In Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency, players engage in real-time strategy battles, commanding vast armies and utilizing a variety of units and structures to outmaneuver opponents. The game emphasizes resource management and tactical planning, allowing for deep strategic gameplay.

The storyline of Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency continues the conflict between the Arm and the Core, two factions vying for dominance in a post-apocalyptic world. Players navigate through various missions that explore the ongoing war and its implications.

Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency stands out with its groundbreaking 3D graphics and large-scale battles, as well as its innovative use of terrain and unit line-of-sight mechanics, which enhance the strategic depth of gameplay.