When Arnold Schwarzenegger took on the role of the deadly cyborg in The Terminator, he became an international superstar. He also helped introduce one of the best villains-turned-allies in cinematic history, and it didn’t take long for video games to catch up. There have been several Terminator games released over the decades, and they range from fairly decent and meh to excellent entertainment. Terminator games have come out on many different consoles, computers, handhelds, and arcade games, so we took a look at all of them and ranked the top five. The five best Terminator games are ranked based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, overall popularity, and sales.
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5) Skynet
Skynet is an FPS developed by none other than Bethesda Softworks. Initially, the game was meant to be an expansion of The Terminator: Future Shock, but as it progressed, it evolved into a standalone title. The game includes eight levels, where players must solve objectives before continuing. They need to fight off various Terminators as they move across each level, and there are plenty of weapons and vehicle options available. The game was called revolutionary for its design, receiving praise for its graphics and deathmatch mode. The game was released on MS-DOS and isn’t currently available on modern systems. You can vote to preserve it on GOG, which supports video game preservation, so please do!
4) Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one of the greatest action sci-fi movies ever made, and it spawned one of the most successful lightgun arcade video games of all time. The game was designed to eat up quarters like a T-800 mowing down human survivors, but few cared as they played it. It’s loads of fun, features photorealistic graphics that were impressive in 1991, and somewhat follows the movie’s plot. While you need to either have a huge stack of quarters to beat it or grab yourself the Arcade1Up version and tear through it at home for free, it’s a great game with high replayability.
3) Terminator 2D: No Fate
Several games adapted Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and the most recent that did it exceptionally well is Terminator 2D: No Fate. The game was released in 2025 on multiple systems (after several delays), and is set during the events of the film. Unlike most modern games of its type, Terminator 2D: No Fate is a 2D side-scrolling title that presents like a ‘90s game but with modern graphics and capabilities. The “No Fate” feature kicks in across multiple playthroughs, where player choices unlock new scenarios, weapons, and secret levels. It’s a fantastic addition to the Terminator franchise and a must-play for anyone who considers themselves a fan.
2) The Terminator
In 1993, The Terminator was released for the Sega CD, based on the first film in the franchise. Because of the system’s capabilities, it was able to feature full-motion video from the film, which was a nice addition. The game is a platformer shoot-’em-up with 10 levels. The player takes control of Kyle Reese and travels through a facility in 2029, battling Terminators to get to a time machine so he can travel back to 1984. That’s the first four levels, and the last six deal with protecting Sarah Connor from the T-800 sent back to terminate her. It’s an exceptional adaptation that’s a load of fun, which is unfortunately not ported to modern systems.
1) RoboCop Versus The Terminator
The best game featuring everyone’s favorite time-traveling cyborg assassin is RoboCop Versus The Terminator, released on numerous consoles in 1993. The Sega Genesis version is the better option, as it was developed by Virgin Games using a proprietary game engine. The plot revolves around RoboCop’s tech being used to develop Skynet, and only RoboCop can stop the end of humanity. It’s set in the present and then in the future, where RoboCop rebuilds himself to take on Skynet once and for all. It’s a fun game that features two of cinema’s greatest cyborgs, which is also not available on modern systems as of writing.
What’s your favorite Terminator game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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