From Williams/Midway/Sente. One or two players wield guns and play "converted" T-800s who shoot through a variety of scenes from the movie--fight with the humans against the Terminators, raid Skynet's time-travelling complex, shoot the cops while the Connors blow up Cyberdyne, freeze the T-1000, and blow it away. Challenging, with lovely graphics and sound (when you drop in a coin, Arnold says, "Excellent!").

This game is emulated by MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator), which has ports for DOS, Windows, Mac, Unix, OS/2, Amiga, BeOS, and more.

For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (arcade game) entry.

From MTM 'Matt the Mentat' Walsh <mtmr@walsh.dme.battelle.org>:

I worked at Williams/Bally/Midway - the official licensee of T2 - when the games were being developed.

 

T2 Pinball Trivia:

Note that the T-1000 only appears in one corner of the game's playfield artwork, and he appears as the normal, Mr. Patrick mode. This is not because Williams didn't know the script (we got to read it) it was because the game was supposed to come out before the movie and they insisted we did not give away the surprise that Arnold was the good Terminator and there was a liquid guy who was the bad one.

 

There is a special game ROM chip for the pinball. If you put it in, an interesting thing happens if you have the game set for free play. If you get into the Database mode, the game lists 10 'Possible Choices' of things you receive, from 'Extra Ball' to '10,000 pts' to 'ZILCH'. This is supposed to be just like the scene in T1 where Arnold picks from 'possible responses' in the hotel. If you have the special chip, instead of 'Zilch' the game has 'F*** You A** Hole' and if chosen the words get big on the screen and Arnold says the phrase out loud. Only a handful of collectors got these chips and have sworn to never release these to general game operators.

For more information, see the Internet Pinball Database, and Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (pinball) entry.

From SternPinball.com's Terminator pinball page:

"The TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES pinball offers non-stop action features, including a Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher in the backglass. This interactive mechanism fires balls into targets for high score and progressive game play. An interactive backglass mechanism has not been featured in a pinball machine for many years, and Steve has responded to operator and player requests to have one.

 

Also featured in TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES are:

• Stainless steel ramps throughout the game that insure long life and smooth play;
• Over 450 different speech calls, including original speech by Arnold Schwarzenegger;
• A Power-Cannon that launches balls into stainless shooter tube activated by gun grip or optional button;
• T-X plasma cannon that fires balls at the player but never down the drain;
• Chrome-plated wire form tubes that deliver balls throughout playfield;
• ‘Red’ feature that offers a new kind of pinball excitement;
• Kickback and ball-save feature that makes TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES a friendly yet challenging adversary;
• New lane changing feature that creates more player-input possibilities."

For more information, see the Internet Pinball Database, and Wikipedia's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (pinball) entry.

In 2004, IGT Systems produced The Terminator-themed Pachisuro slot machine. These machines are notable because of the controversy they generated. Schwarzenegger claimed that his voice and likeness were being used without his authorization and sued IGT for $20 million; the case was settled out of court in 2001. Further, Arnold was unhappy about having his image (as the Terminator) on a slot machine, because this could put him into a conflict-of-interest situation as governor of California. In his role as governor, he is responsible for negotiating with Indian casinos.

Although the company claimed to have made only a prototype, several machines have shown up for sale on the Internet. A few thousand (without any pictures of Arnold) were sold for use in Japan.

For more information, see IGT's web page on the history of Pachisuro slot machines.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1991) for MS-DOS systems. First-person perspective/driving game. You may play the Terminator or Reese. Your objective (kill Sarah/destroy the Terminator) depends on which character you choose to play. Average graphics and mediocre gameplay.

For more information, see Wikipedia's The Terminator (DOS) entry.

Developed by LJN and published by Ocean Software (1991) for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64/128, MS-DOS, and ZX Spectrum systems. Third-person platform/action game with multiple levels (you play the Terminator):

1. Initial fight in the Galleria (side view):
   Fighting the T-1000, you have three moves at your disposal (high kick, low kick, and punch).
2. Motorbike chase (top view):
   You're on a motorcycle and the T-1000 is chasing you in a semi through an obstacle course. You have to avoid junk that's lying on the road and maintain your speed so that the semi doesn't hit you.
3. T2 arm puzzle:
   Sliding tile puzzle. You have to "fix" the Terminator's forearm by sliding the squares around to unscramble the picture.
4. Helicopter chase:
   Same as the motorcycle chase, except you're in a truck and the T-1000 is in a helicopter.
5. T2 face puzzle:
   Same as the arm puzzle, except with the Terminator's face
6. Final battle:
   Same as the first level, except it's in the steel factory.

