"Metal Black" is a scrolling shooter game where players assume the role of rogue pilot John Ford taking control of the CF-345 Black Fly space fighter craft across six increasingly difficult rounds to combat against the Nemesis alien race and save humanity. The gameplay is unique in that there are no alternative weapons or bombs; the only power-up players grab through rounds are the Newalone molecules scattered by Nemesis. Colleting it increases the ship's beam level, serving as the only defense mechanism. The more Newalone molecules players collect, the stronger the ship's firepower becomes.