The arcade game contained parodies of actual brands that were sponsors in Formula One, which led to a lawsuit from Philip Morris over advertising of tobacco products.

Ports for 8-bit systems ranged from mixed to generally favorable depending on the platforms, with the conversions less well received for their difficulty and differences in gameplay.

[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.

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.

[16] The idea for Super Monaco GP's arcade version came from Hisao Oguchi, who was at the time a game planner with Sega.

When Oguchi decided to design a game based on Formula One, he started with a different name but chose Super Monaco GP after listening to opinions that the name was a good one.

[6] To make up for the lack of engagement the home game had in comparison to the arcade cabinet, Sega added more tracks and gameplay modes.

[3] It was also ported by Probe Software and published by U.S. Gold to computers,[6] including the Amiga,[16] Commodore 64,[15] Atari ST,[22] Amstrad CPC,[23] and ZX Spectrum.

[6] Although the initial release to distributors of the arcade version had been very popular, Super Monaco GP was the subject of a lawsuit by Philip Morris over its Marlboro brand of cigarettes being parodied in the game as "Marlbobo".

[25] However, the in-game appearances of "Marlbobo" had led to a complaint to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission by a professor from the Medical College of Georgia that Super Monaco GP was advertising cigarettes to children, the majority of players of arcade games.

[26] Philip Morris wanted a total recall of the game as well as financial compensation and all advertising material destroyed, but settled with Sega in May 1992.

[27] According to Sega Enterprises USA head Tom Petit, the arcade game was very successful, especially in Asian and European markets.

[19] In Japan, on Famicom Tsūshin's arcade earnings chart, it was second in August 1989, just below Namco's 3D polygon racing game Winning Run.

[9] Another reviewer, for Sinclair User, called Super Monaco GP "fast, loud, hugely colourful, and massively detailed".

[38][c] Julian Boardman of Raze gave it a positive review for its realism and ease of reading the screen layout, though noted that accidentally shifting gear while trying to steer was a distinct possibility with the controller.

[6] Super Monaco GP's ports to 8-bit Sega consoles were less well received, generally favorable for the Master System but mixed for the Game Gear.

[33] Writing for Computer and Video Games, Julian Rignall praised the Master System version's lasting value for fun, but noted the learning curve with the sensitivity of the steering.

[35] Retrospective, Thorpe was critical of the handling and speed of the gameplay in the Master System version, as well as the change to a third-person perspective.

[36] Thorpe stated that the ZX Spectrum version is "actually not too bad at all, even though it does feel rather sluggish", dampening the criticism of Shea, who was not pleased with the final result of his port.