At the end of each level is brief animation from the movie.

For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (LJN) entry.

Developed/published by Acclaim and Virgin Games (1993) for Amiga and MS-DOS systems. First-person action game, based on the arcade game of T2. Has received only poor reviews, apparently due to its extreme level of difficulty.

For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (arcade game) entry.

Developed by IntraCorp and published by Capstone Software (1993) for MS-DOS systems. Characters from the movie act as chess pieces, along with several Terminators not seen in the films. Battles take place in futuristic battlefield settings. "Combine the excellence of the Grandmaster Chess game engine with the high-action science fiction drama of the Terminator, and you get T2 Chess Wars. While the animation is lacking in some places, the overall quality of the game's engine makes up for any shortcomings." [from CD-ROM Entertainment].

For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day - Chess Wars entry.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1992) for MS-DOS systems. Split-screen (first-person combat window/third-person overhead navigation window) action game. You play an armoured member of the human resistance. You must complete 19 different missions. Nice graphics, but gameplay is awkward and difficult.

For more information, see Wikipedia's The Terminator 2029 entry.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1993) for MS-DOS systems. Add-on mission disk for The Terminator 2029. More of the same; 12 new missions; new ACE Battle Armor features (including autofire); new enemies, including the "Manta" and the "Gaurdian".

For more information, see Wikipedia's The Terminator 2029: Operation Scour entry.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1994) for MS-DOS systems. This package includes The Terminator 2029 and the Operation Scour add-on.

For more information, see Wikipedia's The Terminator 2029 entry.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1993) for MS-DOS systems. First-person combat game, a la DOOM. Very nice graphics and good gameplay. Plagued by speed problems, however.

For more information and a playable demo, see 3D Gamers' game listing, and Wikipedia's The Terminator: Rampage entry.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1995) for MS-DOS systems. A reworked Terminator: Rampage. It's not even close to DOOM or Dark Forces. Requires Pentium-class or above systems. From Bethesda's hype:

[Features] Bethesda's Xngine--a full 3D, first-person, real-time engine with real-time light sources, full texturing, 3D landscaping, and Phong shading. Multiple levels of action--walk across rolling landscape, explore ruined buildings, infiltrate Terminator outposts, drive a car through downtown LA (Editorial comment: Woo! What thrills!), and even fly an HK fighter! More than 20 different 3D-textured enemies to face. A huge variety of awesome weaponry and equipment.

For more information and a playable demo, see 3D Gamers' game listing, and Wikipedia's The Terminator: Future Shock entry.

Developed and published by Bethesda Softworks (1996) for MS-DOS systems. From Bethesda Softworks:

Return to the apocalyptic world that is The Terminator. Terminator fans Have bombarded us with all sorts of requests and suggestions for another sequel (Editorial comment: no, not another one--a better one) with all new features, and we had no choice but to comply! SkyNET delivers all new single player missions and the most explosive multi-player combat ever to grace a screen. Now take on the cyborg enemies in SVGA graphics with all new options and weapons. Lob pipe bombs over walls to bombard your enemies, or use the motion tracker and play a deadly game of cat and mouse.

In single-player mode, you must locate a nuclear weapon. In multiplayer mode, you can choose the character you wish to play. Other features:

• Customizable battlefields for multiplayer action via network/modem
• Only one copy required to play a multi-player game
• SVGA 640×480 resolution support
• Full 3D texture mapped environment with 6 degrees of player freedom
• Realistic light sourcing
• All new weapons bring you up to 17 total weapons at your disposal
• Fully configurable controls, with complete joystick support
• Supports the Virtual I/O and Forte VFX1 HMDs with head tracking

For more information and a playable demo, see 3D Gamers' game listing, and Wikipedia's SkyNET entry.

Developed by Clever's Games and published by Atari (2003) for Windows systems. From Atari:

Humanity sits on the brink of extinction.

The inevitable battle between man and machine has begun. War ravages the land as hardened Tech-Com fighters defend John Connor and others against the mechanized onslaught of the CRS force.

This epic cinematic conflict, recreated from the phenomenal Terminator films, places first-person shooter fans at the very center of the uprising. Throughout high-powered multiplayer and single-player missions, combatants fight in apocalyptic landscapes--a decimated downtown Los Angeles, a battered ocean harbor, devastated highways--struggling for survival. Only the strongest will avert catastrophe and save human existence.

