1988 年，Sega 推出《太空哈利 2》（Space Harrier II），作為1985年原作《太空哈利》的續作，同時也是Mega Drive在日本的發行首發遊戲之一，並在隔年成為美國Sega Genesis的六款首發遊戲之一。多年後，《太空哈利 2》也陸續登上Wii Virtual Console（2006年12月）以及Nintendo Classics（2022年4月），並在2022年以強化圖形版本收錄於《Sega Genesis Mini 2》中。延續原作的高速衝刺感與奇幻風格，並加入數位化語音效果及早期Mega Drive音效表現，音樂由 Tokuhiko Uwabo（Bo）製作。

故事上，太空戰士哈利（Harrier）再次接到求助訊號，這次來自遙遠的第214區。他透過「宇宙之門」迅速抵達當地，發現幻想之地再次被敵軍佔領。哈利決心單槍匹馬擊退所有敵人，拯救這片世界。

操作以軌道射擊為核心，操控超能力戰士哈利在棋盤式地面上奔跑與飛行，畫面呈現永遠延伸的遠景。按下手柄任意按鍵發射哈利肩上的大型雷射砲，一次可連發四枚，或在選單中啟動自動連發功能。前進過程中，敵人會從遠處或背後襲來，攻擊方式包括射擊或撞擊。同時需躲避道路上的大型障礙物，如可破壞的樹木或無法摧毀的離子柱。若碰到敵人或障礙物，將失去一條生命，積分達到一定數量可獲得額外生命。小型障礙物如草叢只會讓哈利絆倒，暴露於敵人攻擊中約兩秒。失去全部生命則遊戲結束。

共有13 個關卡，每關都有專屬終極頭目。關卡中會呈現不同的地形與速度，有些中途甚至出現中型頭目。可以選擇任意關卡開始，但必須完成前12關後才能進入最終章。在最終章中，需再次面對所有主頭目，最終挑戰「黑暗哈利」以完成遊戲。

敵人會成群出現，並以事先設計的三維路徑移動。波次通常成對出現，一組從左方遠景或前景進入，另一組則從右方出現。由於Mega Drive無法動態縮放精靈圖，敵人、背景及影子皆以不同尺寸的預渲染圖呈現，確保畫面保持遠近感。大型敵人及障礙物的高速縮放效果，尤其是在當時，是極具視覺衝擊力的技術展示。

操作系統採用單根類比搖桿，配有扳機，手柄本身的按鍵功能相同。透過扳機或按鍵發射雷射砲，射擊為全自動。遊戲中還隱藏「鎖定瞄準」功能：當正對空中敵人時會有提示音，隨後射擊可自動追蹤目標。搖桿操作與飛機操縱桿相似：拉向身體哈利上升，推向前方則下降，左右則控制水平移動。接觸敵彈、敵人或障礙物會失去生命，死亡後可於原地復活，遊戲結束後仍可繼續。

美術風格上，呈現32,000色的鮮豔畫面，大型敵人如龍等角色高速縮放的表現令人震撼。各關卡的景觀與敵人排列充滿變化，提供強烈的速度感與視覺張力。BGM 由川口博史創作，主題曲明快動聽，兼具八零年代中期Sega標誌性的音樂風格，其中兩首Boss曲「IDA」與「VALDA」則由鈴木裕負責。

市場反應方面，因流暢的操作、爽快射擊與高速感深受玩家喜愛，難度適中，既適合輕度玩家，也能吸引追求視覺刺激的觀眾。大型敵人的動態縮放與華麗畫面成為其最大賣點，BGM也獲得高度評價。然而，由於難度並不特別高，對於追求深度挑戰的玩家而言略顯單調，部分遊戲設定甚至可在開局60秒內失誤不扣生命，使高分玩家可無限延長遊玩。

總體而言，《太空哈利 2》是結合高速軌道射擊、視覺奇觀與爽快操作的經典Mega Drive遊戲。其鮮明的圖像風格、緊湊節奏與明快音樂，使其成為Sega代表作之一，至今仍被玩家視為早期橫向射擊與科幻奇幻題材的經典之作。

