Hoodlum Havoc is a 3D third-person platform game. Rayman, the main hero, jumps and punches his way through numerous colorful levels, with Globox (and Andre inside him) tagging along and occasionally commenting on the goings-on. Rayman's main weapon is his fist; he can use it to shoot projectiles at the attacking Hoodlums and other foes, and the projectiles are more powerful when the fist is charged by holding down the "shoot" button. The game is divided into several worlds, each divided into a couple of levels; the game is saved automatically after each level. In between the worlds, the player has to complete a mini-game where he has to surf along light-beams in a psychedelic environment.