M.I.A. is a direct sequel to 1985's 'Green Beret' and, like it's predecessor, is a horizontally scrolling jump and shoot game for one or two players. Special forces soldiers must penetrate several enemy-packed combat zones to reach a POW compound.

Upon reaching the compound, the player must infiltrate and rescue the POWs held there, before escorting them safely through a final enemy-packed level to the rescue helicopter that awaits at the end.

Unlike 'Green Beret', the two-player game in M.I.A. sees both players fighting side-by-side, instead of the alternate approach of the original game.

The game consists of six stages;

* War-torn battlefield
* Airstrip
* Jungle
* Rail Yard
* PoW Base
* Escort the PoW's to the Helicopter

The first four stages are presented in random order and may also be "mirrored", so players battle right-to-left instead of left-to-right. This vastly increases variety to the game and adds replay value. The PoW and helicopter stages are always the last two stages. At the end of each level, the players must fight off a flurry of enemy troops and destroy gun emplacements and watch towers. Certain sections of each stage offer players a different route, with both platforms and underground tunnels that can be utilized and explored.

As with 'Green Beret', players start each level carrying only a combat knife. Specific enemy troops carry weapons which are dropped when the soldier is killed and can be picked up by the players. The weapons are always carried by soldiers wearing red uniforms, and range from an assault rifle, grenades, a flame-thrower or a bazooka. Players can carry more than one weapon and can cycle through them as needed. Each collected weapon has only a limited supply of shots.

After rescuing the PoW's on the sixth stage, players must escort as many of the escapees as possible to a waiting helicopter, and must get at least one PoW safely aboard the chopper to complete the mission and start a new set of stages.