Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Williams, 1991 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.

Open Terminator 2: Judgment Day in the Pinball Genie app →

Designed by Steve Ritchie (programming Dwight Sullivan, art Doug Watson), T2 was a single production run of ~15,202 units — no Pro/Premium/LE split exists; the only variance across machines is ROM revision. It pioneered the gun-grip trigger auto-launcher (no plunger rod) and one of pinball's first mandatory ball-savers.

Skill Shot

No manual plunger — pull the trigger to auto-launch, then time a second trigger pull to hit the lit target on the moving 5-bank of standups. First success pays 1,000,000; each subsequent ball's successful skill shot is worth 1,000,000 more than the last.

Multiball — the Cannon

Knock down the skull drop target (center, below the T-800 skull graphic) to feed a saucer that loads the motorized Cannon. Pull the trigger as the Cannon swings past its lit standup to fire and start a 2-ball multiball. During multiball, the ball already loaded in the Cannon counts as the first lock; re-lock further balls at up to three saucers — the left eject (Database) saucer, the left orbit saucer, and the skull saucer — to raise the Jackpot multiplier: 1 ball locked = 1x (10M), 2 locked = 2x (20M), 3 locked = 3x (30M), fired by the Cannon again. Collecting a 2x or 3x Jackpot lights Super Jackpot (50,000,000): reload the Cannon and hit the independently-moving skill-shot target while another ball is still live. Multiple Super Jackpots are possible per multiball.

Modes and awards

• Payback Time — Alternate the left ramp (Cyberdyne AI Lab) and right ramp (Skynet Command Center); each ramp needs 5 hits, alternating, to light 10 "Security" circles (each consecutive alternating shot also pays 1,000,000). Completing all 10 auto-starts a ~20-second window where 6 shots — both ramps, the chase loop, the skull drop target, the escape-route saucer, and the 3 green pop-bumper timer lights — each pay a flat 5,000,000 in any order. This is T2's closest thing to a climactic mode; there is no true wizard mode.
• Chase Loop (right orbit) — An escalating value ladder: 250K → 500K → 750K → 1M → 1.25M → 5M, then sticky at 5M for the rest of the ball (resets each new ball). Fast consecutive shots stack an uncapped "Million Plus" bonus (+1M per quick consecutive make) on top.
• Escape Route — A 6-step award ladder advanced by completing the red center 3-bank and collected at the left orbit saucer (the kickout hole isn't directly shootable — it's fed via the left orbit): Security Pass → Hold Bonus → Return Lanes (unlocks Hurry-Up and Video Mode) → Multiball → Extra Ball → 10,000,000. Carries over ball to ball; an aggressive timer applies from step 4 onward.
• Hurry-Up — Qualified via the Escape Route return lanes or a Database award. Starts at 15,000,000, decays to a 3,000,000 floor over ~15 seconds; collected at the right orbit.
• Video Mode — Pinball's first-ever video mode. Qualified the same way as Hurry-Up, collected at the left orbit; use the flipper buttons to shoot descending Terminators (3 shots per wave) on the DMD.
• Database — Shoot the lit left eject saucer for a random pull from a 16-item award table (Extra Ball, Multiball, Hurry-Up, points, Video Mode, Chase Loop Advance, and more). The skull saucer does not award Database — it only loads the Cannon and serves as a Jackpot-multiplier lock location.

Multipliers

• Bonus Multiplier (2X–8X): advanced by completing the 3 top lanes (repeatedly); maxing it out (6X or 8X, operator-adjustable) lights an Extra Ball at the skull drop target. Hold Bonus (Escape Route award #2) carries accumulated bonus and multiplier into the next ball (doubled if collected on ball 3).
• Jackpot Multiplier: a separate system tied to how many balls are locked during multiball, counting the ball already loaded in the Cannon as the first lock (1/2/3 balls locked = 1x/2x/3x), independent of Bonus X.

Extra Balls (four paths)

Maxing Bonus X; Escape Route award #5; a random Database pull; and catching the falling Extra Ball box in Video Mode.

Combos and money shots

T2 predates the modern on-DMD "COMBO!" callout but has two real chaining mechanics: the ramp-alternation Security combo (1M per consecutive alternating ramp shot) and the Chase Loop Million Plus stack (uncapped +1M per fast consecutive right-orbit shot once the base ladder caps at 5M). The top human-executed scoring line is running a Cannon multiball while Payback Time is also active, so ramps, the chase loop, and Jackpots all pay simultaneously.

Physical layout

Two ramps (left/AI Lab, right/Skynet), two orbits (left/Escape Route, right/Chase Loop), a center skull drop target feeding a saucer and the Cannon, a red 3-bank of standups, a moving 5-bank skill-shot target, 3 pop bumpers under a large chrome skull toy, 3 top lanes, and a gun-grip trigger launcher — no spinner or captive ball on this table.

Goals in Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Every goal below is tracked step-by-step, with shot paths drawn on the playfield map, inside the app.

• Opening Skill Shot skillshot · Easy

  Pull the gun-grip trigger timed to strike the lit target on the moving 5-bank as the ball autoplunges — worth 1,000,000 with no drain risk.

  Reward: 1,000,000 skill shot, no drain risk

• Skill Shot Streak skillshot · Medium

  Make the skill shot on every ball of the game — each success is worth 1,000,000 more than the last.

  Reward: 1M on ball 1, +1M each successive ball (e.g. a 3-ball streak nets 1M+2M+3M = 6M)

• Security Ramp Alternation combo · Medium

  Alternate the two ramps to light Security circles and bank 1,000,000 per consecutive shot — the gate into Payback Time.

