Master of Monsters is a turn-based strategy game in which you choose one of five different wizards and fight the other wizards for domination of the land that stands without a ruler after the master wizard's death. You can play in two campaigns against the computer which requires you to defeat the enemy wizards on all maps and allows you to take all units that have survived a battle into the next one. You can also play all maps individually with up two four human players. In battles, you can summon different monsters and cast spells. Which monsters you can summon and which spells you can use depends on which wizard you have chosen.

Gaya, king of the Dark World, summoned five of his loyal subjects a fierce warlock, a sorcerer with healing powers, an evil wizard, Nechromensa the master of chaos and confusion, and Samona, who possesses power over all good and evil subjects. Gaya looked over his five masters of magic and spoke: "The time has come to choose a new king, but only one of you will reign. You will use your magical powers to create fighting monsters and ultimately you will live or die. Whoever remains will conquer and inherit my kingdom. Though you may win or lose, each of you must fight to the end to be worthy of ruling my kingdom."

After Gaya spoke, he pointed to a door behind the five masters of magic. "On the other side of the door, I have created a world of the Master of Monsters," roared King Gaya. "Go and fight to your victory!"