"Bangai-O" was praised for its retro gameplay and aesthetics. Kitts and the staff at "GameFan" wrote that it looked and played like a Super NES game and pointed out how some effects were reminiscent of the 16-bit system's Mode 7 rotation effects. "GameFan" explained further that it looked like a Super NES game with less slowdown, a higher resolution, and more color. Rick Mears ("GameFan") wrote that it felt like "" (1982) with its unique control style, and called it an "old school 2D treat". Although the game was not in 3D like most other games at the time, critics felt the 2D graphics were satisfactory enough. Gantayat pointed out the scatter bomb attack that fills the screen with bullets "a momentous occasion...one of the main parts of the "Bangai-O" experience". Mears praised the game for not slowing down when rendering scenes like this.