Reviews for the Dreamcast version carried the same sentiments as the Nintendo 64 version in regards to the frantic and unique gameplay. Gantayat ("IGN") and staff at "GameFan" preferred this new version because of the updated graphics, new CD-quality soundtrack, and more streamlined gameplay. With this release, journalists were more critical of the graphics and audio, commenting more heavily on the game's appeal primarily as a nostalgic shooter. The staff at "Computer and Video Games" wrote that it was a fun in a nostalgic way, but will not hold a player's attention for very long. A critic at "GameSpy" wrote that the graphics were bland and lacked polish, and the focus was on the gameplay. They argued that "Bangai-O" is a game designed for "hardcore" gamers and commented: "Are games coming out today missing something from the glory days of twitch gameplay...Or am I just too jaded by the 3-D graphics, complex mission objectives, and controls of most modern games". In a brief but critical review, "Dreamcast Magazine" (UK) argued that it was a nearly direct port of the Nintendo 64 version, and called it "unimaginative".