"Going for the One" received a mostly positive response from music critics who welcomed the band's return to more accessible music. It was a commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart for two weeks and No. 8 on the US "Billboard" 200. "Wonderous Stories" and "Going for the One" were released as singles; the former went to No. 7 in the UK and remains the band's highest charting single in the country. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) within a month for selling 500,000 copies. Yes supported the album with a six-month tour of North America and Europe. A remastered edition was released in 2003 containing previously unreleased tracks from the album's recording sessions.