This is the standard "Bowser has kidnapped the Princess, and Mario must rescue her" story. In this case, the Princess is transformed into a ball and launched from a Super Mario 64-style cannon, which a pair of goombas aim directly at Bowser's Castle. Mario is also transformed into a ball and chases after her.

There are 5 levels, each consisting of a set of pinball tables. Each table has some exits (including the one below the flippers) that Mario can use to move to other tables. Also, each one holds a star, normally obtained by defeating all enemies on the table. Some exits require that Mario has a certain number of stars. To gain access to Bowser's castle, Mario must defeat the bosses of the first 4 levels, which gives him star keys. The game also features a "Time Attack" mode, which allows players to fight already defeated bosses again.