G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a 2D action game with two different game types. In the first mode, you have to destroy enemy tanks, radar stations and Cobra HQ in a top-down view. There are different geographical locations like wood, desert and Arctic tundra. The available characters in this mode are Ace (jet fighter), Steeler (tank), Wild Bill (helicopter) and Clutch (Jeep). In the second mode, various Joe characters ("Joes") face off against Cobra characters in one-on-one battles, using their unique weapons that all vary in weight and reloading speed. Battles can be fought against backdrops like city, Cobra HQ, Arctic tundra, desert, or the woods.The loser of each battle goes to prison and becomes unavailable for future battles. There are sixteen available Joe characters in this mode: Duke, Scarlett, Recondo, Torpedo, Snake Eyes, Roadblock, Spirit, Zap, Gung-Ho, Snow Job, Blowtorch, and Stalker. On the Cobra side, the available characters to battle are Destro, Baroness, Zartan, Firefly, Cobra Commander, Storm Shadow, Major Bludd, and Scrap-Iron.