The Terminator

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a game by Probe Software, Mindscape, and Probe Entertainment Ltd.
Genres: Action, Adventure/RPG
Platforms: Sega GenesisGenesis, SNESSNES, Sega CD, Sega Master SystemSega Master System, NESNES, GameGear
Editor Rating: 5.1/10, based on 12 reviews
User Rating: 7.0/10 - 4 votes
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See also: Movie-Based Games, Terminator Games, Arnold Schwarzenegger Games

Based on the first hit movie that made "Ahnold" a megastar, the Terminator for the Game Gear is perhaps even tougher and more frustrating to defeat than its silver screen counterpart! Be forewarned, the Terminator is one tough test of your reflexes, wits, and gaming skills. Just like the movie, this one-player game is a battle of human against machine. Lose to this game, and it may be an omen of things to come!

"I"ll BE BACK"

The Terminator adheres faithfully to the movie's story line. You are Kyle Reese, a soldier from Earth's war-tom future. Machines have taken over and seek to eradicate all humans. Reese has been sent back in time to protect Sarah Conner, the mother-to-be of the leader of the future's resistance forces. He must battle a fearsome cyborg assassin who is trying to wipe Sarah out! Five multi-directional, sidescrolling levels with a third-person perspective represent key scenes from the movie. You must run, jump, lob grenades, and shoot all opposition to survive!

You begin at Level One's devastated streets of Los Angeles, 2025 A.D. Dodge swooping Hunter-Killers and battle your way into the enemy's underground lab complex. There you fend off waves of Terminators as you search for a machine gun and a time bomb. Set the bomb's timer and jump into the time machine before the whole place blows!

Level Two drops you onto the streets of LA in the year 1984. Sarah's hiding in the Club Technoir dance club. Search for her as you destroy oncoming maniacal punks and fight the police who have an A.RB. out on you! Level Three takes place within Club Technoir. Locate Sarah before the Terminator does and escape from the club before he gets you!

In Level Four, you and Sarah are locked within the local police station. Find Sarah and escape while avoiding more punks, cops, and the Terminator! Level Five ends at a factory warehouse with a final showdown against the Terminator stripped of his synthetic flesh. Lure him into the hydraulic press to permanently stamp him out!

"Hasta la Vista, Baby!"

As previously mentioned, this game is a challenge! You've only got one weapon (you lose the grenades when you find the machine gun) and a health meter of 100 units that's depleted by 5-10% each time you're hit. There are no power-ups, extra health units, additional weapons, OR continues! Fortunately, ammo is unlimited, there's no time limit, and health units restore to 100% when you complete each scene. You'll die A LOT before you master this game!

The graphics are extremely well rendered with plenty of sharp, digitized, movie scenes between each level. Plus, the animation is very smooth and the characters are easily discernible from the detailed backgrounds. Lively music and crisp sound effects enhance the tension of the game appropriately. Game play is very smooth, partly due to the limited moves and weapons. Nonstop action, hot graphics, and an intense challenge mean terminate the Terminator before he terminates you!

ProTips:

  • To minimize damage, jump up as soon as Hunter-Killers appear on-screen.
  • Hunter-Killers always alternate the direction from which they appear.
  • Every three hits with your machine gun bumps the Terminator back a step.
  • Shoot the Terminator 30 times to put him down.
  • Lob grenades at enemies near the edge of the screen, and roll them into enemies closer to you.
  • You're instantly terminated if a Terminator touches you!

Download The Terminator

Genesis

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Game modes: Single game mode

Player controls:

  • Up, Down, Left, Right - Arrow keys
  • Start - Enter (Pause, Menu select, Skip intro, Inventory)
  • "A" Gamepad button - Ctrl (usually Jump or Change weapon)
  • "B" button - Space (Jump, Fire, Menu select)
  • "C" button - Left Shift (Item select)

Use the F12 key to toggle mouse capture / release when using the mouse as a controller.

