Gold Rush is a 1-player wild west themed arcade game for the Apple II. The player controls a small character who can move in the 4 cardinal directions. The player moves about a small wild west-themed screen, with the goal of excavating gold from the four mines on the left of the screen. The player arrives via railroad at the right of the screen at the beginning of the game, with the goal is to pick up sticks of dynamite, and place them next to the four mine shafts on the left. The player must avoid Native Americans near their teepees and soldiers guarding their fort. There is also a dangerous grizzly bear who can take the player's life. Claim jumpers haunt the mining sites, and like to return the player to their starting zone.