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Action 52 is an unlicensed multicart video game compilation developed by Active Enterprises for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was released in 1991 and contained a total of 52 games. The compilation was designed to be similar to other NES multicarts, such as Caltron 6-in-1 and 8-in-1, but with a larger number of games.

The collection consists of a variety of genres, including platformers, shooters, sports titles, and puzzle games. Most of the games are original creations while some are clones or ports of arcade titles. Some notable examples include Cheetahmen – an action platformer inspired by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja – a clone of Data East’s Bad Dudes; and Fire Breathers – a side scrolling shooter based on Capcom’s 1942.

The quality of the games varies greatly due to the rushed development process. Many of them suffer from poor controls, slow framerates, and glitchy gameplay. Despite this, Action 52 has become somewhat of a cult classic among retro gamers due to its sheer quantity and novelty factor.

The cartridge itself is infamous for its high price tag at $200 USD which was considered outrageous at the time given that most NES cartridges cost around $30-$50 each. This led to Active Enterprises filing for bankruptcy shortly after its release as they were unable to recoup their losses from making the game. It also resulted in several lawsuits against retailers who sold it for such inflated prices as well as other companies who had allegedly stolen their ideas for the game without permission or compensation.

Despite all this controversy surrounding it, Action 52 is still fondly remembered today among retro gaming enthusiasts who appreciate its unique place in gaming history as one of the first attempts at creating an ambitious compilation game on consoles like the NES which were limited by memory constraints and technical limitations when compared to modern systems like PC or consoles like PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Nintendo Switch.