Red Alarm

and plot Red Alarm is a shoot 'em up that takes place in a three-dimensional (3D) graphical environment. As a Virtual Boy game, it features a red-and-black color palette and stereoscopic 3D visuals, the depth of which may be adjusted by the player. The game is set during the 21st century, in the aftermath of a 70-year world war that led to the establishment of a utopian society without weapons. An artificial intelligence defense system called KAOS, which had been used to end the war, becomes sentient and builds an army to wipe out humanity.

Assuming control of a "Tech-Wing" space fighter , the player seeks to destroy KAOS's forces and finally its mainframe . The game is broken up into six levels , each of which culminates in a boss fight . The player uses the Tech-Wing's laser cannons to attack, and its guided missiles to destroy armored enemies. Shields on the craft offer limited protection from enemy fire; evasion is critical.

The Tech-Wing may be maneuvered in any direction, and certain levels contain branching corridors and dead ends that force players to retrace their paths. Four camera angles—three third-person viewpoints and the first-person "cockpit view"—are available. When a level is completed, the player may watch a replay of their performance from multiple perspectives.