Road Rash II puts the player in control of a motorcycle racer who must finish in third place or higher among fourteen other racers; the player advances throughout the game's five levels by winning five races on each level.[1] The game's races take place in a number of settings across the United States, consisting of Hawaii, Arizona, Tennessee, Alaska, and Vermont.[2] During a race, the racer can brake, accelerate, and attack neighboring opponents. The racer will punch at the nearest opponent with a default input, while holding a directional button during the input will result in either a backhand or a kick. Some opponents wield weapons such as clubs and chains, which can be taken and used by the racer if the opponent is attacked as they are holding the weapon out to strike.[3][4] The racer can be ejected from their bike if they crash into an obstacle (such as boulders, cars, deer, and cows[1]) or if they run out of stamina (shown in the bottom-left corner of the screen) due to fights with opponents. In this event, the racer will automatically run back toward their bike, though the player can alter their course and avoid incoming traffic with the directional buttons, or stand still by holding the brake input button. Opponents will likewise be ejected from their bike if their own stamina is depleted. The stamina of the nearest opponent is visible within the bottom-right corner of the screen, and the color of both stamina meters change from green to red as they deplete.[4]
The racer begins the game with $1,000 and earns cash prizes for each successful race.[1][4] The player can access a shop from the game's main menu to view bikes of differing weights, speeds, and steering capabilities, and the player may purchase a new bike with the money they have accumulated.[5][6] Certain bikes are equipped with a series of nitrous oxide charges, which can provide a burst of speed if the player quickly taps the acceleration input button twice.[3][4] The player will receive a password at the end of a successful race, which can be entered at a password entry screen in a subsequent session to maintain the player's progress.[5] The player will advance to the next level after winning a race on all five of the game's tracks. With each subsequent level, the cash prizes become higher, the courses become longer, and the opponents become more aggressive. The player wins the game by winning a race on each track in all five levels.[1]