Superman is played throughout the city of Metropolis*. You begin every chapter as Clark Kent inside the Daily Planet building, which is located to the left of McKeesport, in the center of the map. You have three means of getting around Metropolis: walking, flying, and taking the subway. Walking is the default method, and requires no special power or item. Flying is a power of Superman's that has limited range and use. The shorter Superman's Super Flight meter is, the shorter distance he can fly. Superman may only fly to those locations which are lit in orange on the map. Press 
to toggle which location is selected, and press 
to initiate flying there, or press 
to cancel the flight. In order to use the subway, you must have a pass, which you do not get until the beginning of Chapter 2. Once you have it, you will be allowed to use the subway entrances to reach new locations. Subways connect streets via the thin railroad tracks visible on the map. Certain locations like Lafayette and Old City are not reachable by subway, but you may be able to find an underground passage that will allow you to resurface in those areas.
* It should be noted that the Japanese version of the game uses Manhattan as the actual setting of the game, using different labels on the map that reflect actual locations and landmarks from New York City.
In order to complete the game, you must save Metropolis from five threats, each of which attack over the course of five chapters. You may not skip any of the chapters; they must be completed in order. As you progress through the game, Superman's strength, defense, and health increase, but so do the threats that he must face and the distance he must travel to complete his missions. As you travel through Metropolis, make a note of the location of various buildings that you pass by reading the placards on the side of the buildings. While they may not be essential to your current task, you may be asked to visit those locations later in the game. Knowing where certain buildings are can greatly reduce the time it takes to complete the game by cutting down on how much searching you must do.