 Midtown Madness features four single-player modes: Blitz, Circuit, Checkpoint, and Cruise. In Blitz, the player must reach three checkpoints and an end destination within a time limit. The Circuit mode curtains off most of the city to form race tracks and pits the player against other cars. The Checkpoint mode combines the features of Blitz and Circuit — it has the player race against other cars to a destination — but also adds the complication of other traffic, such as police cars and pedestrians. In the Cruise mode, the player can simply explore the city at their own pace. All of these modes except Cruise are divided into missions; completing one unlocks the next. Environmental conditions that traverse all modes include weather (normal, rain, clouds, and snow), time of day (sunrise, afternoon, sunset, and night), and the density of pedestrians, traffic, and police officers. The heads-up display includes, alongside information about the race, a detailed map, but this display can be turned off.
