The game is split up into two segments, vehicles and third-person Jedi fighting. The vehicle segments involve most vehicles from the Star Wars universe: STAPs, tanks, AATs, AT-XTs, and Republic gunships. The controls used involve primary and secondary fire, acceleration and a special ability that changes from vehicle to vehicle. The Jedi segments use basic lightsaber slashing and two force powers, which rely on a force power bar, lightsaber throw and force push.
Despite Star Wars: The Clone Wars' focus on vehicular combat, a critically acclaimed mode where players take control of jedi from an isometric perspective became the defining selling point for the game.