If you're into the whole Terminator mythos, you NEED this game.

User Rating: 9.5 | The Terminator GEN
The Terminator game for the Genesis is a very impressive game; it sports some very good graphics, some of the Genesis' best soundtracks together with crisp, cool and mood-setting sounds. Everything just works very well and it's fun to play, and isn't that why we play videogames in the first place?

Graphics:
The intro as you insert the cartridge is awesome with 16 bit graphics spelling out "Terminator" in cinematic fashion complete with the Genesis rendering its version of the awesome original soundtrack. This game is divided into four levels which all play like side scrolling shooters (shoot 'em ups, if you are old enough) with a little (and I mean a LITTLE) platforming going on. The first stage is in the future, where you start above ground but eventually penetrates one of Cyberdyne's underground vaults with Hunter Killers, space ships and security robots which must all be compromised to complete your mission; to destroy a reactor by setting a time-bomb. After the bomb is set the color-scheme changes to an emergency-red, and you've got about forty seconds to get out. The second stage is on the streets and has an urban feel to it with cops and thugs attacking you. This stage also has multiple ways you can go about. You can climb ladders and progress across the roof, but if you do a helicopter will attack you. The objective this time is to get into Tech noir, the rave/techno-club from the movie. Next stage is of course in the Tech noir and features only a boss fight with the 101. You need to meet up with Sarah at a table in the club to go on to the next level which takes place during one of my favorite scenes of all time; the police station. You've managed to get out of your cell and now you need to find Sarah and get out of there. The fifth and last stage is the final fight with the Terminator model 101, which is the only level that's really platform-based.
All the levels are very well designed and the feeling and atmosphere they project is as good as it possibly could be on a 16-bit machine. The sprites are all of considerable size and animates very well, the scrolling is perfect, cut-scenes in between stages are also cool, although they consist of only text and still-pictures.
If I have to complain (and I do, of course) my first complaint would be that there are a lot of recycled graphics, like many tables look the same in the police station and so on. Also the enemies aren't very varied, especially in stages 3 and 4 where the enemies consist invariably of police and thugs (only one kind), that's two different foes spanning two whole levels. But to be honest, with the inclusion of encounters with the helicopter and the terminator thrown in, it never gets boring to look at.
Another thing I should add is that small things in the game reminds me of the movie, like the way Reese conceals his shotgun under his coat when he walks around and the way the exoskeleton limps after you and even the way the Terminator points his gun at you looks exactly the way Arnold holds it in the movie. As a hardcore Terminator-fan, things like that are priceless in my opinion, so while the actual graphics are "only" excellent, the artistic side of the game is near-perfect.
93%

Gameplay:
The Terminator is easy to pick up and play; run and gun. The controls are easy and responsive. The only thing that I can imagine is annoying is on the levels where you wear a coat and are equipped with the shotgun, the time it takes for you to throw your coat back and fire the first shot takes a long time. This is avoided by ducking and firing, as the fire is instantaneous. It is good fun to advance through all the different stages and firing your shotgun at rapid speed to finally reach the end-level where you need to lure the terminator (which is limping just like in the movie, shot him a few times however and he will blast in half and start crawling after you, just like in the movie) into the metal press and activate it. There are three difficulties to master and it's still not a very difficult game, even on hard setting unfortunately.
90%

Sound:
If you thought the rendition of the original soundtrack in the beginning was awesome, you will drop your chin at the original score of the game. It's very atmospheric and suits the gameplay perfectly. The soundeffects in the game are among the best I've ever heard on the Genesis and it all sounds very good. You'll have the soundtrack in the back of your mind long after you've quit playing. There's also the option to listen to the tracks (in good Genesis-spirit) and the sound effects at your pleasure from the main menu. AWESOME!
95%

Lastability:
I still play through the game at least once a year. It's THAT good, but like I said the game's not very challenging and with only three difficulties to choose from and with the minimal exploration and no unlockables, chances are that you'll be burnt out on the gameplay after you've finished it on all difficulty levels. I can play this game forever, but I'm not like everybody else.
88%

Overall:
The makers love for the movie and spot-on atmosphere, perfectly mixed with the fast-paced gameplay makes this game one of the best movie-licensed games of its generation.
If you're into the whole Terminator mythos, you NEED this game.
94%