Game Features:

• Multiplayer action for up to 32 combatants, in modes such as Team Deathmatch and Domination
• Free online hosting via GameSpy Arcade, with immediate online play upon game installation
• The ability to play as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator? character, with voice and motion-capture action provided by the star himself
• A comprehensive storyline, putting players in the roles of both humans and machines through ten single-player missions
• Weapons, environments and locations taken directly from the film T3: Rise of the Machines
   - Firepower: Barrett M82 sniper rifle, Heckler & Koch G3 assault rifle, M4A1 carbine and more
   - Locations: Destroyed highways, a ruined ocean harbor, Tech-Com and CRS military bases, crumbling factories and more
• Various types of humans and machines, each with different powers and weaknesses
   - Humans: hunters, heavy hunters, scouts, supply crewmen
   - Machines: T900 Endoskeleton, T900a Infiltrator, HK tank, FK hovercraft
• Exceptional combat scenarios: subways, tunnels, burnt-out buildings and more

For more information, see Atari's Terminator 3: War of the Machines website, and Wikipedia's Terminator 3: War of the Machines entry. For an interview with the game's producer, see Gamespy.com.

Developed by Probe Software and published by Virgin Games (1992, 1993) for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Sega Master System. Action shooter platform game.

Reviewed by Trevor Williams <brock@alaska.net>:

The game follows the movie closely, but adds original levels. (The first level, for instance, has Kyle Reese infiltrating the Terminators' time machine base). The graphics are horrible, even on Super Nintendo. Sometimes flicker occurs, slowing the game. The Nintendo graphics resemble that of a Commodore 64, while the SNES graphics look like that of a subpar Nintendo game. The sound is okay, but on the Sega Master System, it is atrocious.  

This game is very hard. Most of the time, you have to attack the Terminator and then run for it. Then attack and run. Attack and run. Very repetitive. And you have a very limited supply of health. At least on the Game Gear version, one hit means you're dead. The game is frustrating. With drab graphics and the repetitiousness, it can become a bore quickly.

Another port was developed and published by Mindscape (1992) for NES systems, and another one was developed by Gray Matter and Mindscape and published by Mindscape (1993) for SNES systems.

For more information, see Wikipedia's The Terminator (1992 video game) entry and The Terminator (SNES) entry.

Developed by Arena Entertainment and published by Acclaim (1992) for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Developed and published by Acclaim and Virgin (1993) for Amiga systems. Developed and published by LJN (1992) for SNES. Ports were also developed for the Sega Master System.

Support for the Menacer video-game gun (Genesis) and the Super Scope (Super Nintendo "gun") are provided. The interface is just moving a T- 800's weapon sight around the screen and firing one of a number of weapons. The first few levels are set in the future war: on a future battlefield, in a human hideout, driving to Skynet, and the infiltration and destruction of Skynet. The levels which take place in the present are Cyberdyne, the highway pursuit and the steel mill. Both are good conversions, though the Nintendo game has been toned down a bit to avoid being too offensive to sensitive parents.

For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (arcade game) entry.

Developed by Software Creations, Flying Edge, and Arc Developments, and published by Acclaim Entertainment and LJN (1993) for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Super NES. In side-scrolling levels, you play the T-800, going through eight scenes from the movie: truckstop, John's house, mall, Pescadero, Enrique's, Dyson's house, Cyberdyne, and the steel mill. Between are driving sequences, where you steer the T-800 to the next level. In each side-viewed level you must complete certain objectives before you can exit the level. (A subplot of the game requires you to collect objects sent into the past by Skynet to test the time travel equipment.) For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (B.I.T.S.) entry.

Another port was developed by Software Creations, Flying Edge, and Arc Developments, and published by Acclaim Entertainment and LJN (1992) for NES, and Sega Master Systems. There are five levels: level 2 is an isometric racing game; all the other levels are side-scrolling beat 'em ups. For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Acclaim) entry.

Developed by Interplay Entertainment and Virgin Games, published by Virgin Games (1993) for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega Master System, and SNES. A loose adaptation of the Dark Horse Comics limited series (see section 7.3.7). In both games, you play Robocop, who shoots through a motley crew of punks and endoskeletons in the near future, then travels to the Terminator's future for more fighting with Skynet's forces. The SNES and Genesis versions differ somewhat in graphics, sound, and levels, with only the basic idea the same between them. Rather generic side-scrolling platform action, though with good sound and graphics.

