The player controls a tank with constantly draining fuel, and must navigate through multiple levels (14 stations in the arcade version) from bottom to top, encountering obstacles and enemies.

Along the way, the player may find powerups including tank fuel, stars (currency), shields, and two types of sub-weapons: smart shots (homing missiles) and bombs (powerful rockets).

Normal shots are ineffective however, and the player must decide/guess the appropriate time to buy sub-weapons to greatly raise the chance of victory.

Buying a shield drastically reduces damage down to a mere pixel worth of the fuel gauge per hit.

A sequel to the arcade version was released the same year as a conversion kit for Gauntlet titled Vindicators Part II.

Though the in-game voice was changed to a less robotic-sounding male, and several tank upgrades were added that are picked up as powerups and expire after a level is finished.