other events) ends the game.
The game can accommodate up to four players, who compete in pairs for the running events and individually for the others. If there are fewer than four players, the remaining slots are played by the computer (or player "CPU"). In all multiplayer heats, though, the relative performances of the players have no effect on the game, and advancing is based solely on qualifying times. While most multiplayer arcade games had each set of controls relative to the players going from left to right, this game (which has two sets of controls) had a somewhat different setup. The left set of controls were for players 2 and 4, while the right set was for players 1 and 3. This is one of the few classic arcade games where single player mode was played on the right set of controls rather than the left. If a player completes all six events after a brief medal ceremony, he or she is sent back to the field for another round, with higher qualifying levels, however the game can be configured to conclude after the final event.
Because the game responded to repeatedly pressing the "run" buttons at high frequency, players of the arcade version resorted to various tricks such as rapidly swiping a coin or ping-pong ball over the buttons, or using a metal ruler which was repeated struck such that it would vibrate and press the buttons.
As a result, arcade operators reported high rates of damage to the buttons and later versions had modifications to prevent such actions.
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