Shangrlia is a turn-based tactical game. The ten female commanders reside in the castle and can be approached in any order. Each of them transfers the player to a different location (alternating between urban, dungeon-like, and rural areas) where a tactical battle takes place. Every commander is responsible for a unit type in the army. These types include Lancers, Fighters, Swordsmen, Cannoneers, Horsemen, Archers, Mages, Ninjas, Dragon Riders, and Birds. Enemy forces possess the same unit types. Each type has advantages and disadvantages in terms of power, mobility, range, etc. The goal is to select and position units on the battle field, taking the conditions of the terrain, number of enemies, distance, etc. into consideration. Defending own castle and capturing that of the enemy is the top priority. The battles then proceed in a turn-based fashion. Some unit types can attack from a distance, while others are restricted to fighting on adjacent squares. Battles are displayed as animated sequences on a separate screen, their outcome calculated according to the unit's properties and parameters. After each round of victory, the female general removes an item of her clothing. The final result for each general is an erotic picture with partial nudity and implicit sexual scene, but no explicit images.