Racing Monster Trucks is a drag racing game in which the player, against an AI, tries to win street races in 10 tournaments around the city. To win a race, the player must reach a black-and-white checkered finish line first. To win a trophy, they must win every race in a tournament region.
The player starts out with a base VW Beetle on monster truck tires and $0 coins. The game prompts them to race in one specific location. Whether they win or lose doesn't matter. They receive coins based on a variety of factors, including winning the race or at least reaching the finish line within a certain amount of time, completing ramp jumps successfully, and reaching an overall achievement.
In a garage, the player uses the coins to upgrade their current vehicle's paint job, tires, engine, drag, friction and boost. They can also add a racing flag. Over time, they can upgrade to different vehicles, including a monster van, wood-panel truck, muscle car, bus, sportscar, tank, and even a rocket ship!
Race Monster Trucks requires the player to start a race by revving the engine to make the arm on a tachometer rest above a highlighted green area on the dial until the race starts. The player then repeatedly selects the tachometer to increase speed. That said, they must also shift gears at high speeds, via a handle labeled with a green arrow, to prevent overheating and slowdown.
