I think the general opinion I got was that people Like T3 as a game a bit more. It has a little deeper rule set.
T2 has a great theme, and has a few neat pinball firsts.
We went with the T2. Love it quite a bit, but its gotten old after 6 months.
(I still play it almost every day though)

Terminator 3 is the better game. There's no wizard mode in T2, so you might as well just keep hitting that center shot over and over and over again.

Terminator 3 has you shooting all over the playfield to get to the wizard mode. The biggest down side for some people is the RPG, which stops the game for a bit, but it's a fun interruption. You can disable it if it starts to get annoying.

T2 is more fun at first, but I'd rather have T3 in a private collection.

T3 is the better game....

T3 struggles a bit on music composition and sound quality imo. The artwork isn't all the inspired either. The game plays well but it's pretty rare to see it at the top of anyone's wish list.

Ironically I'm in the market for one haha.

I've owned T2 for a long time and don't see that changing. T3 is a better game. It's 12 years newer, deeper, and has better sound. The RPG isn't any less annoying than the T2 video mode.

If you had to pick one or had a small collection, I'd say pick the T3 unless you have some nostalgia attached to the T2 (like me). However, If you can swing it I'd get the T2, play it for six months, then sell it and get a T3.

T2 is the first game I pumped a ton of quarters through. And, the Sterns just don't "feel" as good to me...but maybe it's in my head. That's why I have a T2.

Terminator 3 has good flow and lots of shots. I even like the RPG. I like T2 and the art is the iconic terminator everyone loves. They are fairly close in price. T3 would be my pick.

T3 .

If nothing else, the RED mode makes T3 win for me.

Chris

T3 is the better game by a large margin. T2 is a classic layout and has longer shots and I believe the chase loop on it feels much faster than the one on T3, but the rules, music and lasting appeal are far better on T3. Biggest negative about T3 is that it is ugly as hell.

T2 is my favorite film of all time and I have a ton of nostalgia for the pin, but T3 is the clear winner. Both are keepers for theme alone to me.

T3 for sure...T2 is great beginner pin, but T3 is much deeper and the final battle with the TX is awesome! Classic Steve Ritchie!

T3 for sure, underrated big time. Should be in the top 20 based on speed and flow and theme, very cool game. The only downside is the main music I'm hoping I can change it like the songs in AC/DC with that software.

Owned both , T3 is a keeper.

T3 by far. Lost out on a local HUO T3 not that long ago. Still bummed out about it.

T3 for me. It's one of the smoothest metal ramp games i've ever played. Ramps play like butter.

T3, but don't pay too much for one. I've seen some dumb prices on them lately.

Owned T2 a few times and only played T3 on location. I really don't care for the T3 backglass shooting mechanism. T2 is an awesome game with the ramps and cannon.

T3 is better. I actually like the backbox RPG game. It gets harder the more times you start it. "Shoot here, and Here" I could do without, but the game overall is pretty good.

T3 > T2

T3 for sure, way more goin on.

T3=good pin
T2=mediocre pin

Although I agree that, gameplay wise, T2 < T3 on my personal list...T2 is definitely NOT mediocre. It's a well designed game for a time where rule sets were much simpler and demand was high amongst the customer base (ops) for something simple and quick.

T2 only falls short of T3 in 2014 because the landscape has changed since 1991. T3 offers more rule depth and more stuff to accomplish, which is much more welcome in an era where pinball is mostly a game played in private basements.

They both fall short to Ritchie's ultimate Terminator layout design, AC/DC.