For more information, see Wikipedia's RoboCop versus The Terminator entry.

Developed by Paradigm Entertainment and published by Infogrames (2002) for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. From the publisher:

By the year 2027, Skynet's killing machines had nearly completed their objective for termination of humankind. Present at the dawn of a distoric saga. Armed with an arsenal of awesome weaponry, you are one of three Tech Com leaders spearheading the counterattack of human resistance fighters against an onslaught of futuristic assassins.

For more information, see Wikipedia's The Terminator: Dawn of Fate entry.

Developed by Black Ops Entertainment and published by Atari (2003) for PlayStation 2, and Xbox. From the publisher:

• A unique twist in the Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines story will also allow players to operate the Terminator before it was reprogrammed in the future to save John Connor. As a result, players will be able to test their terminating skills against battle-hardened Tech Com special forces from the future. As the Terminator, players will face all comers in first-person action from the wastelands of the future to present-day Los Angeles.
• Military bases, laboratories and downtown Los Angeles are just a few of the more than 20 unique locations found in the game, which have been taken straight from the current Terminator timeline of events.
• More than 20 futuristic and modern-day weapons will be at the player's disposal for use in terminating any enemy in the most efficient manner possible, including the SkyNet Arc-Laser, Tech-Com Micro Rocket Launcher and the AR-15 Assault Rifle with M202 Grenade Launcher.
• Engage in true movie-like Terminator combat as they repeatedly face the ultimate killing machine, the T-X, throughout the single-player game. Smashing opponents into walls, massive two-handed chops and crushing kicks are just a few of the dozens of moves in the Terminator's arsenal.

For more information, see Atari's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines website, and Wikipedia's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (video game) entry. Also, Computer Graphics World published a behind-the-scenes article on this game in November, 2003.

Developed by Paradigm Entertainment and published by Atari (2004) for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. From the publisher:

To kill one, you must become one...

You are the only thing that stands between the survival of the human race and a world dominated by Skynet machines.

Terminator 3: The Redemption follows the storyline of the hit film Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but offers a mind bending twist: You'll drive, blast and fight relentless endos through three Terminator timelines. Battle in melee combat and take over vehicles in the present day, future, and a desolate alternate future, through more than 10 levels of arcade action. Annihilate anything that prevents your objective: protecting John Connor and Kate Brewster. The future depends on them...and their futures rest with you.

• Rip through an onslaught of Skynet forces and battle the unstoppable T-X killing machine.
• Tear through over 10 levels of non-stop arcade shooter action set in the present future and alternate future.
• Fire explosive weaponry against never before seen Terminator units.
• Seize control of 20 vehicles from different timelines in the battle to save humanity.
• Team up against waves of enemies in Tech-Com Forces co-op mode.
• Uncover hidden short cuts by executing intense Terminator moments that bring the incredible Terminator abilities to life.
• Demolish Terminator units with brutal hand-to-hand combat, crushing combos, weapons and more.

For more information, see Atari's Terminator 3: The Redemption webpage, and Wikipedia's Terminator 3: The Redemption entry.

The T2 handheld LCD "video game" by Acclaim (1991) has "arcade-style continue mode, roll-over scoring and dual channel super-sound FX as you take on the T-1000 at the steel mill as Earth's fate hangs in the balance" [from the T2 Official Movie Magazine].

The Terminator. Developed by Probe and published by Virgin (1992).

Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Developed by Flying Edge and published by Acclaim (1993).

T2: The Arcade Game. Developed by Miday and published by Acclaim (1993).

RoboCop Versus The Terminator. Developed and published by Virgin Games (1993).

Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Developed by B.I.T.S. and published by Capcom (1991). In this highly regarded game, which is different from the computer and console versions, you play as John Connor in 2029 and the Terminator in 1994. For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Game Boy) entry.

T2: The Arcade Game. Developed by Midway and published by LJN (1992).

RoboCop Versus The Terminator. Developed Interplay and published by Virgin Games (1993).

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Developed by Taniko and published by Atari (2003). For more information, see Wikipedia's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (video game) entry.

The Terminator. Developed and published by In-Fusio for a variety of mobile/cell phones.

Terminator Flash Shooter. Developed and published by In-Fusio for a variety of mobile/cell phones.

Terminator - I'm Back!. Developed and published by In-Fusio for a variety of mobile/cell phones.

Terminator Revenge. Developed and published by In-Fusio for a variety of mobile/cell phones.