Out Run uses a customized control set within the arcade version:
- A steering wheel
- A gas and break pedal
- A gear shift.
The controls function similarly to a real car; the steering wheel turns the car left or right, and the two pedals will accelerate or slow down the car.
The gear shift switches between the two available speeds of the car. If set to low, your car will accelerate more quickly but has a lower top speed. The high gear has slower acceleration, but higher top speed.
The objective of Out Run is to complete the course within a time limit, while avoiding other cars and any objects off the side of the road. There is no fixed route that you need to take within the course; near the end of a section, the road will split in two directions, allowing you to choose which route you want to take.