Shock Troopers pits the players against a mighty terrorist group who are holding a girl hostage, in order to force her grandfather to surrender a powerful drug which will enable the terrorists to control the minds of the grandfather's soldiers and create a huge, unstoppable army.

Shock Troopers is a multi-directional scrolling shoot-em-up for one or two players that builds upon the foundations laid by Capcom's 1985 classic, "Commando (Capcom)" and also borrows heavily from Commando's sequel, '"Mercs". As well as enemy troops, players must contend with tanks, choppers and assorted military vehicles, and must also be careful to avoid any of the landmines that litter the levels. Extra weapons and health can be picked up from destroyed enemy vehicles, as well as being found in enemy supply crates. Shock Troopers is effectively three games in one as players can chose one of three different routes; each made up of different levels. The game also offers greater variety of gameplay than other of the genre; with levels having the players travel on the back of fast moving vehicles, climbing a rock face etc.