The player is given a selection of characters to choose from, namely, Jazz, Spaz, and eventually (in the subsequent expansions) Lori.

For an example, Jazz can launch himself vertically higher than others, Spaz can double jump, and Lori can dash through enemies.

However, the player can encounter additional ammunition that can provide greater fire-power and range but with limiting ammo.

If enough coins are collected, the merchant will teleport the player to a secret location in the level that is usually filled with power-ups and other goodies.

There are five multiplayer game modes: Cooperative (where players work together in the game's single-player campaign), Battle (basically a deathmatch), Race (in which the first to complete all laps wins), Treasure Hunt (in which the first to collect 100 diamonds and find the exit wins the match), and Capture the Flag.

Jazz chases his nemesis Devan Shell through time, in order to retrieve the ring.

Jazz manages to defeat Devan, takes the ring and finally marries Eva.

It also adds an extra episode to the original Jazz Jackrabbit 2, called The Secret Files.

This Christmas edition is an enhanced version of Holiday Hare '98, featuring Lori as a playable character.

MacADDICT's reviewer John Lee praised the Mac version's fluent gameplay, but criticised it for not adding anything new to the genre, which he considered "old fashioned".

[17] Trevor Covert of MacNN described the gameplay as "addicting" and praised the graphics,[25] but Next Generation called the PC version "unimpressive".