Mean Machine is a top view vertical scrolling racing game where the screen scrolls upwards when you move your vehicle as you try to finish a lap of a course to move to the next race. You can speed up and slow down your car as you try to overtake the other racers, being wary of ones driving behind you as you try to complete the lap within a time limit. Your vehicle is armed with limited amounts of missiles and oil slicks but more can be collected as you drive. You must stay on the track or road as touching the sides increases a damage meter but crashing fills it straight away and you lose one of three lives. As well as the other drivers there are obstacles like wreckages and water and these have to be jumped by ramps.