The game can be played as one of eight countries consisting of the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Israel, or China. For the first time in the series, the game map is rendered in 3D and can be rotated. There is a Missions mode, Campaign (PS2 only), Free Play, and Map Editor available to players.
Missions mode acts as the game's story mode, documenting a war between the Blue and Red armies. There are 25 missions in total, with unlockable maps and additional units becoming available as a completion bonus. The PlayStation exclusive campaign mode features numerous maps featuring real-life locations and scenarios. One such campaign, the "East Mediterranean War," has the player commanding Russian forces in an attempt to secure a Mediterranean base in Cyprus and aiding Syrian forces in Lebanon fighting the US and Israel. The campaign missions allow PS2 players to unlock units that were originally blocked behind passcodes on the Xbox.