Senjin Aleste

Senjin Aleste features a new gameplay system compared to previous titles, with the player having access to four different ships and being able to swap between them during gameplay, with each ship having its own unique weapons. Lives are tied to the ships, with each ship counting as one life, the game ending when all four ships are lost. Downed ships are revived over time, however, indicated by four meters at the bottom corresponding to each ship.

The game features four difficulty levels: Novice, Casual, Original and Expert, with each difficulty changing the amount of bullets fired by enemies and the respawn time for downed ships.