The player takes control of the Starship fighter craft, and must shoot down the incoming enemy craft in the air and on the ground. Small capsules can appear on the ground, and once the player has shot all of them down, will award the player with a piece to attach onto the Starship. These pieces can give the Starship extra firepower and wider shots, with four individual pieces to acquire; should the player have all pieces to the ship and press the "transform" button, the Starship will transform into an enormous, flaming phoenix that is invulnerable to anything for a brief period of time.Additionally, the player can press the transform button without all pieces, and cause the pieces to split from the Starship and move into a triangular shape around the player. During this, the pieces are invulnerable to all enemy fire, while the player is not; should he or she be hit with the pieces, the Starship will revert to a singular craft, and if the Starship is hit, the player will lose a life, and the game will be immediately over should the player lose all of their lives.