The Datastorm gameplay was the basis for this action-adventure game, with a horizontally-scrolling landscape which eventually loops back on itself. Your basic task is to pick up each of the 8 pods in turn, and carry them through a portal elsewhere in the level, before going back for another one.
The game features power-ups available, representing an auto-fire, extra simultaneous lasers, missiles to home in on enemies, a level-skip, and a Super Shield. Lander craft are also present to pick up the pods, and these must be stopped before reaching the top of the screen.
As you progress through the levels, you must shoot all enemies to continue, with bonus rewards for each remaining pod. Every four levels, the pods are replenished, increasing the difficulty if you lose them on the first set of 4 levels. Losing a pod on each level also reduces your shield's replenishment.
Overall, Datastorm requires strategy and quick reflexes to progress through its challenging levels.