California Speed lets you drive through California with various tracks based on the state's real maps, featuring short-cuts and branching roads for more choices. You can choose from different cars, including fast ones, F1 cars, and golf-carts, and personalise your car's paint job to suit your style. You can also play split-screen two-player racing.
The game follows a standard racing format where you aim to finish first or achieve the best time on each track. The game features different tracks with varying lengths and difficulties, requiring skill and speed to navigate.