North America, A.D. 2070. It's a new American frontier. The collapse of the U.S. government plunged the country back into the good old days – days of wilderness, lawlessness, and banditry. Modern-day knights and gunslingers are in demand to combat regional dictators, but the automobile has replaced the horse, and the machine gun and recoilless rifle have made the sword and Winchester obsolete. Autoduelling emerges as the popular sport, and the American Autoduel Association is formed.

Car Wars is a game of the freeways and arenas of the future, where the right of way goes to the biggest guns. Players customize their vehicles and outfit their crews and either dominate the road . . . or crash and burn!