In 1988, Sega released Space Harrier II, the sequel to the 1985 original Space Harrier. The game was one of the launch titles for the Mega Drive in Japan and later became one of the six launch titles for the Sega Genesis in the United States the following year. Over time, Space Harrier II was also made available on the Wii Virtual Console in December 2006 and on the Nintendo Classics service in April 2022. A graphically enhanced version was released as part of the Sega Genesis Mini 2 in October 2022. The game retained the original's sense of high-speed action and fantasy setting while incorporating digitized voice effects and early Mega Drive audio, with music composed by Tokuhiko Uwabo (credited as “Bo”).

The story follows the superhuman hero Harrier, who receives a distress call from the distant 214th sector, light-years away from his cruiser. Using his “cosmic gate,” Harrier quickly arrives to find Fantasy Land once again under attack by hostile forces. Determined to save the world, he takes on the enemy army single-handedly.

Gameplay centers on rail shooting, with Harrier running and flying across a checkerboard-style ground that stretches endlessly into the background. Players can press any controller button to fire Harrier’s large shoulder-mounted laser cannon, shooting four projectiles at a time, or activate an auto-fire option in the menu. Enemies approach from both the distance and behind, attacking by shooting projectiles or attempting to crash into Harrier. Players must also avoid large obstacles in their path—some destructible, such as trees, and others indestructible, such as ionic columns. Colliding with an enemy or obstacle costs a life, while extra lives are earned by reaching certain point thresholds. Smaller objects, like foliage, will trip Harrier, leaving him vulnerable for two seconds. Losing all lives ends the game.

Space Harrier II features 13 stages, each with a unique boss. Stages vary in terrain and speed, with some including mid-level bosses that are easier to defeat. Players can choose any stage to start, but all twelve regular stages must be completed to unlock the Final Chapter, where the player must face all previous bosses again before confronting the Dark Harrier to finish the game.

Enemies appear in uniform formations, often moving along predesigned pseudo-3D paths. Waves of enemies frequently come in pairs: one from the left and a matching group from the right. Because the Mega Drive cannot scale sprites dynamically, enemy, landscape, and shadow sprites are pre-rendered at different sizes to maintain depth perception. The game’s large characters and high-speed scaling effects were technically impressive for the time.

Controls use a single analog stick with a trigger, while the console buttons perform the same functions. Players fire the laser cannon via trigger or button; shooting is automatic, and a hidden “lock-on” feature allows shots to home in on airborne enemies when timed correctly. Moving the stick up makes Harrier rise, down makes him descend, and left or right controls horizontal movement—similar to an aircraft control stick. Colliding with enemies, bullets, or obstacles costs a life, but players respawn on the spot, and continues are available after game over.

Graphically, the game displays 32,000 colors with large enemies like dragons scaling at high speed, creating a striking visual impact. Each stage is filled with dynamic landscapes and enemy arrangements, enhancing both speed and tension. The soundtrack, composed by Tokuhiko Uwabo and supplemented by Hiroshi Kawaguchi, features catchy, upbeat music emblematic of mid-1980s Sega, with two boss tracks, “IDA” and “VALDA,” composed by Yu Suzuki.

Reception was generally positive. Players praised the fast-paced gameplay, smooth controls, and sense of speed, along with the impressive scaling of large enemies and vivid visuals. The music was also widely appreciated. The game’s moderate difficulty made it accessible to casual players while still entertaining spectators. However, some players seeking a more challenging experience found it relatively easy, with certain settings allowing mistakes during the first 60 seconds without losing lives, potentially enabling extended play sessions.

Overall, Space Harrier II is a classic Mega Drive title that combines high-speed rail shooting, visually striking graphics, and responsive gameplay. Its unique aesthetic, intense pacing, and energetic soundtrack have cemented its place as a hallmark of early horizontal shooters and fantasy-themed action games, remaining a memorable part of Sega’s legacy.