Summer Heat follows the basic rules of the sport of beach volleyball.

The objective is to land the ball on the ground within the play area of the other team's side.

Summer Heat is styled similarly to other arcade-style volleyball games of the era, where there is an emphasis on the sex appeal of the bikini-clad female characters as well as having the overall tone and atmosphere of a summer beach party.

Summer Heat's soundtrack features music from Pink, Sum 41, Kylie Minogue, Sprung Monkey, Freshmaka, and Suburban.

In 2006, Canadian game publisher Throwback Entertainment acquired the property rights for Summer Heat Beach Volleyball from Acclaim.