Moon Patrol is a side-scrolling game where the player must
drive a moon buggy from one station on the Moon to another, all while avoiding
crashing or getting destroyed by alien ships. The vehicle is constantly moving
right and the player can speed up or slow down, jump, and shoot (simultaneously
firing upwards and forwards.) There are 25 checkpoints along the way, each
symbolized with a letter from A to Z, and serving as a respawn point. Every five
checkpoints mark a separate "stage" within the entire course; reaching the end
of a stage under the par time grants a large score bonus.
Dangers on the
Moon include rocks (small and big ones) which can be shot to pieces or jumped
over, pits which must be jumped, and UFO's which fire at the player or bombard
the ground (creating pits). Later the player also comes upon stationary tanks
which fire missiles (that can be destroyed with the player's own shots),
landmines, carnivorous plants that pop up out of pits, and rocket cars which
stalk the buggy from behind before rushing forward in an attempt to ram it down.
After completing the first course (the "Beginner Course") the player can
try his skill on the harder Champion Course.