15 Minutes to Self-Destruct is a co-operative game of escaping a spaceship that is about to explode. Preferably before it explodes. The problem is, the self destruction sequence has been set by the ship's AI running wild, and that same AI is still trying to stop the players from fleeing. To successfully flee, the players have to activate the escape pod by turning on 13 switches all over the ship. To reach the switches they have to unlock the doors that block the way between them.

The way all this happens is simple: on your turn you can either roll the dice to unlock doors on your half of the ship OR move your astronaut through doors that have previously been unlocked. You try to reach the switches to be able to turn them on. Sometimes you roll a dice combination that you cannot use. When that happens you have to draw a card that may lock unlocked doors, or deactivate activated switches. To win the game, all astronauts have to reach the escape pod in the center of the board before the time has run out, after all switches have been turned on.

The game is played using a free timer app downloaded to a smartphone. The timer also plays atmospheric sounds that remind the players of the urgency of the situation.