Daze Before Christmas is an action-adventure game that puts you in the role of Santa Claus. The story begins on Christmas Eve when the evil snowman spooks all the elves away and steals Santa's plans from his house. With this, the Timekeeper has set a catastrophic path to ruin Christmas. The clock is ticking, and it's up to you as Santa to stop The Evil Snowman, The Timekeeper, and Louse the Mouse. Along your journey, explore 24 areas filled with nasty enemies like penguins, jack-in-the-boxes, helicopters, snowmen, and more. Each area has its unique challenges.
As you navigate through each area, be careful not to lose any of your five Santa hats. One hat lost means one life is gone. Collect presents wisely, as some may contain mini-Santas (extra lives), red hats, or release elves. Some presents might also bring bombs or enemies.
Conquer your enemies by throwing magic at them. In most areas, Santa can collect a cup of hot cocoa, transforming him into Anti-Santa for 20 seconds. As Anti-Santa, he becomes invincible and wields a hammer to take down foes.
Daze Before Christmas combines elements of platform games with exploration and combat. Some levels feature Santa flying through the sky in various countries, dropping presents to score points. The game also features a password-saving system, allowing players to restart from specific areas if needed.