Ocean Labyrinth uses the same basic game play as Ravensburger's decades-old title The aMAZEing Labyrinth. Players try to move through a labyrinthine game board in order to reach a desired symbol shown on a game board tile that matches a hidden card held by this player. The game board consists of a number of fixed tiles as well as rows and columns in which tiles can slide back and forth; these tiles show tunnels – T-shaped, straight, and otherwise – and a player can move his token only along the path as it exists on his turn.
 
To this basic game, Ocean Labyrinth adds an underwater theme and a twist: some tiles have special rules on their backsides. When a tile of this type is pushed out, a special rule is used for the next turn:
Pufferfish: the current player is so scared from this fish that they lose their movement for the current turn.
Diving scooter: you move more quickly: take an additional turn
Oxygen tank: you don't have enough oxygen, so you must return your pawn to a freely chosen start tile.