The main gameplay feature is the bosses change from stage to stage. Based on how a boss is destroyed, the next boss will adapt itself to defend against previously used strategies and force the player to change tactics. For example, if the front section of one boss is destroyed the next boss will have increased armor in that area. If the player's ship is hit by a certain kind of weapon, but still defeats the boss, the next boss is likely to have more weapons of that type.

The game begins with a single button that can be clicked to build a paperclip; additional options open up throughout the game, all of which are accessed solely by mouse. The user can quickly automate paperclip production, invest the profits in the stock market, and invest the stock market profits into computer upgrades, all for the sake of ultimately maximizing paperclip production. An activity log records the user's accomplishments, and also gives the user some glimpses into the AI's occasionally unsettling thoughts. The game ends if the player reaches 30.0 septendecillion paperclips, finishing the conversion of all matter in the universe into paperclips.

Blending together traditional RPG systems, tycoon mechanics, and a fantasy overworld, Merchant aims to reimagine the traditional mobile RPG. In Merchant, players take the role of a shopkeeper who must manage a team of Heroes and Crafters. Heroes are sent out on quests in order to fight enemies and gather materials. Crafters then use those materials to create weapons and armor. As the shopkeeper, players must balance their micro-economies between selling items for gold and crafting items to better ensure success for the Heroes. As the Merchant, you are the commander of your own domain!

Players can craft a wide variety of items in Minecraft. Players can craft armor, which can help mitigate damage from attacks, while weapons such as swords can be crafted to kill enemies and other animals more easily. Players acquire resources to craft tools, such as axes, shovels, or pickaxes, used to chop down trees, dig soil, and mine ores, respectively; e.g. tools made of iron perform their tasks more quickly than tools made of stone or wood and can be used more heavily before they break. Players can construct furnaces which can smelt food, process ores and materials, among others.