Baja: Edge of Control is an off-road racing game based on the real-life Baja 1000 race series held in California. The tracks are set in a desert environment and there's over 1,000 miles of route to explore. In the main career mode, players start at the bottom class of off-road racing with a VW Beetle. By performing well in races, they earn prize money and experience points to buy better machines and unlock higher classes. To secure sponsorship money, their logos must still be on the car at the end of the race; too much damage will result in no payment. The vehicles can be tuned and modified to increase performance.
There are five different race modes: circuit (a standard race against opponents), rally (a point-to-point time-trial), hill climb (driving up a steep hill and back down), open class (where different categories of car race with a handicap system), and Baja (an endurance race lasting between 250-1,000 miles). The Baja mode races can last several hours.