The gameplay in "Shiny Days" is typical of most visual novels. Players control Takeru as he navigates the game's story, making choices that affect the outcome of the game. The game features a variety of routes, each focusing on a different heroine.

The official English release by JAST USA includes the adult content, but many players use community restoration patches to fix bugs and ensure all scenes play correctly, as some routes were notoriously broken at launch.