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]
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.[15][7]
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.[16]Sinclair User gave the pinball game a 93% score.[17]
Digital version
Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released in 2013[18] as a licensed table for The Pinball Arcade, and available until June 30, 2018 when it was removed due to the Williams license expiration.[19] The production of this version was funded by a kickstarter.[18]
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]
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