Well, this game does have checkpoints, and usually that's a bad thing. But, this is an arcade simulation, so checkpoints are almost a must. Here is how the game goes: you start of with some money. You use that money to buy, paint, and upgrade cars. You can race people to win more money. You can enter tournaments to really up your cash on hand. Another cool feature they put in the game are the cops. If you get pulled over, you get a ticket (and lose ground). You have to pay the tickets out of your winnings. I thought that was a nice addition. The Dreamcast version plays identical to the PC and Playstation version, only running smoother and looking prettier.
There are many licensed cars to choose from (about 40) and many, many tracks, complete with obstacles, a great AI cop integration, and short cuts. The game speed is fast and smooth - not sluggish at all. It's smooth, and just down right fun. Many features are included such as high-speed jumps, bulldozing obstacles, and so on - all without damaging your car!