Action 52 is an infamous unlicensed multicart released for the NES in 1992 by Active Enterprises. Instead of a single polished experience, it delivers a notorious compilation of 52 short, often unfinished, and heavily bugged games. Despite its poor programming and frustrating glitches, it has gained a massive cult following among retro gaming enthusiasts, largely due to its ambitious scope and the inclusion of the bizarre, meme-worthy game The Cheetahmen.
How to play
Upon booting the cartridge, you are presented with a menu system where you can select any of the 52 titles. The objectives vary wildly between each mini-game, though most are basic shooters or platformers. For standard browser controls, use the Arrow keys for the D-pad to move, Z and X for the A and B action buttons, Enter for Start to pause or begin, and Shift for Select to navigate the main menu.
Tips
Many of the games suffer from broken hitboxes and floaty physics, so proceed with caution when making precision jumps. If a game crashes or freezes completelyโwhich is a common occurrence in titles like Oozeโyou will need to reset the emulator to return to the main menu. For the most complete experience on the cartridge, try loading up The Cheetahmen (game 52), which features multiple levels, distinct characters, and a notoriously catchy soundtrack.
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