The gameplay is similar to the previous game. Vectorman has a different set of weapons, including a pulse beam, energy shot, and supershot guns. Vectorman can also now transform into insect forms such as a fire ant, a rhino, and "shield bug" that repels attacks. Unlike the original Vectorman, the full-level transformations featured in this game are not used to combat bosses as that is left to the human-form Vectorman. There are 22 levels divided into seven parts in all. Before Vectorman 2 was released, Sega Channel held a contest that allowed artists to draw a morph Vectorman. Judges then chose the best one to be transformed in Genesis art, as well as being put on the Sega Channel. Ten runner-up submitters won a copy of Vectorman 2.