Nifty Lifty is a simple arcade game. The player must collect various items such as hearts, small toy trains, tanks, umbrellas, and climb up while avoiding dangerous lifts going up and down. Each contact with a lift results in a loss of life. The character is controlled with two keys to move left and right. When the edge of the screen is reached, where the arrow is, the game automatically moves the character to the upper floor. A time bonus is provided for completing levels quickly.