Niagara is a wargame designed to be played on its own or as a vehicle for minitatures campaigns. Players maneuver on the strategic map using the front sides of the counters. When a battle is to be fought, a tactical map and the back side of the counters are used. As a miniatures game, units are moved on a map the same as above. Battles may be resolved using miniatures rules or, if the forces are too small, too unbalanced, or in some other way inappropriate, the battle can be resolved using the "quick combat" method included in the game. The game is set during the War of 1812, fought in Canada between United Kingdom and the United States of America.