Planet Patrol is a side-scrolling shooter in the vein of Defender and Chopper Command, you must pilot your ship over your planet day and night, shooting down enemy craft and avoiding their missiles. There are a few different stages in Planet Patrol. In stage one, your ship, located on the right side of the screen, can move up and down as you fly to the left, shooting at enemy spacecraft and dodging enemy fire. At the end of this stage a black ship appears, which you must dock with in order to land and refuel.