Dustforce is a platformer in which the main character is a janitor. The player takes control of one of their four janitors who use acrobatic tricks and a mop to clear dirt and filth from more than 50 levels of the game. Janitors differ slightly in characteristics such as the height of the jump. After completing the level, the player receives an evaluation from the game based on the finesse of the playthrough.

The game is often compared to such takes on the genre such as Super Meat Boy and N +, where the main emphasis is on timings and player’s quick reaction. Cleaning is automatic, and enemies need to be defeated by performing attacks. After the death, the level begins from the previous checkpoint.

There is also a local multiplayer for four players and a level editor in addition to game’s singleplayer. In multiplayer, different variations of Survival and King of the Hill modes are available: some players remove the mud spread out by the level of other players. In October 2014, there was a free DX Update released for the game, in which the developers have added new levels and maps.