Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return is a side-scrolling platformer in which the titular character, Tomba, moves on predetermined linear paths until he reaches an intersection point where a flashing arrow appears over his head. At that point, Tomba can move in any direction the arrow points. Some areas of the game can be explored in a top-down view, allowing Tomba to move around freely. The main goal of the game is to complete all 137 objectives (133 make the regular ones, while the other four are obtained from a Tomba 1 save file), which range from retrieving a fishing hook for a fisherman to helping Santa Claus find his "sack". Completing a task earns the player "Adventure Points", which can be used to unlock specific boxes scattered around the game's world. As the game progresses, Tomba can obtain suits that give him special abilities. For example, the flying squirrel suit allows Tomba to glide long distances, while the pig suit allows Tomba to communicate with friendly pigs. Scattered throughout the levels are magical feathers that can instantly transport Tomba to any area that has previously been visited.
