The race proceeds in a straight line without any 360° effects to simulate turning around and going in different direction. Most of the turns are on a 30° angle; forcing the player to turn sharply to the left and to the right. At the end of the game, there is a message that says "Those who have tasted the waters of Africa will always long to be here" along with some synthesized beats. This message will play right after the "game over" screen no matter if the player wins or loses the game. The object of the game is to travel from the cosmopolitan landscape of Tripoli, Libya to the swamp regions of West Africa in a rally race. Hitting various components of the environment in addition to the other rally vehicles will cause the player's vehicle to take damage. Taking too much damage will result in trouble for any or all of the vehicle's components. There are many navigators that know every crook and cranny of Africa. In addition to this, there are many corporate sponsors, auto mechanics, and automobile parts to choose from as the player goes for more than through tricky terrain. Deserts, jungles, and even darkness can astonish and even distract an unwary player. The object is to finish each leg of the rally before time runs out. Navigators help to serve a purpose by directing players safely past areas of darkness in the race. Engine parts must be replaced approximately by a head mechanic and his/her support mechanic. Racing equipment must be packed up in the vehicle; creating extra weight that slows down the vehicle's top speed rating. The goal is to have as many replacement parts as possible while keeping the vehicle as light as possible. Doing this all will be a challenge for even the best video game rally racing drivers in the world. Emergencies do not cost money to use but will cause the player to lose time on the clock while waiting for the repairtruck to appear. Having no parts will eventually cause the vehicle to stall on the rally; eating up precious time until it finally runs out.
Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed Big Run on their November 15, 1989 issue as being the second most-successful upright arcade game of the year.
