PrinceWatercress plays The Terminator - The Longplay

It's now time to go through this game in one shot.

First | Previous

Los Angeles 2029

John Conner's forces had the machines beaten. It had been him alone who had brought the human race back from the edge. Now, Skynet had to find a method of destroying the leader of the human uprising. The method: Cyberdyne System Model 101...The Terminator.

You'll be playing as Kyle Reese. You'll need to get through Skynet's base to travel back in time just like The Terminator did to 1984, then you'll need to find Sarah Conner and protect her to ensure that her unborn son, John Conner, is born so that he can lead the human uprising against Skynet in the future/present. In order to get to the time machine, however, you'll need to destroy the reactor in the base that you're headed to.

Level 1

Left and Right let you move around, Down lets you duck, Button 2 jumps and Button 1 attacks. You'll be throwing grenades for now, but that will soon change once you get a machine gun.

The indicator at the top center of the screen will constantly switch between your current health (in the form of a percentage), your current score and the amount of time you have left. If you run out of health or time, the game is over and you're starting this game from the very beginning, which can make this game a major pain.

At the start, keep running to the right. Make sure not to run into the bombs dropped by the plane that flies back and forth or the bombs' explosions. When you see a ladder, go down. Head left at the bottom and attack the Terminators as well as the walls to fight enemies and break the walls. If you see the Terminators stop to fire at you, duck down and attack. Ducking down ahead of time will cause them to duck down when they attack, so be ready to pay attention and move. Once you drop off the edge of the platform you're on, head right. Blow up the wall at the end with your grenades, then head to the right and enter the next section.

Whenever you enter a new section, your health will be fully restored. Keep that in mind throughout the game.

In the next match, keep heading right and blow up the two doors. Keep going right, and when you see the square platforms, jump across them. Be sure to run to the edges of these platforms before jumping forward. At the end is the machine gun. Pick it up; it's much better than the grenades.

Head back to the left and go up to the orange columns. The bomb will be there. Touch it to blow up the reactor. From there, head back to where you got the machine gun and go up the ladder, then head to the left. Thankfully, attacking enemies will be far easier. Go down when you see a ladder, then go left, go up the next ladder and continue to the right. If you didn't blow up the reactor before you make it to the end, the laser cannon at the end will kill you. Thankfully, we've already done this. We're now in 1984.

Los Angeles 1984

White light...

Pain...

Maybe it was like being born?

The time travel process had not been pleasant. He felt tired, and every inch of his body cried out in agony. He had already been spotted by the police, and time was running out!

Level 2

For the first section, keep heading to the right and pressing Button 1 to fire every so often to take out enemies, be they cop or punk, and climb up the ladder when you see it. If you see anybody behind you, take them out to.

For the second section, drop off the platform, then keep running to the right and dropping down to the building roofs and eventually to the ground. Take the ladder next to the black-and-red "Tech Noir" sign up. Jump up to the next building roof, go down the next ladder you see, then head to the right, go up the ladder and head right to enter Tech Noir.

If you drop or jump off a building edge or platform from too high a height, you will die no matter how much health you have and you'll get a game over.

Level 3

Head to the right, then duck down and fire at The Terminator whenever you see him to bounce him back. The fireballs(?) he shoots at you pack a punch, and it only takes four to kill you and end your game. If you see the debris from when you knock The Terminator back, be ready to inch to the right, but be ready to stop, duck down and fire if you see The Terminator or his projectiles. Once you travel far enough to the right, you'll meet Sarah Conner, but you'll both get arrested and sent to the police station...

Level 4

For the first section, keep going left while firing the gun. Climb up the ladder, go down the stairs and continue left.

For the second section, keep going left while firing the gun until you reach the stairs. Go all the way up and head right. Avoid the attack helicopter and the bombs by continuing to move right.

For the third section, keep heading right. You may have to shoot down the bombs to avoid them. Go down the ladder and further to the right. Go all the way up to where the Terminator is and running to the left, ducking down to avoid his shots. You'll soon reunite with Sarah Conner and continue to the final level.

The Final Confrontation

Barely escaping from the police station with their lives, Reese and Sarah are pursued relentlessly by their assailant to a factory unit.