SNES

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Pentium II (or equivalent) 266MHz (500MHz recommended), RAM: 64MB (128MB recommended), DirectX v8.0a or later must be installed
Sega CD

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
Sega Master System

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
NES

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • P-200, 32 MB RAM
GameGear

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

This single player run-n-gun arcade-style shooter begins in Los Angeles, circa 2029. A nuclear holocaust triggered by rebellious machines has shoved the human race to the brink of extinction. One human, John Connor, is leading his fellow beings in a successful revolt against the mechanoid monsters. In an effort to stop the uprising the machines send Cyberdyne System Model 101 -- alias "The Terminator" -- back in time to destroy Sarah Connor before she can give birth to John. As futuristic guerilla fighter Kyle Reese your mission is to travel back in time to 1984, find Sarah Connor before the Terminator does, and save her unborn son.

One Life to Live

Hey, if the plotline sounds complicated don't worry, because the game-play isn't Beating Terminator's six horizontally and vertically scrolling levels is all about survival of the fittest -- shoot and run towards the end of the level. And if you survive you really are fit -- the game has four difficulty levels ranging from Easy to very Difficult, and you've only got one life (no continues, no passwords, no return!).

ProTip: The only way to stay alive is to avoid getting tagged by enemies (impossible) and grab every Life Cannister you see. These appear occasionally when you destroy enemies.

To defend himself against menacing machine and human foes Reese arms himself with several different kinds of weapons. In the Future, Reese lobs an unlimited supply of Grenades at the machines. He can also snag Time Bombs by picking up Bomb icons hidden in different areas of the level and grab a Machine Gun about halfway through Level 1. When Reese travels back in time to 1984 his defense is limited to a sawed-off Shotgun.

Hasta La Vista Baby!

Each level mirrors the original Orion Pictures flick. In Level 1 Kyle battles his way to the heart of the Terminator headquarters and destroys the master computer, Skynet. Then he makes a break for the time-travel machine that sends him back to 1984.

  • Just at the beginning of Level 1, wait for the Bomb icon to appear and reappear several times in order to stock up on Bombs.
  • To destroy the machine guarding the Machine Gun, just crouch and lob Grenades at it underhand. You'll take minimal damage and eventually blow me machine away.
  • Skynet is in the lower right-hand comer of the level. Use a Bomb to blow it sky high and then head to the upper right-hand area of the level, and the time machine, as fast as you can.
  • Keep moving forward. Get tangled up battling those pursuing you and you'll take more damage man it's worth.

In the three different areas of Level 2 Reese returns to Los Angeles in 1984 and searches for Sarah Connor. He's trailed by police, bomb-tossing SWAT-team members, and missile-firing choppers across the roof-tops of L.A. Reese finally tracks down Sarah in the TechNoir Bar -- but so does the Terminator!

Avoid taking damage from the helicopters by kneeling and standing still.

Level 3 takes place inside the Police Station where the cops have slapped Reese into a cell. He's got to search the entire station until he finds Sarah. The Terminator's hunting too!

  • At the end of Level 3just blast away at the Terminator until he falls and then run past him until you reach Sarah. This completes the mission!
  • The best defense against the Bomb-tossers is to move up close to them so that you're under the arc of the bomb throw. Then blast away until they're out of commission.

The climactic battle takes place in Level 4. Reese destroys The Terminator in a huge fire -- or so he thinks. The flames merely expose the metallic skeleton of The Terminator which returns for a final battle through a factory.

  • To defeat this level Reese just has to work his way as far to the right as possible, reach Sarah, and then wait for the Terminator to be crushed!

He's Back...

Game connoisseurs will note that The Terminator, which was programmed in the UK, features a distinctly European or "Amiga" feel, including a lack of big-boss battles at the end of each level. Although the game-play is slightly sluggish in spots The Terminator is a satisfying, super-tough challenge for those who enjoy a game where the main strategy is simply to make your way to the end without being destroyed. Digitized graphic screens of actual scenes from the movie give this shooter a nice polish. Sure he's already been back on both the big and little screens in Terminator 2: Judgment Day -- but that shouldn't stop you from getting yourself terminated one more time.

