Summary
- Release Year: 1991
- Genres: Adventure, Arcade, Platform, Racing, Shooter
- Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System
- Developers: Active Enterprises
- Publishers: Active Enterprises
Action 52: The Most Infamous Game Cartridge in History
Released in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Action 52 is widely considered to be one of the worst video games ever made. It is a compilation of 52 games, most of which are poorly-made and often unplayable. The game has been mocked and ridiculed by critics and gamers alike, and has become a cult classic among retro gaming enthusiasts.
Development and Release
Action 52 was developed by Active Enterprises, a company founded by former Atari programmer David Crane. Crane had previously worked on a number of classic Atari 2600 games, including Pitfall! and Demon Attack. However, Action 52 was a far cry from Crane’s previous work.
The game was rushed into production in order to meet the holiday season deadline. As a result, many of the games are incomplete and buggy. Some of the games are simply unplayable, while others are so poorly designed that they are impossible to complete.
Action 52 was released in November 1991 and was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews. Critics panned the game’s poor graphics, repetitive gameplay, and numerous glitches. The game was also criticized for its misleading advertising, which claimed that it featured “52 New and Original” games. In reality, many of the games were simply rehashes of older games, or were blatant rip-offs of popular arcade games.
Legacy
Despite its critical and commercial failure, Action 52 has become a cult classic among retro gaming enthusiasts. The game’s infamy has led to it being featured in numerous articles and documentaries about bad video games. It has also been the subject of several fan-made remakes and tributes.
In 2010, Active Enterprises released a sequel to Action 52 called Action 53. Action 53 was just as poorly-received as its predecessor, and it further cemented Action 52’s status as one of the worst video games ever made.
Gameplay
Action 52 features a wide variety of games, including action, sports, puzzle, and strategy games. However, most of the games are poorly-made and often unplayable. Some of the more notable games include:
- California Games: A sports game that features a variety of events, such as skateboarding, surfing, and BMX racing. The game is notorious for its bad controls and glitchy graphics.
- Cheetahmen II: A side-scrolling action game that is a blatant rip-off of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The game is poorly-designed and features repetitive gameplay.
- Cosmo Cop: A top-down shooter that is similar to the arcade game Commando. The game is difficult to control and the graphics are cluttered and confusing.
- Robodemons: A side-scrolling action game that is similar to the arcade game RoboCop. The game is poorly-designed and features repetitive gameplay.
Graphics and Sound
The graphics in Action 52 are some of the worst on the NES. The sprites are poorly drawn and the colors are garish. The backgrounds are often cluttered and confusing, and the overall presentation is amateurish.
The sound in Action 52 is equally bad. The music is repetitive and annoying, and the sound effects are grating. The game’s sound chip is also prone to producing strange and unexpected noises.
Controls
The controls in Action 52 are unresponsive and imprecise. The buttons are often difficult to press, and the analog stick is loose and wobbly. This makes it difficult to play the games accurately and can lead to frustration.
Overall
Action 52 is a terrible video game. It is poorly-made, glitchy, and unplayable. The graphics are bad, the sound is annoying, and the controls are unresponsive. The game is not worth playing, even for ironic enjoyment.
If you are looking for a good NES game to play, there are plenty of other options available. Here are a few suggestions:
- Super Mario Bros.
- The Legend of Zelda
- Metroid
- Castlevania
- Mega Man 2
Review Score
1/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
