Missile Command is a classic arcade shooter where players assume the role of a regional commander in charge of three anti-missile batteries. The objective is to protect six cities from relentless waves of ballistic missiles, including advanced threats like MIRVs. As players progress, they gain access to new weapons such as smart bombs, bomber planes, and satellites, enhancing their defensive capabilities.
As a regional commander of three anti-missile batteries, the player must defend six cities in their zone from being destroyed. The player's six cities are being attacked by an endless hail of ballistic missiles, some of them even splitting like multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). New weapons are introduced in later levels: smart bombs that can evade a less than perfectly targeted missile, and bomber planes and satellites that fly across the screen and launch missiles of their own.