Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom is a single-player science fiction themed obstacle race where you control Buck Rogers' space ship as it navigates through multiple pairs of pylons. You can move the ship left or right, stop, and go forward or backward, with varying speeds. The ship also has a weapon that fires energy bolts to blast enemy spaceships.
The game starts in sector 1, and your goal is to complete each level by navigating through a set number of pylons. As you progress through the levels, the challenge increases, and new enemies are introduced, such as flying saucers and erratic robot spaceships. The game ends when you lose all three lives or run out of time.
The score increases based on the distance traveled, pylons navigated, and enemy spaceships destroyed. You can also increase your speed to move faster, but this adds a new layer of challenge. Your high scores are saved and displayed in the main menu.