Dead Heat Scramble is a relatively simple racing game. The player chooses between three cars (dune buggy, sand rail or off-road truck) and races against the clock while dodging obstacles like other cars or blockades.
The ten courses, which have to be unlocked in a linear order, take place in a tube and are shown in a cross-sectional view from above. The player must navigate through each course, avoiding crashes and collecting power-ups along the way.