Sequel games, Pt 1
I thought I would write a little about sequel games. This might turn in to an ongoing series, so let’s call this Part 1.
In 1991 Williams released Terminator 2 pinball.
This was intended to be the first game to display a dot matrix score display, but whether it was due to production schedules, or to time the game exactly when the movie hit the theatres, Gilligan’s Island from Bally slipped ahead.
In these days, since the acquisition of Bally by Williams Electronics in 1988, the factory would alternate a Bally title, with a Williams title.
Its designer; Steve Ritchie, is famous for introducing many industry firsts with his games (notably Flash, Black Knight, High Speed and AC/DC - I will discuss at another time).
Director James Cameron was reportedly very forthcoming with IP for this game’s production. They loaned the design team some props to use in their design process, and I believe the team were also privy to the daily rushes of the movie being made.
The result was a revolutionary game, that captured the hearts of both movie and pinball fans.
Williams sold 15,202 units of this title.
I can remember going to see the film in the cinema, and then that same day playing the brand new pinball game in the arcade.
It was turned up loud, and the soundtrack rocked.
With the new DMD (dot matrix display), it suddenly made all the earlier alpha-numeric games look old.
In 1991 we are hitting peak pinball for this time. Funhouse and Bride of Pinbot had just come out, and Addams Family was next in line to be released. They were indeed glory days for pinball.
In 2002 Steve Ritchie revisited the Terminator licence, and under his newly established Steve Ritchie Productions company, he designed Terminator 3.
The promo material proudly announced “He’s back!”
Both Steve Ritchie and Arnie as the terminator are back.
Steve from his tenure at Atari since finishing with Williams in 1996, and of course the next installment of the Terminator movie franchise.
Steve brought together the same team that helped him make T2 in 1991. Programmer Dwight Sullivan and musical composer Chris Granner.
Neither games are terribly deep in strategy.
What they lack for in depth, they make up for in pure adrenalin based fun.
T3 is more of a fan-layout, and both games reward successive combo shots.
It includes a RPG shooter game within the backbox, which was a unique feature.
T3 was released between Simpsons Pinball Party, and Lord Of The Rings. Both very popular titles for Stern.
T3 did not sell particularly well. Possibly around 2,000 units or so, but because Stern Pinball is not a publicly listed company the exact figures will never be known.
You can now play the T3 at The Borough bar in Tawa, and the freshly restored T2 will be available at a new central Wellington location from 13th June.
Footnote: At this same location and next to the T2, will be another beautifully restored classic from the same era…sure to delight.
