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. 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 major features of this game are the same as the 4th and final table in the classic 1992 Commodore Amiga game Pinball Dreams , called Nightmare, [14] or Graveyard on other platforms. These include the left and right runs which allow you to advance up the central ladder to activate huge scoring opportunities.

Gameplay

The game has 2 flippers, each controlled with a button on the side of the cabinet.

Reception

In a look at 3 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. [15] Sinclair User gave the pinball game a 93% score. [16]

Digital version

Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released in 2013 [17] as a licensed table for The Pinball Arcade , and available until June 30, 2018 when it was removed due to the Williams license expiration. [18] The production of this version was funded by a kickstarter. [17]

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 from Stern has a very similar playfield design and rulesheet.

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. 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. Dillon, Tony (April 1992). "Pinball Dream review". CU Amiga . No. 26 (April 1992). United Kingdom: EMAP. p. 47. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  15. 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.
  16. Cook, John (18 November 1991). "Coin Ops". Sinclair User . No. 118 (December 1991). United Kingdom: EMAP. pp. 62–3.
  17. 1 2 Farokhmanesh, Megan (2013-09-28). "The Pinball Arcade adding Terminator 2 table". Polygon. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  18. Lawson, Aurich (2018-05-08). "The Pinball Arcade is losing its classic tables; grab them while you can". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-08-13.