Editing Zero Wing (section)

== Gameplay ==
[[File:ARC Zero Wing.png|thumb|left|Arcade screenshot]]

''Zero Wing'' is a [[science fiction]]-themed [[side-scrolling shooter]] similar to ''[[Hellfire (video game)|Hellfire]]'', where players assume the role of Trent taking control of the ZIG space fighter craft through eight increasingly difficult levels, each with a [[Boss (video gaming)|boss]] at the end that must be fought before progressing any further, in a last-ditch effort to overthrow the alien cyborg CATS as the main objective.<ref name="ZWJPacflyer">''Zero Wing'' arcade flyer (Toaplan, JP)</ref><ref name="ZWSMDmanual">''Zero Wing'' instruction manual (Sega Mega Drive, EU)</ref><ref name="ZWPCECDROMm">''Zero Wing'' manual (PC Engine CD-ROM², JP)</ref><ref name="ZWhg101">{{cite web|last=Zverloff|first=Nick|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/zero-wing/|title=Zero Wing|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|date=12 December 2009|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref><ref name="ZWss">{{cite web|url=http://shootingstar.game.coocan.jp/zerowing.html|title=ZERO WING|publisher=Shooting Star|access-date=2020-05-20|language=ja}}</ref> As far as side-scrolling shooters go, the title initially appears to be very standard, as players control their craft over a constantly scrolling background and the scenery never stops moving until the stage boss is reached.<ref name="ZWSMDmanual"/><ref name="ZWhg101"/>

A unique gameplay feature is the "Seizer Beam" system;<ref name="ZWJPacflyer"/><ref name="ZWSMDmanual"/><ref name="ZWPCECDROMm"/><ref name="ZWhg101"/><ref name="ZWss"/> during gameplay, players can grab certain enemies and hold them as shield against enemy fire or launch them against enemies. There are three types of weapons in the game that can be switched between after destroying incoming carriers by picking up a color-changing [[Item (gaming)|item]] ranging from the "Red Cannon" shot, the "Blue Laser" and the "Green Homing" missiles.<ref name="ZWJPacflyer"/><ref name="ZWSMDmanual"/><ref name="ZWPCECDROMm"/><ref name="ZWhg101"/><ref name="ZWss"/> Each weapon can be upgraded by picking up an item of the same color.<ref name="ZWJPacflyer"/> Other items can also be grabbed along the way such as speed increasers, [[1UP]]s and a bomb module capable of obliterating any enemy caught within its blast radius that can also be triggered after taking enemy hits.<ref name="ZWJPacflyer"/><ref name="ZWSMDmanual"/><ref name="ZWPCECDROMm"/><ref name="ZWhg101"/><ref name="ZWss"/>

Depending on the settings in the arcade version, the title uses either a [[Saved game#Checkpoints|checkpoint]] system in which a downed single player will start off at the beginning of the checkpoint they managed to reach before dying, or a [[respawn]] system where their ship immediately starts at the location where they died.<ref name="ZWhg101"/> Getting hit by enemy fire or colliding against solid stage obstacles will result in losing a life, as well as a penalty of decreasing the ship's firepower and speed to his original state and once all lives are lost, the [[Game over|game is over]] unless the players insert more credits into the arcade machine to [[Glossary of video game terms#Continue|continue]] playing. The game loops back to the first stage after completing the last stage as with previous titles from Toaplan, with each one increasing the difficulty and enemies fire denser bullet patterns as well as spawning extra bullets when destroyed.