Now, Reese prepares for the final battle.

It will take place here...tonight...now!!!

Level 5

Go down the ladder and go all the way to the right. You can jump over and run under the robots that fly around; just wait for them to go up or down and then make your move when it flies forward. You can also shoot them if you need to. Go up the last ladder you see, then go right and continue going in that direction, jumping to the right off the edges of the platforms. You'll soon reach ladders. Go all the way down immediately, and when you reach The Terminator, shoot at him and keep shooting at him until he is crushed. Kyle Reese dies, but he lives on in the form of Sarah Conner's unborn child. You've just beaten The Terminator!

PrinceWatercress plays The Terminator - Part 2 of 2

...and the game ends as quickly as it starts...if you know what you're doing.

First | End

Level 4

For the first section, keep going left while firing the gun. Climb up the ladder, go down the stairs and continue left.

For the second section, keep going left while firing the gun until you reach the stairs. Go all the way up and head right. Avoid the attack helicopter and the bombs by continuing to move right.

For the third section, keep heading right. You may have to shoot down the bombs to avoid them. Go down the ladder and further to the right. Go all the way up to where the Terminator is and running to the left, ducking down to avoid his shots. You'll soon reunite with Sarah Conner and continue to final level.

The Final Confrontation

Barely escaping from the police station with their lives, Reese and Sarah are pursued relentlessly by their assailant to a factory unit.

Now, Reese prepares for the final battle.

It will take place here...tonight...now!!!

Level 5

Go down the ladder and go all the way to the right. You can jump over and run under the robots that fly around; just wait for them to go up or down and then make your move when it flies forward. You can also shoot them if you need to. Go up the last ladder you see, then go right and continue going in that direction, jumping to the right off the edges of the platforms. You'll soon reach ladders. Go all the way down immediately, and when you reach The Terminator, shoot at him and keep shooting at him until he is crushed. Kyle Reese dies, but he lives on in the form of Sarah Conner's unborn child. You've just beaten The Terminator!

PrinceWatercress plays The Terminator - Part 1 of 2

Believe it or not, this game is pretty short. But if you mess up, you're starting all over again. One life. No continues. We're not playing around here.

Special thanks to Lucas Mackintosh/DODGE THIS/Swagger Blonde - the man of many names - for making a masterclass of a video on how to beat this game.

Next | End

Los Angeles 2029

John Conner's forces had the machines beaten. It had been him alone who had brought the human race back from the edge. Now, Skynet had to find a method of destroying the leader of the human uprising. The method: Cyberdyne System Model 101...The Terminator.

You'll be playing as Kyle Reese. You'll need to get through Skynet's base to travel back in time just like The Terminator did to 1984, then you'll need to find Sarah Conner and protect her to ensure that her unborn son, John Conner, is born so that he can lead the human uprising against Skynet in the future/present. In order to get to the time machine, however, you'll need to destroy the reactor in the base that you're headed to.

Level 1

Left and Right let you move around, Down lets you duck, Button 2 jumps and Button 1 attacks. You'll be throwing grenades for now, but that will soon change once you get a machine gun.

The indicator at the top center of the screen will constantly switch between your current health (in the form of a percentage), your current score and the amount of time you have left. If you run out of health or time, the game is over and you're starting this game from the very beginning, which can make this game a major pain.

At the start, keep running to the right. Make sure not to run into the bombs dropped by the plane that flies back and forth or the bombs' explosions. When you see a ladder, go down. Head left at the bottom and attack the Terminators as well as the walls to fight enemies and break the walls. If you see the Terminators stop to fire at you, duck down and attack. Ducking down ahead of time will cause them to duck down when they attack, so be ready to pay attention and move. Once you drop off the edge of the platform you're on, head right. Blow up the wall at the end with your grenades, then head to the right and enter the next section.

Whenever you enter a new section, your health will be fully restored. Keep that in mind throughout the game.

In the next part, keep heading right and blow up the two doors. Keep going right, and when you see the square platforms, jump across them. Be sure to run to the edges of these platforms before jumping forward. At the end is the machine gun. Pick it up; it's much better than the grenades.

