Strike Fighters is a multi-faceted flight-simulation game that features one of the most versatile combat aircrafts of all time - the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, A4 Skyhawk, F104 Starfighter, F100 Super Saber amonst others. The core of the game is traditional combat flight-simulation - the player takes command of a thundering jet fighter and engages in aerial dogfight with enemy fighters while seeking and destroying ground targets.

The game is set in the 1960s - when aviation technology was still primitive, but advancing at a rapid pace. Some missiles and guided weapons are available later in the game, but true to history, they remain somewhat unreliable and inaccurate. Most air battles involve visceral, in-your-face gunfights, and the player's skill at outmaneuvering his opponents remains the key to victory and survival.