Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Hot Scramble is the second game based on the Mobile Suit Z Gundam anime, and the first for home consoles. Numerous units from both the TITANS and Neo-Zeon forces appear as opponents, and the player takes control of the iconic Zeta Gundam.

Each stage in the game is a sequence of three parts. First the player starts in a 1-person flying segment on land where they can shoot aerial and land-based targets for points. How many times the Waverider's laser can be fired is limited by a recharging energy bar. For the second phase the Waverider will launch into space, but gameplay is functionally similar to the land phase. For the third phase the Gundam infiltrates a space station or battleship, and gameplay shifts to a side view similar to the previous Z Gundam game. Here the player can freely shift between Waverider and MS modes, both of which can fire its laser at enemy mobile suits, as they navigate a maze to locate and destroy the core.