Head back to the left and go up to the orange columns. The bomb will be there. Touch it to blow up the reactor. From there, head back to where you got the machine gun and go up the ladder, then head to the left. Thankfully, attacking enemies will be far easier. Go down when you see a ladder, then go left, go up the next ladder and continue to the right. If you didn't blow up the reactor before you make it to the end, the laser cannon at the end will kill you. Thankfully, we've already done this. We're now in 1984.

Los Angeles 1984

White light...

Pain...

Maybe it was like being born?

The time travel process had not been pleasant. He felt tired, and every inch of his body cried out in agony. He had already been spotted by the police, and time was running out!

Level 2

For the first section, keep heading to the right and pressing Button 1 to fire every so often to take out enemies, be they cop or punk, and climb up the ladder when you see it. If you see anybody behind you, take them out, too.

For the second section, drop off the platform, then keep running to the right and dropping down to the building roofs and eventually to the ground. Take the ladder next to the black-and-red "Tech Noir" sign up. Jump up to the next building roof, go down the next ladder you see, then head to the right, go up the ladder and head right to enter Tech Noir.

If you drop or jump off a building edge or platform from too high a height, you will die no matter how much health you have and you'll get a game over.

Level 3

Head to the right, then duck down and fire at The Terminator whenever you see him to bounce him back. The fireballs(?) he shoots at you pack a punch, and it only takes four to kill you and end your game. If you see the debris from when you knock The Terminator back, be ready to inch to the right, but be ready to stop, duck down and fire if you see The Terminator or his projectiles. Once you travel far enough to the right, you'll meet Sarah Conner, but you'll both get arrested and sent to the police station...

The Terminator for Sega CD - The OST

Here it is: all the tracks from the Sega CD/Mega CD version of The Terminator.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 12 of 12

Now to crush this guy and go home. Unless you're Kyle Reese, who actually dies in the movie.

Just before the end, you'll find a ladder hidden behind a pipe. Climb down it for an extra life and some health.

You'll finally meet the Terminator in his metal chassis. Shoot the button on the machines to open the doors on the floors. It's right, right, then left for those wondering where the machines are. After the third set of doors, go left to get the gun power-up. This gives you missiles. Use these and your grenades to do enough damage to destroy its legs. If the Terminator touches you, it's instant death. When you beat the game, the Terminator will finally be crushed under the machine thanks to Sarah Connor, ending it all.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 11 of 12

Now it's time for the final confrontation...

Level 10

After climbing those ladders at the beginning, you're probably wondering what to do next. Turns out you're supposed to shoot the machine at the left until the door blocking your path opens.

The conveyor belts are pretty self-explanatory, but they do their part in making the final level a lot harder, especially when you're trying to shoot the many turrets that can eat away at your health.

When you ride on the giant crane, jump when the humming sound it makes gets higher. This higher hum sound is made before the crane opens up and dumps you down, assuming you're standing on it when that happens. However, there is a better way to tell when you need to jump: look up at the lights. When the crane approaches one of the flashing, spinning lights, that's your cue to jump.

Also, those two enemies that don't spawn near one of the checkpoints until you double-back a couple of times are absolute bullcrap.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 10 of 12

We're finally at the Cyberdyne Factory, where the Terminator awaits us...

Level 9

You'll be dealing with a lot of low-lying robots that will cause you to alternate between ducking and shooting. Use your grenades if you need to.

Make your way up and to the left at the beginning. You'll find another gun power-up, which turns your bullets into larger, more powerful fireballs. It is very powerful against the enemies in this level, so you'll definitely want to go get it in order to destroy the shotgun robots on wheels in a few hits and blow up the ceiling turrets instantly.

Since this is a factory, there will be some conveyor belts here and there. The colums with the sirens and some of the computer systems will block your shots while also acting as cover.

Some of the pipes are platforms. Others are not. If you throw a grenade at the pipe and it explodes on it, it's a platform. If it doesn't, don't bother jumping on it.

Be careful with the box platforms hanging off the ropes. They fall shortly after you stand on them and they can hurt you if you touch the sides.

