Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

HAL 21 earns its keep in the first few minutes because it asks you to watch two layers of danger at once. Flying enemies need direct fire, while ground targets need bombs, so simply pointing upward and holding the attack is not enough. The scrolling screen keeps pulling you forward, and the fun comes from quickly deciding what deserves your attention before it disappears or shoots back.

The resemblance to Xevious is useful shorthand, but HAL 21 has enough of its own arcade pacing to stand on that foundation. Energy icons temporarily raise your ship’s firepower, creating welcome bursts of confidence when the action starts crowding in. You want to capitalize on that stronger weapon while it lasts, particularly as more powerful boss enemies arrive at set points in a stage.

That same simplicity is where frustration can settle in. This is a compact, score-chasing arcade shooter rather than a game built around constant mechanical surprises, and repeated play means repeatedly sharpening the same targeting priorities. If you enjoy learning how to divide your attention between air and ground under pressure, that focus feels clean. If you need lots of variety or progression beyond temporary power increases, HAL 21 can start to feel bare.

Graphics

The view stays above the action as the battlefield scrolls upward, keeping your ship, airborne enemies, and bombable ground targets in the same frame. It is a functional 2D arcade layout: the important visual distinction is whether a threat is in the air or on the ground, because that determines which weapon you need.

Story

HAL 21 uses a sci-fi shooter frame, but its real communication happens through the action: a ship advances through hostile territory, clearing enemies and targets as the screen rolls onward.

There is no story-driven hook competing with the shooting. Boss appearances serve as the closest thing to dramatic punctuation, turning a stretch of routine enemy management into a tougher confrontation.

That stripped-down approach suits the arcade format. You are here to chase survival, improve your run, and see how long you can maintain control when the screen gets demanding, not to follow a narrative.

Overall Experience

HAL 21 is a solid choice when you want an old arcade shooter with a little more to think about than straightforward aim-and-fire. Juggling air shots and ground bombs gives it a durable tactical wrinkle, while the energy pickups and bosses provide enough peaks to stop the scrolling from becoming monotonous too quickly.

The PS Mini version has one meaningful compromise: it does not include the arcade version’s two-player mode. Since cooperative play was HAL 21’s major improvement on the Xevious template, its absence narrows this release to a solo experience and removes a good reason to revisit it with a friend.

For solo arcade-shooter fans, though, the core still holds up as a direct, demanding little game. Go in ready to replay stages and improve your target selection rather than expecting a deep campaign. The payoff is a crisp score-attack challenge whose best moments come when you are bombing ground targets, picking off flyers, and surviving a boss encounter without losing your rhythm.

Retro Replay Score

6.2/10