At first sight, KIC looks and plays like a typical 3D platform game. The player selects a highly-customizable avatar to represent his in-game character and then sets out to discover the 3D world.

There are all kinds of fantastic buildings scattered throughout the world, housing creative applications and games. Some of these can only be reached after a fair bit of adventuring.

The game allows for "guides" to be present in the world, giving the player instructions or inviting players to reach a certain part of the world. To the children, these guides are familiar faces they know from the broadcaster's television shows.

Parts of the world can be adapted by the broadcaster, and as KIC is an online game, kids will immediately see the changes in the world. On Central Square, or Star Square, the broadcaster can put up a new poster on the big billboard or reveal a new "Star of the Day" statue.