Tobal No. 1 has various gameplay modes including a tournament mode, two player versus mode, practice mode, and the unique quest mode, all of which utilize the same fighting system. The game itself runs at up to a smooth 60 frames per second due to its lack of textured polygons and reduced details which gave the game a distinctive look in comparison to other fighting games at the time, such as Tekken 2. The game's controls are unique in that they allow full freedom of movement in the ring as long as the player faces the opponent. The player has the ability to dash and jump, and certain buttons execute high, medium, and low attacks for each character. Tobal No. 1 also has an intuitive grappling and blocking system, offering the player a variety of throws and counter moves.