After Burner for the Commodore 64 brings all the action of the arcade smash into the home. You must face off against nigh insurmountable odds as you pilot your F14-Tomcat deep into enemy territory with little more than your machine guns and limited supply of missiles for protection.
Before jumping into the action, players can toggle the sound effects and music to their liking in the options screen. The game requires players to dodge all incoming fire from the enemy by moving either to the left or right side of the screen. By speeding up (using your after burner) you will be able to avoid most of the hostile fire, but in doing so, will reduce your ability to lock-on to the enemy.
Occassionally, players will find that an enemy fighter manages to get behind them. The only way to avoid the enemy's missiles and shake him off your tail is to perform a barrel roll maneuver. As you progress further into the title, you'll find yourself flying over varied terrain and participating in missions both, during the day and at night. Once you use up your allotment of six lives, the game is over.