The roar of a sixteen-valve engine, a corner you have to hit to the millimeter, and rivals who won't give you a second's rest - Super Monaco GP brings Formula 1 to the screen with a speed that was breathtaking for its time. This is no leisurely cruise but a full-blooded racing experience that pins you into your seat from the starting light.
In gameplay terms it is a classic racing title from a behind-the-car view, where the ideal line, braking before the corner and sensitive throttle work make the difference. The game requires you to learn the track, overtake at the right moment and watch your position in the pack of rivals. The console versions added, compared to the arcade, a longer career dimension too, where you race not just for a single trophy but for progress through an entire season.
Super Monaco GP was created at SEGA and built on the rich tradition of its arcade racing machines. In the eighties SEGA was among the elite in the genre of fast, flashy racing, and this title was its entry into the world of Formula 1. From the arcade version the game gradually made its way to home consoles too, including the eight-bit Master System.
The Master System version had to manage conveying the sense of speed on hardware far weaker than what the original arcade machine offered. Even so it managed to maintain tension and a brisk pace, thanks to which it ranked among the respected racing titles in its console library. For Master System owners it was one way to sample the atmosphere of the queen of motorsport right in the living room.
Culturally, Super Monaco GP confirmed that SEGA understood racing like few others and reinforced its reputation as a brand associated with speed and arcade action. For many players it was one of the first encounters with digital Formula 1 at a time when licensed simulators were not yet a matter of course.
Why play: For the adrenaline of arcade Formula 1 and a sense of speed that SEGA could conjure up even on eight-bit hardware.
Game 35 of 67 for SEGA Master System