  Reward: 1,000,000 per consecutive alternating ramp shot; all 10 Security lights auto-starts Payback Time

• Chase Loop Million Plus combo · Hard

  Hit the right orbit repeatedly without breaking rhythm — the base ladder climbs to a sticky 5,000,000, then every fast consecutive shot stacks another +1,000,000 on top.

  Reward: 250K-5M ladder (sticky at 5M) + uncapped +1,000,000 per fast consecutive make (Million Plus)

• Load the Cannon combo · Medium

  The core setup chain for multiball and jackpots: drop the skull target, let the saucer load the cannon, then fire it.

  Reward: A good cannon hit pays a Jackpot, or (pre-multiball) starts 2-ball multiball

• Escape Route Target-Bounce Loop combo · Hard

  A home/casual repeatable farm: catch on the right flipper, carom through the escape-route standups, then the left orbit feeds the kickout hole for extra balls and 10,000,000 per lap — unconfirmed. Not tournament-legal (extra balls disabled in tournaments).

  Reward: Extra ball + 10,000,000 per completion cycle; up to about 6 laps per ball is achievable, though inconsistent

• Payback Time Flat-Farm combo · Medium

  Once Payback Time is running, hammer whichever of its 6 shots is most reliable on the machine — every one pays a flat 5,000,000 for about 20 seconds, in any order.

  Reward: 5,000,000 flat per shot for ~20 seconds, any of the 6 qualifying shots, any order

• Cannon Multiball multiball · Medium

  Light and start the signature 2-ball multiball by loading and firing the cannon.

  Reward: Starts 2-ball Cannon Multiball

• Jackpot Re-Lock & Collect multiball · Medium

  During an active multiball, re-lock balls at up to three saucers to multiply the Jackpot value before firing the cannon.

  Reward: 1x/2x/3x Jackpot = 10M/20M/30M depending on how many balls you re-lock

• Super Jackpot multiball · Hard

  Chain a 2x or 3x Jackpot into the 50,000,000 Super Jackpot by reloading the cannon and hitting the independently-moving target — requires reloading the cannon while another ball is still live on the playfield, so there's real drain risk.

  Reward: 50,000,000 Super Jackpot; multiple collects possible per multiball if enough balls survive

• Payback Time mode · Medium

  The game's closest thing to a climactic mode: light all 10 Security circles via alternating ramps, then hammer any of 6 shots for a flat 5,000,000 during the ~20-second window.

  Reward: 5,000,000 flat per shot across 6 qualifying shots during the ~20-second window

• Escape Route mode · Medium

  A 6-step award ladder advanced at the center 3-bank and collected at the left orbit saucer — the path to Security lights, Hold Bonus, Video Mode/Hurry-Up unlocks, Multiball, an Extra Ball, and 10,000,000.

  Reward: Security Pass, Hold Bonus, Return Lanes (Hurry-Up/Video Mode unlock), Multiball, Extra Ball, or 10,000,000 by ladder step

• Video Mode mode · Medium

  Pinball's first-ever video mode: qualify it through the Escape Route return lanes or a Database award, then shoot down descending Terminators on the DMD.

  Reward: Catching the falling Extra Ball box mid-mode nets an extra ball (one of T2's 4 extra-ball paths)

• Hurry-Up mode · Medium

  A fast-decaying points award — qualify it, then race to the right orbit before the value bottoms out.

  Reward: 15,000,000 decaying to a 3,000,000 floor over ~15 seconds - faster hits pay more

• Bonus Multiplier (2X-8X) multiplier · Easy

  Build end-of-ball bonus multiplier by repeatedly rolling the three top lanes; maxing it out also lights an Extra Ball.

  Reward: Steps Bonus X 2X→4X→6X→8X (end-of-ball multiplier); maxing it lights an Extra Ball at the skull target

• Multiball Jackpot Multiplier multiplier · Medium

  A separate multiplier system from Bonus X: the number of balls you re-lock during multiball sets the Jackpot to 1x, 2x, or 3x before you fire the cannon.

  Reward: Sets the pending Jackpot to 1x/2x/3x (10M/20M/30M) based on balls re-locked before firing the cannon

• Payback Time + Multiball Stack wizard · Hard

  T2 has no dedicated wizard mode — this is the closest thing: keep a cannon multiball alive while Payback Time is also running so every shot double-dips, the top human-executed scoring line in the game.

  Reward: Stacks Jackpots with Payback Time's flat 5,000,000/shot - the game's top scoring line (no true wizard mode)

• Best Opener strategy · Easy

  The recommended first sequence off the plunger: free skill shot, then set up the cannon while you still have max time and balls to exploit it.

  Reward: Free 1,000,000+ skill shot, plus a loaded cannon ready for a Jackpot or multiball start

• Beginner First 30 Seconds strategy · Easy

  A concrete, timed shot-by-shot script for a new player's opening ball.

  Reward: Skill shot banked (1M+), cannon loaded, and the Security ramp rhythm started toward Payback Time - all inside 30s

• Safe Scoring: Escape Route EB Loop strategy · Medium

  A ball-preservation strategy: loop the Escape Route standups for extra balls before pivoting to points — more playtime compounds into a higher final score. Home/casual only; extra balls are disabled in most tournament settings.

  Reward: Extra balls via the Escape Route ladder (repeatable, but not on every machine) before pivoting to Chase Loop/Jackpot points

• Database Award Collect strategy · Medium

  The far-left standalone hole hands out a random award when its insert is lit — a cheap way to pull Video Mode, a Hurry-Up light, or points without setting anything up first.

  Reward: One random Database award (points, a lit Hurry-Up, a Video Mode start, or other rule advances)