like most nes action shooters, "iron tank" is divided into multiple levels, with bosses at the end of each. however, gameplay is continuous; there are no breaks between levels as the defeat of one boss directly leads to the start of the next level. one unique aspect that separates it from other action shooters is the ability of the player choose different paths to the final level by driving down the path of his choice. some paths have fewer but more difficult levels, resulting in a shorter game if the player can successfully negotiate them while others are the reverse. the paths break and converge at specific points in the game's progress, allowing the player to mix and match level paths as the game progresses.