Desert Falcon is an arcade-style shooter where your goal is to steal as many treasures as possible from the desert to earn points. The game features a scrolling, isometric point of view as you control your falcon through various desert landscapes. Treasures are guarded by desert creatures such as vultures, warriors, flying fish, sphinxes, and more, which will try to stop you from succeeding.
The game's objective also includes facing a large, howling sphinx at the end of each level before continuing on. Your falcon isn't defenseless, having the ability to fire darts that can destroy enemies and the sphinx. You'll also find hieroglyphs in the sand, which grant you various superpowers depending on the ones collected. These superpowers include becoming invincible, warping to the end of the level, earning free points, tricking enemies into attacking a decoy, or getting an air bomb that destroys all airborne enemies.