Raiden is a vertical-scrolling shooter set in 2090 where Earth is invaded by aliens. The World Alliance of Nations has developed Raiden to defend the planet. A pilot must control this experimental fighter to destroy alien warships that resemble military tanks and planes with gadgets.
The gameplay focuses on shooting down enemies, using bombs to destroy them if needed, and upgrading the ship's weapons. There are two forms of upgrades and two types of missiles: normal and homing. Each level ends with a large boss or bosses.