The majority of missions on offer require the player to find the entrance of an underground complex, gain entry and locate a particular object which then must be brought to the surface by the use of the ship's tractor beam.

Coupled with the various obstacles present in most missions, such as moving machinery, defensive turrets and armed ground vehicles, making your way to safety becomes a lot more difficult especially when you factor in limited fuel and the Player's inability to drop the cargo at will and re-fuel.

On successful completion of the mission the player is paid and the money can be used to purchase new Landers, parts, ammo and the bare necessities such as fuel and shield recharges.

Although Lander had an arcade feel, controlling the ship in three axes proved quite difficult to master, often taking days for some to become confident and competent.

Due to this unique control system and unlike the earlier games it was inspired by, Lander was never particularly popular outside of a small loyal fan base.