Terminator 2: Judgment Day (pinball)

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Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2- Judgment Day (pinball).jpg
Manufacturer Williams
Release dateJuly 1991
System Williams WPC (Dot Matrix)
Design Steve Ritchie
ProgrammingDwight Sullivan
ArtworkDoug Watson
MechanicsCarl Biagi
Music Chris Granner
Sound Chris Granner
Voices Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator)
AnimationJohn Vogel, Scott Slomiany
Production run15,202

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 pinball machine designed by Steve Ritchie and released by Williams Electronics. It is based on the motion picture of the same name.

Contents

Overview

A restored Terminator 2 custom pinball machine A rebuilt Terminator 2 pinball machine by Wayne Patrick Finn Melbourne Australia. 38.jpg
A restored Terminator 2 custom pinball machine

The Terminator was one of Steve Ritchie's favourite movies. Williams license agreement with Carolco Licensing gave them access to photos and videos early in the production of the movie from late 1990. [1] During the design of this game Steve Ritchie met Jim Cameron and Stan Winston and gained access to pre-production art, [2] and props including the skull and microchip which were used in the game. [3]

The table is the first Williams WPC machine designed to feature a dot-matrix display(DMD). But due to the long design phase, Gilligan's Island is the first manufactured with a DMD. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the first game to feature an autoplunger (replacing the traditional plunger) with a patent-protected trigger mechanism, [4] as well as a patent-protected ball-firing cannon (dubbed, "Gun Grip Ball Launcher") [5] and a metallic T-800 skull. [6] [7] Terminator 2 is also the first game to feature a video mode, a mini video game featured on the DMD. Arnold Schwarzenegger provided voices for the game. [8] Some playfield design elements were based on Ritchie's 1980 classic, Firepower . The T-1000 is not in the artwork, with the exception of a small image of actor Robert Patrick because of pre-release secrecy of the movie. The character is only in the display animation because when the DMD programming was finalizing the liquid metal character was already public knowledge. [9]

The first design of the backglass was made by Doug Watson before he had imagery from the film, when shown to Arnold Schwarzenegger for approval he asked for his signature sunglasses to be added. Watson left the central figure unchanged and converted a skeletoid T-800 to one with the full face and sunglasses of Schwarzenegger. [10] This was liked by him so much that Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to provide voices for the game [8] in exchange for the original painting. [10] Due to complications with that agreement involving Carolco Doug Watson retained ownership of the painting, and loaned it to the Pacific Pinball Museum. [10]

It is the first game to introduce a ball saver due to some balls when launched immediately draining down the left outlane. [11]

The game has mono audio. [12]

Despite the extra features in the game and being sold at a relatively low price, Williams still had good profit margins on it. [2]

At the "Terminator 2: Judgment Day Convention" on June 30, 1991 one of these games was given away to the winner of a tournament played on it. [13]

Layout

The table has left and right orbits, and left and right ramps with each of the ramps return the ball to the in-lane on that side of the table. On the left side of the machine is a saucer which can lock a ball. Below the entrance to the left ramp is a bank of five stand-up targets. To the right of this ramp is the T-800 skull with a drop-target in front of it; balls hit into the skull are launched with a popper along a wireform and into the cannon located half-way up the right side of the machine. Towards the back right of the table are three upper rollovers with three pop bumpers below them; below these is a bank of three stand-up targets. On the right side of the machine, below where the ball is launched onto the table is another bank of three stand-up targets. [14] [7]

The major features of this game are reproduced for the 4th and final table in the classic 1992 Commodore Amiga game Pinball Dreams , called Nightmare, [15] or Graveyard on other platforms.

