Black Magic is an action game with role-playing elements. The main playing area is viewed from the side, with the screen scrolling in multiple directions when you move. You start your quest on the surface of the land as the class Apprentice, and you are armed with limited amounts of arrows and two types of spells, though more can be found as the game progresses. You must search the land on the surface and venture deep underground into areas connected by ladders on your quest. As you explore you will encounter many creatures, and if you are touched or shot by them you lose part of the health gauge, when it empties you die and it is game over. Food can be found scattered around and can be used to top up your health or stored on your person for later usage.

As you progress and complete tasks your experience points increase. Collect a certain amount pf them and your class is promoted to Wizard and then to Sorcerer, before you become Necromancer, which is needed to defeat Zahgrim. The types of spells you have and use also increase when you move up a class. You will also encounter trapped prisoners who require freeing just by walking through them.