Sturmwind is a horizontally scrolling shoot'em up with 16 levels divided into seven worlds, each concluding with a boss fight. The course varies sometimes, as several levels include vertically scrolling passages, and some bosses need to be beaten in a given amount of time.
The game features three different weapons that can be used from the start, but can be lost if the ship is hit. Losing a weapon allows it to be regained by collecting a certain bonus item. The items are initially score bonuses, but once shot, they transform into weapon upgrades. Losing a weapon can be recovered by collecting the corresponding upgrade, and further improvements require selecting the weapon again.
Players can also switch the direction of firing from forwards to backwards and use a special fire mode that saves energy for devastating beams. Unlockable bonuses include art galleries, and achievements are unlocked when completing levels with specific weapons or achieving certain milestones. Highscores can be entered online by entering a unique code given by the game.