Gameplay

The game has 2 flippers, each controlled with a button on the side of the cabinet. The game begins with the player attempting to hit the moving lit target on the bank of five targets for a skillshot. [14]

Multiball

After the drop target is hit and lowered a ball can be sent to the cannon via the skull; this rotates, and if the player launches the ball at the right time to hit a lit target a two-ball multiball starts. After hitting three specific shots the player gets the chance to score a jackpot by hitting another lit target from the cannon. After collecting the jackpot, the player can again lower the drop target and shoot at another target with the cannon, but this time with other balls still in play on the main playfield. Many players move their head to the right and look from the cannon's perspective to time launching the ball. [7]

By hitting the ramps a series of round inserts (checkpoint->passcode->silent alarm->vault key->CPU lit) light and a timed mode called payback time begins. The centre bank of targets advances a ladder of awards which the player can collect with left orbit shots. Right orbit shots advance the other ladder of awards, which consists entirely of points based awards. When the left saucer is lit, it can be hit to collect a random award, called a database award. Completing the upper rollovers advances the bonus multiplier. [14] [7]

Video mode

A short "video game" is played on the DMD consisting of Terminators which must be shot by the player controlling a cross hair with the flippers, and ends when a Terminator shoots the player. [14]

Reception

In a look at three new pinball machines, Play Meter called it more than a good game, a licensing coup working to coincide with the release date of the film. [16] Sinclair User gave the pinball game a 93% score. [17] Initial reviews from players were positive, with one calling it a "great marriage of movie and pinball game." [18]

Digital version

Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released in 2013 [19] as a licensed table for The Pinball Arcade , and available until June 30, 2018 when it was removed due to the Williams license expiration. [20] The production of this version was funded by a kickstarter. [19]

Legacy

The ball saver introduced in this game was used in most future games, but one of the lead software developers at Williams, Larry DeMar felt it was overused. [11]

2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines manufactured by Stern has a very similar playfield design and rulesheet. [21]

References

  1. ↑ Karamanian, Derek (October 31, 2024). "An Evening at the New Insert Coin Museum Exhibit | Kineticist". www.kineticist.com. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  2. 1 2 "The Flipside profile: Steve Ritchie" (PDF). The Flipside. Vol. 4, no. 3. 1995. p. 27.
  3. ↑ Smith, Danielle (July 19, 2005). "The original Pinball wizard". hollisterfreelance.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-12. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  4. ↑ USD 335150,Biagi, Carl A&Ritchie, Steven S,"Trigger handle switch for pinball type games",published 1991-09-11,issued 1993-04-27
  5. ↑ US 5186462,Biagi, Carl; Ritchie, Steve& Sullivan, Dwight,"Oscillating ball cannon",published 1992-02-25,issued 1993-02-16
  6. ↑ "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Williams 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'". www.ipdb.org. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Crable, Noah (January 15, 2025). "It's Payback Time: Learn to Play the 1991 Classic Pinball Machine, Terminator 2". www.kineticist.com. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
  8. 1 2 Shalhoub, Michael (2012). The pinball compendium: 1982 to present (2nd ed.). Atglen, Pa: Schiffer Publishing. pp. 143–144. ISBN   978-0-7643-4107-6.
  9. ↑ "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Terminator 2: Judgment Day". August 24, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 Watson, Doug (2019-10-18). Pinball News - Pinball Expo 2019 Seminars - Doug Watson (Video). Retrieved 2025-08-25– via YouTube.
  11. 1 2 "PINBALL EXPO 2003". Pinball News. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  12. ↑ "Terminator 2: Judgment Day". The International Arcade Museum. Retrieved 13 Oct 2013.
  13. ↑ "Williams helps Hollywood welcome "Terminator 2"". Play Meter. Vol. 17, no. 9. August 1991. p. 13.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Terminator 2 Judgment Day operations manual (PDF). Williams Electronics Games. July 1991.
  15. ↑ Dillon, Tony (April 1992). "Pinball Dream review". CU Amiga . No. 26. United Kingdom: EMAP. p. 47. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  16. ↑ Yager, Tom (September 1991). "And the beat goes on (prime-time preview)". Play Meter. Vol. 17, no. 10. pp. 128–140. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  17. ↑ Cook, John (18 November 1991). "Coin Ops". Sinclair User . No. 118 (December 1991). United Kingdom: EMAP. pp. 62–3.
  18. ↑ Johnson, Kevin (1991-07-10). "U2 can be in T2, the pinball game". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. 41. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  19. 1 2 Farokhmanesh, Megan (2013-09-28). "The Pinball Arcade adding Terminator 2 table". Polygon. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  20. ↑ Lawson, Aurich (2018-05-08). "The Pinball Arcade is losing its classic tables; grab them while you can". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  21. ↑ "Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines pinball". www.pinballnews.com. 2003. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
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