Malibu Beach Volleyball lets players compete in two on two beach volleyball matches. Players can choose to play as either the men or woman's team of four different countries which are the United States of America, Japan, Italy, and Brazil. Players can choose to play a match consisting of either one game or of a best of three.

The gameplay involves the typical set of rules for volleyball. Players try to score points by getting the ball to land on their opponents side of the court. Typical volleyball moves are also present such as bumping the ball and spiking. The match ends when a team's score reaches a set amount of points.

Options allow the player to turn the music on or off.