Cannon Fodder is a top-down action/strategy game where you guide a team of up to six soldiers through 72 levels of combat. The gameplay is similar to Lemmings , where you control your soldiers indirectly using the mouse or joypad, and activate them by highlighting them with one button. You can move them to a specific spot with another button, and press both buttons at once to fire guns or pick up grenades/rockets.
The story revolves around guiding your team through various missions, each with its own objective. Some levels feature vehicles like tanks that aid in completing objectives. Be aware of the arrangement of trees for hiding spots to shoot from, but also watch out for CPU-controlled soldiers who may be doing the same. Water can't be shot within it, so finding and controlling bridges is crucial.