[2] Players assume control of Kara Hassan, a participant in a deadly sport named "Rollerdrome" in which contestants must perform roller-skating tricks while fighting against enemies using firearms.

As players complete levels, they will gradually unlock more powerful weapons such as grenade launchers and shotguns, though they will have to face more challenging enemies as the game progresses.

They ultimately decided that Rollerdrome would primarily be a shooter game, though the skating mechanics will heavily complement with gunplay.

[11] According to lead producer Drew Jones, the game was "a wealth of fantastic inspiration from the 1970s", citing Rollerball and The Running Man as examples.

[18] The Guardian praised the flow state that players could achieve with combos, but criticized the high difficulty spikes as "downright brutal".

[24] Game Informer liked how tricks were needed to reload, causing the player to rely on trying to "dazzle the crowd or down an adversary".