The boss here is a giant claw. Take out the robot that comes out from the foreground.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 9 of 12

After saving Sarah Connor, she and Kyle Reese end up in jail. One problem: why are all these hoodlums running amok outside of the cells?

Level 8

What is with all these pits in the jail area? Sheesh, I know Los Angeles wasn't that poor in the 1980s.

The Terminator is here again. If you shoot him enough, he just falls down for a couple of seconds before getting back up. He takes a lot of shots to kill, and the first time you meet him, you'll be able to get your hands on temporary invincibility. Use your grenades to speed things up.

At one point, you can jump down a pit after a flight of stairs to find some power-ups. Keep going right and you'll re-materialize through the stairs.

Once again, there are electrical cables hanging from the ceiling that will shock you.

If you see any gray panels on the wall, shoot them down to continue through the level.

You'll see Sarah Connor twice in this level, and both times, the Terminator won't be far behind. Take him out temporarily then run straight to the other side.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 8 of 12

This level is one big anachronism. We're in 1984, but the music is from the 1990s. What?

Level 7

This level takes place in...you guessed it...Tech Noir. Despite being in 1984, the music here sounds like it's from 1992.

Be sure to take out the light fixtures that swing around...otherwise, they're going to fall right on your head. If you're fortunate enough, you can shoot one off the ceiling and have it hit a bad guy in the head instead, causing a lot of damage. There are also some light fixtures that shoot out electricity every other seconds, so you'll want to pass them by at the right time.

Midway through the level, you find a bartender cleaning glasses with a lot of thugs around him...and a gun power-up. Lay waste to everyone and pick it up. Watch out for the bartender, though...he'll pull his shotgun out as soon as he sees you and will start firing away. With the new power-up making your firepower as good as it was in the fourth level, you should have no problem taking him out as well as other enemies that you'll meet from this point on.

You'll eventually meet a man with a machine gun, none other than the Terminator. Avoid his firepower and counter with both your gun and your grenades. You'll be playing keep-away and jumping over his bullets, but he'll eventually go down.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 7 of 12

We got shot at by lead singers from hair metal bands last time. And now it's going to happen again!

Level 6

You're on the rooftops, so be careful at the bottom of the level.

You can make the moving platforms move up by simply pressing Up on the Control Pad to look up.

The knife throwers are in greater numbers here.

Follow the neon signs saying "Bar" with the arrow to...well...get through the level and find the bar.

You can climb on some of the gold vertical support beams near the small water tower.

Throw bombs at the turret of the police helicopter to bring it down.

Angry Video Game Nerd - Terminator Games

The Angry Video Game Nerd made not one, but two videos on games based on the first two Terminator movies.

Bonus: games based on movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 6 of 12

We're in 1984! Now to find Sarah Connor...

Level 5

Just like in the movie, you get new clothes as well as a shotgun as soon as you make it to 1984 Los Angeles. At least you get them automatically and don't have to risk public nudity charges searching for clothes like in the movie.

Climb up the first building to power-up your gun. This allows for a faster fire rate, since you don't start with rapid fire when you travel through time. Oh, and you'll have to start stashing grenades all over again, since you won't be able to bring your grenades from the future with you.

There are a lot of goons here: pistol-packing punks with long red hair, knife tossing jerks, guys that throw Molotov cocktails, motorcyclists and even the police in their police cars all want you dead. Thankfully, the guys that you can shoot down are pretty easy to take care of, and you can easily avoid the indestructible police cars.

Since everyone here is a human, the enemies at this point in the game just collapse when they die as opposed to exploding.

Again, there are lifts that you can go up in with Up on the Control Pad.

Exploring the buildings is worth it, as there are power-ups for the taking, including a couple of extra lives.

Your first destination is to make it all the way to the bar as you search for Sarah Connor.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 5 of 12

We're nearly there! Now to get to the transporter and return to the past!

Level 4

The gun power-up from the end of the last level is nothing short of useful.

Shoot the green squares that flash and make a lot of noise when you approach them. These will allow you to access more of the level.

How anyone is supposed to figure out there is a ladder at the other end of this room besides jumping around is beyond me.

You'll definitely want to take out the turrets that fire from the ceiling here. Some of them will track you as you move around, so be careful.

