RIZ-ZOAWD is controlled entirely with the stylus using a track ball on the bottom screen to move Dorothy around the 3-dimensional world of Oz where enemies appear on-screen and coming into contact with them triggers a battle. The game is a traditional console role-playing game in the same vein as Dragon Quest, where turn-based battles are fought in a first-person view. The abilities of the playable characters are based on their personalities and action from the original story, an example being the Cowardly Lion allowing you to escape from enemy encounters. In this RPG, The Witches are divided up by seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Along with the two evil witches (Deene and Horiin), there are new enemies.