The Sega Saturn received a near direct port of the arcade hit Sega Rally Championship. However, for the home conversion of Sega Rally's sequel on the Dreamcast Sega opted not only to deliver a direct port but to also beef the game up with new cars, options, and modes of play. Sega Rally Championship 2's modes of play include: Arcade, 10 Year Championship, Time Attack, and 2 Player Battle.

Arcade is split into two additional modes of play: Championship and Practice. Championship pits you against 15 computer-controlled opponents. The objective is to reach each checkpoint and finish every course before the time limit expires. Practice places you and one computer-controlled opponent on one of the four courses -- Desert, Mountain, Riviera, and Snowy -- you select. Again, checkpoints are placed throughout the course and must be reached before the time limit expires.

As the name suggests, 10 Year Championship is a competition that takes place over a ten year period. In this mode all of the tracks can be found: Desert, Mountain, Riviera, Snowy, Muddy, and Isle. While there are only six main courses, most of them divided into three sections resulting in a total of 16 courses plus a bonus course. Races will take place in various weather conditions as well as during different times of day. Winning first place at the end of any one of the ten years will give players access to another type of car. Time limits also exist in this mode of play.

Time Attack mode allows players to try and set the fastest times on each course over three laps. Cars that are aquired during the 10 Year Championship and those that have been customized can be used in Time Attack. Every track will feature clear weather conditions and players can choose to take free runs as well as make use of a ghost car.

In 2 Player Battle mode you and a friend go head-to-head on a horizontally split-screen. Races can be run over three or five laps in a variety of ways. Players can choose to run a regular race, timelag race, or a race with special car boost settings. In a timelag race the first player to reach a checkpoint sets a countdown in motion. If the second player does not reach the checkpoint before the timer reaches zero they lose. Car boost races allow the losing car to go faster than usual.

Options that can be altered include: speed displays (KM/H or MPH), camera viewpoint, difficulty (changes time limits), time compare, co-driver (select female or male voice), and Jump Pack vibration strength. Car settings that can be changed are: transmission, gear ratio, front suspension, rear suspension, steering response, brake response, and tire type. With the use of a VMU players can save replays and view records on the LCD screen.

Last but not least are the cars that are featured in Sega Rally Championship 2. All eight cars that appear in the arcade version can be found here: Lancia Stratos HF, Lancia Delta HF Integrale, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Peugeot 206 WRC, Peugeot 306 Maxi, Subaru Impreza WRC, Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205, and the Toyota Corolla WRC. Cars that are new to the Dreamcast version include: Fiat 131 Abarth Rally, Fiat Seicento Sporting, Lancia 037 Rally, Lancia Delta Integrale 16V, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III (ADVAN), Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV, Peugeot 205 Turbo16, Alpine Renault A110, Renault Maxi Megane, Subaru Impreza 555, Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185, and the Toyota Corolla WRC (TEIN).

Sega Rally Championship 2 (Sega Dreamcast, 1999)