The boss here is the Terminator himself. Shoot at him as he teleports around the room, running around the room as you go. If you have the gun power-up, this is significantly easier. When you destroy him, you'll be able to go back in time to 1984 Los Angeles.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 4 of 12

This is a big level.

Level 3 (continued)

At one point, there is a part of the level that contains a steel pipe that you can leap into. Hold Up on the Control Pad and jump straight up into it, and you'll end up at the top. It looks like the rest of the level and I can picture some people being stuck with this, not knowing that this has to be used to continue with the level.

Take out the turret that shoots the red lasers by throwing a couple of grenades at the laser cannon, and avoid the lasers entirely! If they hit you, you will be killed instantly.  From there, you can get a gun power-up by climbing up the metal blocks, and then exit the stage.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 3 of 12

We're getting close to the time machine, and Skynet has decided to up the ante...

Level 3

Some of the Terminators will be manning Gatling guns. After taking enough damage, the Gatling guns disappear and they'll just start walking around like normal enemies.

Use Up and Down to use the elevators. Yeah, that should be pretty self-explanatory, but still...

Avoid the drones, even though you can shoot them down if you choose to.

The four-legged drones that look like dogs are fairly quick and will leap at you. Thankfully, your jumping ability is far superior.

You'll want to jump through the orange beam when the center is orange. If it's white, it will damage you.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 2 of 12

You may remember the music here from the end of one of the AGVN's Terminator videos. This is where it comes from.

Level 2

There are foreground elements at both the beginning and the end of the stage, and they way they're shown is just really weird. They only fully show up fully in those two areas, and they're almost completely hidden from view at the bottom corners of the screen. Also, the blue border flashes every couple of seconds.

You'll be dealing with a lot of Terminators as well as some spider-legged tanks. You'll also be jumping over fire pits on your way to the end of the stage.

At one point, there will be a helicopter shooting at you. Whenever you're at the top of the area and you see it, you'll want to keep moving so you don't lose your health to it. Thankfully, you only see it briefly.

You can jump to the ledge with the 1-Up, but it takes some timing to pull it off.

At the end, you'll have to deal with a giant tank. Avoid its firepower and keep your distance, and throw some grenades at it as you shoot it down.

Foxhack plays The Terminator for Sega CD - Part 1 of 12

Sega CD rides again! It's The Terminator, and unlike the other console versions, this one isn't too bad...if you can put up with some of its eccentricities.

In the Sega CD version of this game, you play as Kyle Reese, who has to make it to 1984 to save Sarah Connor. Unfortunately, you'll have to deal with Skynet's forces before you can get over there.

Level 1

He gets around fairly quickly, but aiming is a pain. You can aim upwards as well as diagonally upwards, but not downwards. If you aim diagonally, you'll also run in that direction, so aiming your gun and taking out enemies without getting hit is a pain in the neck.

When you're on stairs, keeping the joystick neutral lets you shoot diagonally in the direction you're taking them. You have to crouch to shoot straight. Again, this makes taking on enemies a little frustrating.

On ladders, you can aim in any diagonal direction as well as left or right. 

The first two enemies you'll see are the human terminators (the ones with latex skin) and the all-metal Terminators. The human ones with the latex skin have to duck down to shoot at you, and the all-metal ones can aim downwards at you...something you can't do. Fun.

There are some self-firing sniper guns that will shoot at you, but if you fire at the barrels of the guns until they explode, they won't be able to fire at you anymore.

There are some robots on tank treads that take more damage than the Terminator-type enemies, but if you're far enough away from them when you fire at them, they won't pose much of a threat.

The red First Aid crosses, refill one bar of your life, while the yellow ones replenish it fully.

The flashing grey cylinders are grenades. Use these to take out stuff below you, especially if you're on stairs. Once you're used to its throwing arc, they're pretty easy to use and the damage you do from throwing them is worth it.

The picture of Kyle Reese's face with the word "1-Up" below it is obviously an extra life.

The small black and yellow cylinders on tripods are continue points. Trigger one, and you'll continue there when you lose a life.

The green vest makes you temporarily invincible.

When you see the exit sign, you know you're either there or very nearly there. All you have to do is find it and get out.