The majority of them praised the composition, production, and Hamasaki's vocal performance, whilst others also highlighted the track as one of the best entries on Colours.

[4] "Merry-Go-Round" was one of the only tracks on Hamasaki's fifteenth studio album Colours to have been recorded in Japanese language, containing minor phrases in English.

[9] To promote the single's release date on Christmas Day and during Hamasaki's Countdown live tour for New Year's Day in 2014, Avex Trax distributed three music cards featuring the same content; the first was a promotional shot from the single's photoshoot, whilst the latter two celebrated Christmas and New Years with her signature AyuPan character design.

A staff member of Japanese music magazine CD Journal complimented M-Flo's contribution towards the single, and praised the overall production of the track.

[13] Dato from KKbox.com was generally positive towards the composition by Tetsuya Komuro, but criticized the generic and "brainwashing" production for portraying an electronic sound.

[14] Similarly, a member from Mojim.com praised the "charming" and "dance floor"-inspired production and commended its overall composition; the review also complimented Verbal's vocal performance.

It became her first single to miss the top spot since her recording "Daybreak" twelve years earlier, and one of her lowest first-week sales in her career.

Hamasaki begins singing the song on top of a skyscraper, whilst several intercut scenes of people walking around Los Angeles during a time lapse are shown.

[21] For Yokoyama's video, only shots featuring Verbal were only filmed, alongside scenes of him walking through a city in Japan, and residing in a neon-lit club.