Terminator 2D: A Retro-Style Action Game Launching in September

18 Abr Terminator 2D: A Retro-Style Action Game Launching in September

British indie developer Bitmap Bureau crafted a small action masterpiece with Xeno Crisis, a top-down shooter released across platforms ranging from the Sega Mega Drive (its original target) to modern systems like PC and Switch.

Excitingly, the studio has now secured the rights to develop Terminator 2D: No Fate, a side-scrolling action game that adapts the 1984 and 1991 Terminator films into a 16-bit shooter. The pixel art, designed by veteran artist Henk Nieborg, captures key characters and scenes from the movies, making them look like something straight out of the Neo-Geo era.

At its core, the game feels like a mix between 16-bit Contra titles and early ’90s console games inspired by Alien 3, with individual stages shifting between genres—from an on-rails shooter to a side-scrolling beat ‘em up. Scheduled for release in September, Terminator 2D has been in development for quite some time, making it one of the most genuinely exciting surprises to emerge from the gaming world in 2025.

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, movie-based games were often hit-or-miss. However, it’s clear that Terminator 2D has been crafted with immense passion and effort. As Mike Tucker, co-founder and design director (and programmer) at Bitmap Bureau, puts it: “This feels like the T2 game we should have had in our youth.”