Action 52

Action 52
Developer(s)	Active Enterprises (NES) FarSight Studios (Sega Genesis)
Publisher(s)	Active Enterprises
Composer	NES Mario Gonzalez Javier Perez Ed Bogas (uncredited)
Platform(s)	NES Sega Genesis
Release Date(s)	NES 1991 (North America) Genesis 1993
Genre	Various
Mode(s)	Single-player multi-player
Distribution	Unknown

Action 52 is an unlicensed video game developed by Active Enterprises in September 1991 for the NES and in May 1993 for the Sega Genesis. The Super Nintendo version wasn't released. It initially retailed for the comparatively high price of US$199 (or "less than $4 for each game") and became notorious among gamers for the abysmal quality of its games. Many video game collectors value Action 52 for its notoriety and rarity. Both the NES and Genesis versions of Action 52 were reviewed by The Angry Video Game Nerd on April 30 and June 9, 2010.

Prototype

In 2010, a prototype cartridge of Action 52 surfaced, owned by movie and video games distributor Greg Pabich. Originally, Vince Perri had proposed a deal with Pabich asking him if he would be interested in working for Active Enterprises as a business partner. At this time, Perri only had a few prototype cartridges and not the final product. For various reasons, Pabich turned down the offer, but not before leaving with one of the prototypes in his possession, which was stored in his warehouse for over twenty years before it was "rediscovered".

The prototype itself contains numerous differences from the final Action 52 cartridges. It contains minor text differences for the game titles as well as different color backgrounds for the game selection menus. The final version contains the words "Action 52" in its header and copyright information in its footer. The prototype simply contains section numbers in each menu screen's header. The code for Action 52 appears to be heavily based upon the pirate multicart 52 in 1. This is evident due the menu template in the Action 52 prototype being identical to that of 52 in 1. However, the biggest difference between the prototype and the final game is that while the final copy contains the game Cheetahmen, the prototype does not. In its place is a completely different Cheetahmen game titled "Action Gamer" (presumingly taken from the main character the Action Gamemaster in Cheetahmen). Action Gamer features only two levels, one of which is incomplete.

On November 11, 2011, Greg Pabich publicly released reproductions of Action Gamer, calling it "Cheetahmen: The Creation". This special package contains a sealed version of the game for collectors, an unsealed copy, a reproduction of the original Cheetahmen comic book, a Cheetahmen music CD, special edition T-Shirts and a poster.

In August 2012, one of the four original Action 52 developers surfaced and surprised the gaming community with their find, their very own original boxed Action 52 NES prototype cartridge, the only other Action 52 prototype known to exist. Along with never-before-seen original Action 52 and Cheetahmen posters and artwork, they posted an eBay auction selling the items for a $97,000 Buy It Now option or Best Offer. The auction generated over 10,000 views and 50 offers. They have since created a blog documenting the auction, the prototype, and their part in the development of the Action 52 NES cartridge. Their version of the story of Action 52, Active Enterprises, Vince Perri, and the other developers can be read there.

List of Complaints

• The graphics.
• The B button controlling your jumps instead of A.
• Dying in midair before hitting the ground.
• Overabundance of space shooters.
• Library of games either being mediocre versions of shitty NES titles or terrible copies of better NES titles (Genesis version.)

Game list

Action 52 (NES)

1. Firebreather/Fire Breathers
2. Starevil/Star Evil
3. Illuminator
4. G-Force FGT./G-Force (G-Force Fighters)
5. Ooze
6. Silver Sword
7. Critical BP./Crytical Bypass (Critical Bypass)
8. Jupitr Scope/Jupiter Scope
9. Alfredo/Alfred N the Fettuc (Alfredo and The Fettucini)
10. Operat. Moon/Operation Full-Moon
11. Dam Busters
12. Thrusters
13. Haunted Hill/Haunted Halls (Haunted Halls of Wentworth)
14. Chill Out
15. Sharks
16. Megalonia
17. French Baker
18. Atmos Quake
19. Meong
20. Space Dreams
21. Streemerz
22. Spread Fire
23. Bubblgum Rosy/Bubble Gum Rossie (Bubblegum Rosie)
24. Micro Mike/Micro-Mike
25. Underground
26. Rocket Jock/Rocket Jockey
27. Non Human
28. Cry Baby
29. Slashers
30. Crazy Shufle/Crazy Shuffle
31. Fuzz Power
32. Shooting Gal/Shooting Gallery
33. Lollipops/Lollipop
34. Evil Empire
35. Sombreros
36. Storm Over D/Storm Over the Des. (Storm Over the Desert)
37. Mash Man
38. They Came... (They Came from Outer Space)
39. Lazer League
40. Billy-Bob
41. City of Doom
42. Bits N Piece/Bits and Pieces
43. Beeps N Blip/Beeps and Blips
44. Manchester (Manchester Beat)
45. Boss (The Boss)
46. Dedant
47. Hambo/Hambo's Adventures
48. Timewarp/Time Warp Tickers
49. Jigsaw
50. Ninja Asault/Ninja Assault
51. Robbie Robot/Robbie and the Robots
52. Cheetah Men (Action Gamemaster)

Action 52 (Genesis)

1. Bonkers
2. Darksyne
3. Dyno Tennis
4. Ooze
5. Star Ball
6. Sidewinder
7. Daytona
8. 15 Puzzle
9. Sketch
10. Star Duel
11. Haunted Hill
12. Alfredo
13. The Cheetahmen
14. Skirmish
15. Depth Charge
16. Minds Eye
17. Alien Attack
18. Billy Bob
19. Sharks
20. Knockout
21. Intruder
22. Echo
23. Freeway
24. Mousetrap
25. Ninja
26. Slalom
27. Dauntless
28. Force One
29. Spidey
30. Appleseed
31. Skater
32. Sunday Drive
33. Star Evil
34. Air Command
35. Shootout
36. Bombs Away
37. Speed Boat
38. Dedant
39. G Fighter
40. Man At Arms
41. Norman
42. Armor Battle
43. Magic Bean
44. Apache
45. Paratrooper
46. Sky Avenger
47. Sharpshooter
48. Meteor
49. Black Hole
50. The Boss
51. First Game (A Pong clone.)
52. Challenge

Cheetahmen

Released on the Action 52 NES and Genesis cartridges, The Cheetahmen was Active Enterprises' attempt to compete with the success of franchises such as Battletoads and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Action 52 cartridge came with a twelve-page comic book providing the Cheetahmen's backstory.

Cheetahmen II

The game was never released in North America; however, in 1996, 1,500 copies of the game were located in a warehouse, and eventually put on sale on the secondary market.

See also

• Transcript of AVGN Episode Action 52
• Transcript of AVGN Episode Cheetahmen