Rig Attack is a side view horizontal game where the screen scrolls left or right when the player moves. The goal is to patrol an oil rig and surrounding oil fields in the helicopter searching for enemy submarines over various levels. As the player flies over the ocean and encounter a sub, the player must fly as close to the water to bomb the sub while avoiding its missiles. Once a certain amount have been destroyed then it's on to the next level. The player is able to land on helipads scattered over each level to refuel, however the player cannot refuel while fighting a sub. Getting hit by a missile, hitting the water, or hitting a rig or oil field, will subtract a life.