Mickey Mania is a platformer in which players control Mickey Mouse as he visits various locations based on his past cartoons, ranging from his debut in Steamboat Willie to the more recent The Prince and the Pauper. Mickey can attack enemies by either jumping on them or by using a limited supply of marbles, which are collected throughout the level. Mickey can take up to five hits, represented by the fingers he holds up on his hand, which can be replenished by collecting stars, whilst extra lives can be gained by finding Mickey hats. Levels offer a variety of challenges such as puzzles the player must solve, escaping from a rampaging moose and fleeing from a flaming staircase.
The levels in the game are based from the following classic Mickey Mouse cartoons:
Steamboat Willie (1928)
The Mad Doctor (1933)
The Band Concert (1935) (not included in the SNES version)
Moose Hunters (1937)
Lonesome Ghosts (1937)
Mickey and the Beanstalk (1947)
The Prince and the Pauper (1990)