Sam & Max: Season One is an episodic adventure game for the Nintendo Wii featuring the titular characters, a dog and a hyper-energetic rabbit, as they solve various crimes. Players navigate through diverse locations using their DeSoto Adventurer, engaging in action-packed driving sequences and solving puzzles without the risk of dying or hitting a dead end, adhering to the traditional LucasArts design philosophy.
The characters can travel between a variety of locations in the game using their black and white 1960 DeSoto Adventurer, which, when selected, will present the player with a list of available destinations. The DeSoto is also used for several driving sequences, usually involving pursuing or fleeing criminals in other vehicles. In these driving sequences, the player can use Sam's gun, the car's horn, or have Max attempt to communicate with other vehicles via a megaphone. In addition, special inventory items may be used to complete specific puzzles within these sequences. Driving sequences are also used for several minigames, such as pulling innocent drivers over for fabricated felonies.
In keeping with the developer's heritage from the LucasArts adventure games, Sam & Max Save the World is designed so that the player characters cannot die or reach a complete dead-end.