Ten different planes are available for selection by default, some of whom return from previous Aero Fighters games. An additional two secret characters from previous Video System games can be accessed by entering a code. Various characters can carry different numbers of power-ups (P) and bombs (B) before reaching full stock; picking either of these up while fully stocked grants the player 2,000 points, while a full-power (F) grants 10,000.
Destroying large enemies on the ground, as well as buildings and other prominent bits of scenery, will frequently reveal any of the above powerups as well as currency icons, which change depending upon the nationality of the player's character. Currency icons are worth anywhere between 10,000 and 200 points each; picking the icons up at the very top of the screen nets the maximum, picking them up more than halfway down nets the minimum.
The game contains a total of 18 stages, of which eight will be played in each of the game's two loo...