Terminator 2D: No Fate is here, but does the side-scrolling 16-bit shooter live up to the billing? For nostalgia chasers and lovers of the Terminator franchise, No Fate could be the perfect retro game for your modern console.
Big 3D blockbuster Terminator titles have come in the past, and more are on the way, but there’s something very special about this 2D run-and-gun shooter. Could Terminator 2D: No Fate’s success pave the way for more retro-style 16-bit pixel art shooters?
Terminator 2D: No Fate Bringing Back the Nostalgia Vibes
Terminator 2: Judgment Day will be 35 years old in 2026. The second movie in the beloved Terminator franchise remains one of the most important films for cinema and is widely considered one of the best action flicks ever made.
Terminator 2D: No Fate is more than just a love letter to Judgment Day. The game is faithful to the movie down to the tiny details, bringing back the characters, locations, and pure over-the-top T2 action.
Of course, seeing a Terminator 2 game with stunning modern-day graphics in open-world environments is great and all, but there’s something very special about No Fate’s unique pixel-art design.
In terms of looks, the game could pass as a Sega Mega Drive or Super Nintendo title that was released alongside the 1991 film. This version has serious similarities to the original 1993 Terminator 2 Genesis and SNES game.
Consoles like the Evercade and Super Pocket are looking to keep retro gaming alive in physical form, with older games being ported to Blaze Entertainment’s devices on proprietary cartridges. It would be great to see Terminator 2D show up on the Evercade down the line.
T2 Characters, Settings & Thrilling Run-and-Gun Gameplay
Getting the characters, setting, and gameplay right when making a game based on a movie is imperative. Thankfully, Bitmap Bureau has hit the nail on the head with Terminator 2D: No Fate.
The much-loved Sarah Connor, John Connor, and the T-800 are all playable. Sarah is the hard-as-nails mother, protecting her son John, who is the future leader of the Human Resistance. The T-800, iconically played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movies, is sent back in time to lend a hand.
Playing as the trio is great fun for fans of the franchise, as they all have unique weapons and skills. Sarah’s sheer resilience to protect her son shows in her pistol skills, while John is a real hero in the future war, using an arsenal of powerful weapons to take down Skynet.
The T-800 Terminator model is just as you would expect. The machine is a powerful protector for both Sarah and John, assisting with high-calibre rifles and devastating grenades. All three feel unique and play their part in the story.
The enemies are also on point, with Terminators and Hunter Killers ready to strike you down. The T-1000, one of the most recognisable villains in movie history, is also in the game.
Terminator 2D: No Fate is a side-scrolling run-and-gun shooter, and the game plays exactly like that. Expect to be constantly firing, moving, and evading, with the difficulty ramping up the further you get. No Fate may be on the short side, but it offers countless hours of replayability.
Can Terminator 2D: No Fate Open the 2D Floodgates?
There is still a place in the market for retro-style arcade games, even new ones. We have had the likes of Cuphead, SteamWorld Heist 2, and My Friend Pedro in recent years. These titles are available on modern hardware, such as the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
Terminator 2D: No Fate could turn out to be one of the biggest and most popular. Bitmap Bureau landed the Terminator 2: Judgment Day rights, and the developer has done an excellent job adapting the film into a wonderful 2D gaming experience.
After becoming such a big hit on the silver screen, many Terminator games have been made, with some better than others. Terminator: Survivors, the open-world Terminator game we’ve been waiting for, is coming soon.
Many older action movies would make great modern pixel-art classic video games, with RoboCop and Blade Runner springing to mind. Also, with so many top-notch 2D shooters stuck on old hardware, some classic remasters would be very welcome.
After pulling off Terminator 2D: No Fate, it will be fascinating to see where Bitmap Bureau goes from here. Could the Xeno Crisis developer have more retro surprises up its sleeve?
