Freaky Flyers is a cartoon-style racing game featuring aircraft instead of cars. Players control one of over a dozen exaggerated characters as they compete on a number of different tracks ranging from pirate towns and 1920s Chicago to haunted graveyards. Each course features a number of potential threats to interfere with the race, from snapping sharks that leap out of the ocean to gangsters trying to take out the aircraft with Tommy Guns. Each playable character has a distinct story line, represented by cinematic cut-scenes, with dialogue scripted by one of the writers of The Tick. While the primary goal for each level is a first-place finish, a number of different objectives must be completed on return flights to unlock the next area or to reveal bonus characters. Freaky Flyers also features an active soundtrack that changes according to the aircraft's location on the course.