Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf is a top-down, helicopter-based shoot 'em up game for the Sega Genesis. Released in 1992 by Electronic Arts, players pilot an Apache helicopter to complete various missions in a fictional Gulf War-inspired conflict. The gameplay involves a blend of action and strategy as players must manage fuel, ammunition, and armor while engaging enemy targets. Its mission structure, which includes rescuing POWs, destroying enemy installations, and capturing enemy leaders, brings a unique tactical depth to the shoot 'em up genre of the early '90s.