Designed with very young children in mind, Mario's Early Years: Fun With Numbers takes place in seven different worlds: Counting World, Number World, Comparing World, How Many World, Same and Different World, Shape World, and Sorting World. Each world features a series of point and click games designed to help youngsters learn their numbers and shapes. You can play the game as Mario, Princess Toadstool, or Yoshi. When you point and click on an item, the computer tells you things like what that item is, what shape that item is, or how many of that item there are. Below each play field (except in the Counting World), Mario's brother Luigi lies sleeping. If you wake him up, this adds a new dimension to the game. The computer begins asking you to identify items, count items, and other simple tasks related to numbers and shapes. The items depicted include swings, shoes, beds, cookies, fish, and other common objects.