The Genius brings together 13 contestants from various sectors to compete for the top spot in rounds involving various games. Every episode, a contestant is eliminated following a main match and a death match. The Main Match is a game that all the players will have to play in order to win, and the Death Match is only played by the elimination candidates. The winner(s) of the main match will gain a token of life as assurance to proceed to the next round, and in some cases, receives an additional token of life to give to another player. The worst performer in the main match (or by specific criteria) is automatically sent to the death match, and is allowed to choose their opponent. However, they cannot choose a person with a token of life.

Beside the token of life, the winner of the main match will also gain a quantity of red garnets. Garnets are the currency used in the game. In the final episode, only the champion's total garnets are exchanged for real money. Garnets are transferable and may be gained within the game.  Garnets can be used within the games to earn advantages.  Because the show requires sharp thinking to win, every game is expected to be riddled with thrill and shock and is filled with loopholes for the players to exploit. Each contestant must figure out both the rules of the game and its secrets, and how they can win as quickly as possible. Players may join forces with others, betray them or simply eliminate their competitors, to either create either a "beautiful defeat" or an "ugly victory".

Contestants are encouraged to use every means to survive. The 13 geniuses continue to get to the end of the game in order to grab the great prize money, and in the process, build their own characters