Tanto-R is the first entry in Sega's long-running Puzzle & Action series of variety games. The game is a collection of small minigames for one to four players, such as navigating a maze, stopping a timer at the right time, or remembering a sequence of animal noises. There are a total of 20 different minigames.

The game includes the original arcade mode for one or two players, where the player must successfully complete minigames in order to track down a pair of fugitives in full prison garb. There is also a competition mode for 2-4 players where each player's wins are counted, as well as a free play mode where any of the games can be practiced.