Tors in the future, he must also go back into time to battle evil cyborgs in the past. The Terminator by Virgin for the Sega CD will put. you into the heart of this exciting battle.

Since this is a CD-ROM title, you know that you can expect great graphics, game play and sound effects, including a musical score that just won't quit! You even get some really cool cinemas lifted straight from the movie.

Collect power-ups and weapons to help you overcome otherwise immense odds. Heave grenades at the mechanical beasts, or simply use your plasma rifle to stop them. Help Kyle Reese protect the present from a threat from the future.

LEVEL 1

Terminators are everywhere so be careful! Be especially cautious while going up and down stairs and ladders.

LEVEL 2

In Level 2 you will fight automated nightmares like the land-based Hunter Killers and huge robotic spiders.

LEVEL 3

Inside Skynet, you will have to be on your toes at all times. Make your way through the various floors.

Bet you never thought you'd be able to hold Arnold Schwarzeneggar in the palm of your hand! Well, now you can. The Terminator adventures have found a home on the Game Gear. This compact dynamo looks nearly identical to its Genesis cousin. The year: circa 2029. The task: to gun-'n'-run your way through six levels in an attempt to save Sarah Connor from the clutches of the Terminator.

That super-human terror is back once again - this time on the NES. Mindscape brings you The Terminator in all its terror and glory.

Machines have taken over the world far into the future. As Kyle Reese, you must travel back in time land save Sarah Connor from the Terminator. Infiltrate Sky-Net, journey through the Resistance Bunker and defeat the hunter killers. The future of mankind is in your hands.

People say:

5

Although the pace of the action in Terminator should have picked up, I thought the game did a good job with most of the supporting elements of play. The actual technique is kind of two-dimensional, but nonetheless offers up plenty of challenge and mayhem. While this may not be the best action title, it's nice to see on 8-Bit.

6

I had hoped that this big name game would have been as hot as the 16-Bit versions but instead the game came off as somewhat flat and not as exciting as I had expected. A lot of things from the movie could have been used to spice up the action but they weren't and as such it was hard to keep going in the game.

4

This cart had potential, but I am really saddened by the fact that even a cool license like the Terminator can become a mediocre game. The sounds and graphics are average and the backgrounds and characters need work. The game play is too slow for me and just couldn't keep me excited. It needed more flair.

5

Terminator almost had a chance on the NES! Sorry to say, but the control is awkward, and the variety of enemies was too lacking in order to keep my attention. Forget the sound, I just turn it off. I like the idea, and if it were solid, it would be hot. My favorite feature is the gun angle control to blast away Arnold!

You Will Lose!

The year is 2029 and after the nuclear holocaust the land has become dominated by cybernetic robots trying to rid the Earth of all human life forms. Kyle Reese is a modern day time traveler who goes back in time to L.A.. You must play the role of Kyle Reese and protect Sarah Connor from the Terminator (a cybernetic assassin sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor) because she holds the secret to the survival of the entire human race of the future. Only by saving her can the course of time be changed to ensure a peaceful future for generations to come. In addition to saving Sarah Connor, you must infiltrate the Cyberdyne Corporation's tight security and destroy it along with the cybernetics that created the Terminator of the future. The final catch is that you must also destroy the Terminator itself, who is stronger, faster, and more intelligent than you. To do this, you must find this weakness and use it against him. The fate of the human race and the world is in your hands. Can you terminate the Terminator?

When you start the game, and at the beginning of each level, you will receive a detailed briefing in which you will be given your mission objective. In level one, you must successfully make your way through Cyberdyne's heavily guarded security systems. Above ground, be very careful to avoid the bombs being dropped.

In level two, you will find yourself inside Cyberdyne's facility. Kyle Reese's only weapon is his trusty hand grenade. You must use it to destroy all the enemies that get in your way. Be sure to keep a close eye on your power meter because if you don't, you'll find yourself starting all over again.

  • Number of Levels: 8
  • Theme: Action
  • Difficulty: Average
  • Number of Players: 1
  • Available: December '91

I'll be back...!

