Carrier Aces , a 3rd person flight simulator, takes place during World War II. The game is split screen, with a second player or computer opponent on the other half of the screen. Players control an aircraft pilot from either the United States or Japanese Empire, based aboard an aircraft carrier. Missions include dogfights, strafing runs, dive bombing, and torpedo runs on enemy ships, as well as carrier landings.
Gameplay involves controlling an aircraft with a range of abilities, such as tilting left and right, climbing and diving, increasing speed and firing guns or releasing bombs/torpedoes. The computer opponent controls the ship's turret gun, with limited ability to aim and fire. Players can choose which aircraft to bring into battle on an area map, where dogfights take place between two players controlling their own planes.