Millipede is a 1- or 2-player game with a color raster-scan video display. The game action takes place on a playfield filled with mushrooms, flowers, and deadly DDT bombs. The player tries to destroy a variety of insects that drop from the top of the screen or enter from the sides of the screen, most of them to attack the player. The player controls a bow-shaped vehicle called the Archer. The object of the game is to shoot and destroy as many objects as possible for a high point score, before the player's lives are all used up. Player control consists of a Midi Trak-Ball control and a FIRE button. The Archer is moved by rotating the Midi Trak-Ball control. The Archer can be moved in all directions, but only within the bottom fifth of the screen. However, the Archer must move around mushrooms, flowers, and DDT bombs, since these are fixed and not 'transparent' objects. Pressing the FIRE button causes the Archer to emit an arrow that travels upward. The Archer may fire one or many arrows (by holding down the FIRE button constantly). But only one arrow will appear on the screen at a time.