Titans of Steel is a mecha combat game heavily inspired by an earlier title for the Commodore Amiga called MechForce, which was essentially a computer adaptation of the classic BattleTech boardgame. Titans of Steel features similar gameplay mechanics, however it is neither directly based on nor related to the BattleTech franchise and instead establishes its own universe and story.

According to the plot of the game, it's the year 2066, and gladiatorial battles between giant mecha robots are the most popular entertainment across the globe. As this sport is exceedingly dangerous, future mecha pilots, or jocks as they are called, are mostly recruited from the ranks of prisoners with the promise of pardon should they succeed in this career and become famous fighters.

The player's goal is to assemble and manage a team of jocks, design and outfit the mecha robots they pilot, and engage in various battles. Accordingly, there are three separate game modules: HQ where the jock team is managed, Factory where mecha robots are built, and Battlefield where combat is played out on hexagonal grid maps. The game can be played either against other opponents in hot seat mode or the AI. Later releases also added multipayer over TCP/IP.