Ironclad is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up. The player guides a combat machine through a sequence of horizontally moving stages, destroys enemies, avoids projectiles, and defeats a boss at the end of each stage.

Weapon pickups and power-ups improve offensive capability during a run. Progress depends on learning enemy entrances, managing screen position, and preserving enough firepower and lives to handle boss patterns. The supplied platform label does not identify a separate control scheme or additional game mode.

Stay near the center of the playfield until enemy formations reveal their movement, then shift position in small steps rather than making large panic movements.

Prioritize threats that create dense projectile patterns, collect useful power-ups without crossing unsafe areas, and study each boss before attempting aggressive damage. Because a lost life can reduce your offensive strength, survival is usually more valuable than chasing risky attacks.