House of Usher is a single screen platformer where you have to enter the house and escape various rooms to the be able to enter the final two rooms to be able to leave the house. You start off in the reception hall which has ten doors numbered from one to nine and door X and you have to enter each room to escape before you can enter room X which then allows you to enter room Y before escaping. Each room has you having to reach the exit door but each room has various challenges like jumping over gaps, avoiding cannon fire, avoiding creatures, collecting items and other obstacles. If you fall from a certain height or touch any creature then you lose one of three lives and sent back to the reception hall. You must also escape room Y before a timer reaches zero or you lose all your lives remaining in quick succession. There is also a heart in each room that can be collected for bonus points.