Power Gate is a 2D side-scrolling shooter with gameplay similar to U.N. Squadron / Area 88. You pilot a realistic jet against other realistic enemies, jets, tanks and so on.
The power-up system in Power Gate works similarly to that of Area 88 , where you collect items dropped by certain enemies to gain speed up or down, or regular power-ups for your main shot. You can also collect special weapons such as smart bombs, time-limited invulnerability, after-image effects, homing missiles and other kinds of attacks.
The game features a simple yet challenging design, with several life segments for your airplane. Simple bosses await at the end of each stage, which gradually increase in difficulty towards the final stages where you need to avoid obstacles. Your performance is rated not only on how well you played but also on how many special weapons you used or kept in stock.