Rayman's world is in danger thanks to his friend Globox. Globox has eaten Andre, the Lord of the Dark Lums, which has enraged the Hoodlums and they're planning to take back their master at any cost. Rayman must save the day and find a cure for Globox.
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is a 3D third-person platform game where Rayman jumps and punches his way through colorful levels, with Globox tagging along and occasionally commenting on the goings-on. The main weapon is Rayman's fist, which can be charged to shoot powerful projectiles.
The game is divided into several worlds, each with a couple of levels. After completing each level, the game saves automatically. Between the worlds, players must complete a mini-game where they surf along light-beams in a psychedelic environment.
Rayman can collect power-ups that give him special abilities, such as shooting tornadoes or flying for a short time. These power-ups are necessary to defeat enemies or bosses or progress through the level. Freeing Teensies locked in cages also provides benefits, such as opening up new areas or summoning bonuses.
Completing levels with high scores unlocks humorous animations and mini-games, and players can also find hidden bonuses throughout the levels.
The Game Boy Advance version links to the Gamecube through a link port, allowing exclusive mini-games and downloadable levels. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions are straight ports of the original game with improved textures and framerate, and add nine short mini-games.