The game is a side scrolling platformer adventure game that is very similar to the original Addams Family SNES title. A major source of criticism for the SNES version was the lack of a password feature. A password feature is present on both the NES and Game Boy versions.

The plot of Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt centered around Pugsley's attempts to win a scavenger hunt challenge proposed by his sister, Wednesday. His hunt takes him to the bedrooms of each member of the Addams family in order to find one item from each.