Red Hawk uses a top-down vertical-scrolling perspective. The objective is to survive successive stages by shooting airborne and ground-based enemies, avoiding their fire, and defeating stage bosses.

The aircraft moves freely within the play area while the screen scrolls upward. Weapon power-ups improve offensive capability, and losing a life reduces the player's progress in the current attempt. The game is structured around repeated arcade runs rather than a persistent campaign or character-driven story.

Keep the aircraft moving in controlled patterns instead of making constant sharp turns. Watching enemy entry points and preserving room to dodge is generally safer than staying directly beneath targets.

Collect weapon upgrades when the route is clear, but do not cross dense projectile patterns solely to reach a power-up. Learn boss attack cycles and prioritize survival over maximum firepower when the screen becomes crowded.