In the arcade version of Super Monaco GP, the game is a simulation of the Monaco Grand Prix,[5] although the actual Circuit de Monaco is replaced by a fictional track that includes many features of the actual circuit.[6] Players must qualify for the race around a short circuit before playing the main race;[5] failing to complete the lap before the 45-second timer ends results in a Game Over.[7][8] Performance on the practice lap will determine the player's starting grid position.[6][7] The race is then played against 19 computer controlled drivers, and players have to maintain above a position limit which counts down, or else the game ends.[9] Completing the race in third place or better allows the player to race again in wet conditions.[6]
Each race consists of three laps on the main track. Before a race begins, the player has selection of the car's transmission, among an automatic, 4-speed manual, and 7-speed manual.[6][7] Players control their car with a steering wheel and shift with plates mounted behind the wheel,[8] in a similar system to cars made by Ferrari. Acceleration and braking are handled by pedals.[9] The top 20% of the game screen serves like a rear-view mirror, allowing players to see behind their car.[8]
In the arcades, up to eight cabinets are able to be linked via Sega's "Power Link" cable.[3][4] In addition to the arcade mode, the Sega Genesis version adds a World Championship mode to the gameplay. In the mode, players race against computer-controlled opponents across racetracks including Brands Hatch and Hockenheimring,[10] encompassing all of the tracks of the 1989 Formula One World Championship.[6][11] The goal of the game is to win the World Championship against other drivers. During the course of a season, players are able to be invited to join a better racing team, giving them a faster car to race.[12] A password system is used to save progress in the World Championship mode, which takes approximately two hours to complete.[13] The Sega CD version is mostly identical to the Genesis version with minor improvements to the game's sound effects.[6]
Unlike the Genesis port, the Master System version is not a true conversion of the original arcade game. The game includes a Grand Prix mode, which allows the player to race on a series of tracks, as well as a versus mode where two players can compete in a race between one and nine laps. The transmission selection is also different, allowing selections between 3, 5, and 7 speeds.[14] The Amiga and Commodore 64 ports each offer four tracks for play with arcade mode,[15] and the Amiga release offers the option of steering with either a joystick or a mouse.[16]