Paperboy 2 puts you in the role of newspaper delivery boy or girl. As you ride your bicycle through the various neighborhoods, you must throw newspapers in paperboxes situated in front of subscribers' homes, thereby renewing the occupants' subscriptions. To gain additional points, you can hassle garbage men, break non-subscribers' windows, water sunbathers and rescue runaway baby strollers. Also, you can throw newspapers at various people working or relaxing in their yards.

While riding your bike, trying to maintain and even increase your subscription rate, you must dodge cars and trucks and keep an eye out for projectiles thrown by denizens of the neighborhood. Other obstacles include gargoyles, ghosts, sewer monsters, gutters and street curbs. Unlike the original Paperboy, this game lets you throw papers on both sides of the street.

The three levels of play in this game are called weeks. Each week consists of 20 different houses. In addition to houses, you'll pedal past gas stations, markets, carnivals, parks, a mall and a car dealership. At the end of each level, you can play a bonus training course, which involves throwing newspapers at targets.