Terminator 2: Judgment Day (NES)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Also known as: T2 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day Developer: Software Creations Publishers: LJN (US/EU), Pack-In-Video (JP) Platform: NES Released in JP: June 26, 1992 Released in US: February 1992 Released in EU: 1992 This game has unused code. This game has a hidden developer message. This game has hidden developer credits. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused music. This game has a prototype article

Another terrible game based on the Terminator series.

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Prototype Info

Unused Text

Several Software Creations games (including this, Sky Shark, Target: Renegade, Magic Johnson's Fast Break, Pictionary, and Treasure Master) had their empty space padded with copyright/credits text, rather than 00 or FF as most other games did.

Terminator 2 contains the following text in two encodings, standard ASCII and 00-based, interleaved:

  TERMINATOR 2.
  COPYRIGHT 1990 SOFTWARE CREATIONS LTD.
! PROGRAMMER   STEPHEN RUDDY.
! SOFTWARE CREATIONS LTD.
  FIRST FLOOR      204 OXFORD ROAD
  MANCHESTER      M1 5QA
  GREAT BRITAIN
  TEL 061 236 1154
  FAX 061 236 8248
     WIGAN RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB

Note that there are no actual line feed symbols in the text; each line is a fixed length, padded with spaces.

Intended Release Version

It seems that Software Creations intended to release a more complete version of Terminator 2, as seen in the video. The only difference appears to be an added high score table during the attract mode, also seen in the prototype version, but more complete.

(Source: Ste Ruddy)

This screen still exists in the released versions of the game, and can be re-enabled in the European version with Game Genie code XVKZLYAV (it will appear between the game over and continue screens, and after the game's ending). Unfortunately, it's only for show, as most of the code needed to actually make it work is either incomplete or doesn't exist, including the actual name entry screen.

Unused Score Display

Code to display your score in place of the health bar still exists in the final version, and can be enabled by setting RAM address $72A to 01.

Unused Graphics

The prototype featured grafitti on the walls of some rooms in the hospital level. Even though they aren't seen in the final game, the graphics are still present.

Unused Music

There is an unused jingle in the ROM. Its downbeat nature suggests that it was meant to be used for death and/or Game Over, both of which just continue playing the main BGM.

(Source: VGMPF)