Robowarrior takes place on an alien planet called Altile. The player operates a cyborg named ZED (Z-type Earth Defence). In the game, ZED raids Altile to fight the Xantho empire and destroy its leader, Xur. ZED deploys bombs to clear a path through rocks, walls, and forests, while killing enemies and collecting items.

Robowarrior comprises five level formats. In one, the player must obtain a key before the time limit expires. In another, the key is unavailable until the player acquires a crystal or chalice. Some levels are cast in darkness, rendering obstructions invisible unless the player has a lit lamp. Still other levels are mazes in which a player must find and blast-through weak points in walls to proceed. Periodically, a player engages a boss level.