It is a world where mankind has no future. In the year 1997 the computers of Sky-Net looked to humanity as its only threat and devised the ultimate killing machine to destroy us all - The Terminators.

Following the plot and storyline of the classic movie, you assume the role of Kyle Reese, sent back in time by the leader of the human resistance, John Connor. You must overcome the Terminator terror of the future and take on the police and alone Terminator in the past to keep Sarah Connor, the mother of John, alive.

Combining highly detailed action sequences using digitized graphics, incredible sound and voice tracks from the movie and game play that is sorely lacking on the Genesis, The Terminator successfully incorporates high action with adventure overtones. Toss in some digitized cinema displays from the movie to push the plot along and you get a solid action entry for the Genesis library!

Level 1 - The underground fortress

In the first level you must fight your way through the maze of Sky-Net in search of the hidden time displacement equipment. Blow up Sky-Net s reactor and time warp to the past!

Level 2 - Find and rescue Sarah!

In this level hit the streets of L.A. in search of Sarah. Blow away the thugs coming at you as well as the cops hunting you down! Locate Sarah before she's captured!

Level 3 - The police station

Having made it to the police station, you must find your way through the endless maze of corridors.

You have been sent back in time to save the destiny of the earth. You must find the mean machine that is terrorizing the city, that machine is know as the "TERMINATOR".

Arnold never quits. He just keeps coming back -- at least to video games. Based on the first movie, this side-scrolling, one- player adventure sends you, as Kyle Reese, back to the past as Sarah Connor's protector. The six levels of intense, nonstop action are drawn straight from the movie. You'll be terminated more than a few times. Luckily, you have a present and futuristic set of arsenals. Keep 'em handy, or it's hasta la vista, baby!

Virgin Games has been hard at it prepping for the release of the long awaited 16-bit version of the Orion Pictures smash high tech sci-fi flick, the Terminator. To enlighten the few who aren't hip to the Terminator saga, here's a quickie re-hash.

The setting: It's a post nuclear world dominated and run by an evil force of mechanized beings called Terminators. The cast: In this video version you jump into the guise of the movie hero, Kyle Reese. Reese is the man chosen to go back in time to save Sarah Connor from meeting an untimely demise. The zinger plot twist: If you don't save Sarah, she won't give birth to her son, John Connor, the man who, when he grows up, leads an uprising against the evil Terminators.

An Appetite For Destruction

The gang's all there, Kyle Reese, Sarah Connor and, of course, that infamous robo-nightmare, the Terminator. Your robo man-hunt covers six explosive levels of hardcore running, jumping, climbing shoot-the-heck-outta-'em action. It's a one man show as you face ambushes from both land and air by helicopters, uniformed vigilantes, and massive mechanized creatures of destruction. Incredible free flowing graphics and digitized movie stills brilliantly recreate this sci-fi movie classic in the gaming format.

He Already Came Back... But Who Cares

O.K., O.K., so Terminator 2: Judgment Day's already hit both the movie and the video screens. Virgin Games' 16-bit video wonder based on the first movie is on the way, and man-oh-man is this bad boy looking tough! Keep your eyes open for the final version -- you may just want to get yourself terminated.

The mechanical hit man from the movie, The Terminator, is back, on the same mission, but with much better odds this time around. Because this time, the happy ending isn't guaranteed. The screens are based on actual movie footage, as the Terminator chases you through city streets, a crowded bar, the police station, ready and able to blow you away at a moment's notice. The game is as action-packed and nerve-wracking as the movie, so if you loved the movie.

The Terminator is a science fiction action film. The games are either based directly on the movies or are heavily involved in the film's Expanded Universe. Take on the role of Kyle Reese and protect Sarah Connor from the cyborg sent back in time to kill her or, become the Terminator and eliminate Kyle and Sarah.

Snapshots and Media

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Screenshots

SNES/Super Nintendo/Super Famicom Screenshots

Sega CD Screenshots

NES/Famicom/Dendy Screenshots

Sega Master System Screenshots

GameGear Screenshots

See Also

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