RoboCop versus The Terminator

Moby ID: 39421
Genesis Specs
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Description official description

The Dark Horse comic book crossover of the two famous 80s cyborgs spawned various different game adaptations. RoboCop versus The Terminator on Sega systems is only loosely based on the comic.

The player controls RoboCop who during his duty of policing the streets of Detroit is lured into a trap by Terminators sent from the future. By uploading himself into the computer network, he becomes the seed from which the malevolent Skynet grows. Years later, in the post-apocalyptic future, RoboCop is reactivated and must help the human resistance by attacking and defeating Skynet once and for all.

The game is a platformer with heavy shooting elements and consists of 10 levels. Many enemies stand in RoboCop's way and must be destroyed via 8 different weapons. RoboCop begins the game with only a basic pistol, but other weapons can be found, including flame and grenade throwers, laser guns, self-seeking missiles and others. While all guns have unlimited ammo, only two can be carried at the same time and being killed means the currently equipped gun is lost.

The game is evenly split between present and future levels. Enemies in present Detroit include mostly street punks and other criminal elements while the future is of course populated by deadly machines: Terminators, robotic dogs and spiders and many automated guns. Each level ends with a boss battle, featuring Terminators, heavy tanks and RoboCop's famous adversaries ED-209 and Cain (aka RoboCop 2).

Some levels feature optional goals besides getting to the exit, like freeing hostages or destroying security cameras.

Spellings

  • ロボコップVSターミネーター - Japanese spelling

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Credits (Genesis version)

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Programmer
Director
Lead Animator
Art Director
Lead Designer
Background Artists
Director of Music & FX
Music
Samples
Computer Art Consultant
Assistant Designer
Additional Animations
Additional Computer Art
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[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 75% (based on 21 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.2 out of 5 (based on 38 ratings with 1 reviews)

Another great platformer by Virgin Interactive.

The Good
The Dark Horse comic book crossover was great and, when I first heard reports about the crossover miniseries being adapted into a 16-bit Genesis game I was excited, and a bit nervous.

A large library of video games exist based on comic book characters. Too many of them are poorly made, shovelwere that seems to be made by people that either don't like or understand comic books.

Luckily, the game was being developed by the creative folks at Virgin Interactive. In the early 1990s, this company released several great platforming games for the 16-bit Genesis and Sega CD. This one is certainly in that category of greatness for similar reasons.

"RoboCop versus The Terminator" features superb, 16-bit animation, graphics, sound effects and music. If video game companies have "golden eras", then this was certainly Virgin's Interactive's time of greatness.

The folks at Virgin Interactive really knew how to properly utilize the Sega Genesis/CD hardware. Likewise, when it came to action/adventure platforming, the folks at Virgin Interactive knew what worked and what didn't work.

Here RoboCop is responsive, easy to control and has access to some cool, uber-violent, firepower. I do not think I had so much fun controlling Robocop in a video game since playing the original coin-op arcade game based on the first film.

The graphic violence and overall darker tone, while appropriate for the source material, was certainly distinct from other Virgin games of that era; i.e. "Cool Spot", "Global Gladiators" and "Earthworm Jim".

In fact, much of the game's graphic violence, blood and gore was toned down in order to receive a MA-13, instead of a MA-17 Parental Advisory label. Although, the MA-17 edition of the game could be accessed with a secret code.

The Bad
The storyline in this game is, at best, loosely based on the Dark Horse comic book miniseries. While I was initially disappointed with the changes, I have to say that the storyline in the game was certainly sufficient.

This was one of those 16-bit video games that you played, largely because you got to control a bad-ass, heavily armed, RoboCop on his own urban 'postal' rampage against bad guys. In that sense, the storyline is not as important, but fans of the comic book series will notice the differences.

The game has a nasty habit of 'downgrading' your cool weapons when you lose your extra lives. True, this was often a reality in video games, but it does make the game very difficult, especially if you lose a powerful weapon later on in the game.

On some level, Virgin Interactive must have known that this might distract some from the replay value. Among the several, cool, Easter Eggs in this game is the ability to easily access all of the cool, bad-ass weapons.

Lastly, this is a platformer that looks, sounds and plays great. It is fun to play and never becomes too difficult. However, it is still a one-player, platformer, and does not radically break any new ground in that particular video game genre.

The Bottom Line
"RoboCop versus The Terminator" is one "bad-ass", uber-violent video game. If you have ever wanted to control the famous, 1980s cyborg cop as he wages a one-man war on crime, then this is the game for you.

Genesis · by ETJB (428) · 2014

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Terok Nor.

Game Gear, SEGA Master System added by RKL.

Additional contributors: j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】.

Game added February 26, 2009. Last modified March 1, 2024.