The game features snowmobiles (referred to as sleds), stunts and fourteen snow-covered courses consisting of slippery slopes, inclement weather and treacherous cliffs.

The player selects from a pool of characters, each with a unique sled rated in five areas: top speed, acceleration, handling, stability and tricks.

After selecting a character, the player can set the number of laps (from two to nine), time of the race (day or night), and even the weather conditions (clear, snow or rain).

In addition, the included soundtrack features songs from the likes of Rob Zombie, Econoline Crush, Überzone, E-Z Rollers and Dom & Roland.

The extreme racing element of Sled Storm derived from an earlier Electronic Arts game called Road Rash.

Both titles rely on fast-paced racing with a number of hazards placed in the player's path and include the ability to ram opponents off the track.

"[16][d] Chris Charla of NextGen said of the game, "An amazing physics engine combined with the novelty of snowmobiles makes this the most unique PlayStation racer since Jet Moto 1.

"[9] Nelson Taruc of GameSpot praised the general aspects of the game, saying that "the speed, control, and graphics seem to strike an excellent rapport with the gameplay design.

He also praised the audio, saying, "Their musical offerings blend in well with the game's intense racing mentality, while the sound effects and racer trash-talk seem adequate enough."

He also added that "From the slick, easy-to-access interface, to the muscular upgrade system, to the deep, well-designed courses, Sled Storm is addictive and fun.

The game is also arguably the reason that EA Sports BIG was introduced in the year 2000 as several other titles were created around the design and gameplay of the original Sled Storm.