In Highway Patrol II, players assume the role of a police officer trying to capture runaway felons before they reach the county border. Players begin by choosing a target villain, with tougher ones earning a bigger bonus, and making it easier to achieve promotions. Gameplay is from the officer's viewpoint, looking through the windshield of his cruiser.

Players chase the criminals and must get them to pull over by using intimidation (siren) or force (shotgun). Players navigate to the criminal's whereabouts by use of the compass and map. Chasing the villain often means venturing off the road and driving through the desert. Traffic is the most obvious hazard in the game, contact with innocents cost promotion points. Other difficulties include: a flat tire, gangsters shooting back, running out of gas, or engine failure due to heat.