Loosely based upon the Die Hard movies, Die Hard Arcade is an action game featuring two playable characters. The player's mission is to rescue the daughter of the President of the United States from terrorists who have taken over a high rise office building. The male and female characters can use an array of punch and kick attacks, as well as many weapons that can be picked up or taken from enemies. To complete each level, players must defeat a boss character that possesses far more strength and energy than common bad guys.

Between levels, players are tested with "running interludes." The characters run through a hallway or a garage (or various other places) without the player's control. The computer then instructs the player to punch, kick, or jump at a certain time. If the player fails to hit the correct button quickly enough, he/she will either have to fight an extra bad guy or get hit by a truck or other foreign object. To solve the game, players must defeat all terrorists and face the leader. Once the leader is beaten, the President's daughter is rescued. ~ Anthony Baize, All Game Guide