Buffalo Round Up is a single screen game shown from above at an elevated angle where you play a cowboy on his horse who has to round up all the buffalo on the screen through a gate. On the top and bottom of the screen are gaps to the desert but on level one, three are blocked by fences and you can't allow any Buffalo to escape into the desert. You must move around the screen encouraging or pushing the buffalo in the direction you want them to move. If you leave any buffalo then they will move in the direction they feel like moving and although there is water in the middle of the screen this won't harm any buffalo just stop them moving. All the buffalo must be moved through the gate before a clock counts down to zero and if you manage to get all buffalo in without losing any then you move to the next level with another fence removed.