Cars 2 is a racing game based on the animated movie of the same name. The frame story is that Lightning McQueen and his friends are trained in C.H.R.O.M.E. missions, the races, in order to defeat Professor Zundapp.
The gameplay revolves around battle mode, where the player races against opponents and collects power-ups to perform offensive or defensive actions, as well as speed boosts. There are various variants of battle mode, including racing against the clock or elimination races. The cars are not freely controlled in this version, with the player able to only jump between lanes.
During the campaign, the player will unlock additional cars, each with its own control, power, and speed ratings. Before tackling a new mission, the car can be changed, taking into account the assigned difficulty level. The free play mode allows players to choose from all racing modes.