History Trivia / Action52

** ''Jigsaw'' is described as being [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a jigsaw puzzle game]. However, it's actually a carpentry-themed platformer.

** ''Bits and Pieces'' is described as a puzzle game but is actually a game where you jump on classic movie monsters.
** ''Jigsaw'' is described as being ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. However, it's actually a carpentry-themed platformer.

* RealSongThemeTune: The intro uses a sample of Rob Base's "It Takes Two".

* ManualMisprint: Several of the manual descriptions bear absolutely no resemblance to the actual game:

* StillbornFranchise: Along with the planned ''Cheetahmen'' cartoon and action figures, Active Enterprises had more games they hoped to develop. This included ''Cheetahmen II'' for the NES (of which some unofficially released cartridges were discovered years later), an SNES version of ''Action 52'', and another multicart titled ''Sports 5'' for both SNES and Genesis. There was also a ''Cheetahmen III'' planned exclusively for Active Enterprises' Action Gamemaster console, which would also be able to play NES, SNES, Genesis, and CD-ROM games.

* StillbornFranchise: Along with the planned ''Cheetahmen'' cartoon and action figures, Active Enterprises had more games planned for development. This included ''Cheetahmen II'' for the NES (of which some unofficially released cartridges were discovered years later), an SNES version of ''Action 52'', and another multicart titled ''Sports 5'' for both SNES and Genesis. There was also a ''Cheetahmen III'' planned exclusively for Active Enterprise's Action Gamemaster console, which would also be able to play NES, SNES, Genesis, and CD-ROM games.

* StillbornFranchise: Along with the planned ''Cheetahmen'' cartoon and action figures, Active Enterprises had more games planned for development. This included ''Cheetahmen II'' for the NES (of which some unofficially released cartridges were discovered years later), an SNES version of ''Action 52'', and another multicart titled ''Sports 5'' for both SNES and Genesis. Active Enterprises also wished to develop their own console called the Action Gamemaster, which would be able to play NES, SNES, Genesis, and CD-ROM games, .

* StillbornFranchise: Active Enterprises had plans to create a Cheetahmen animated TV series and toy line, but the very moment Creator/{{Nintendo}} of America refused to let the game be published on the [=NES=], it was all over.

** As stated in the main article, the creators had big dreams of making ''Cheetahmen'' into a big franchise. Had they put all that wishful thinking into developing one functional game, instead of 52 broken ones, they might have maybe, possibly gotten somewhere. Mayhaps.
** It could have been possible if they started with the action figures and the show rather than the game cartridge...
** Originally the idea for game 52 on the cartridge was having the player fight all bosses from the first 51 games in a grand BossRush finale. When the team was pressured into making it ''Cheetahmen'', the idea was scrapped, though some leftover elements (such as sprites from previous games appearing) still exist.

* CreatorBacklash: Designer Mario Gonzalez has said that his least favorite of the games from the start was ''Fire Breathers''; He said that he felt the concept was too ill-suited for the NES, and that he hated that it was the very first game on the list.

* DeliberateFlawRetcon: After Active got complaints about the two games that fail to launch (Alfredo and Jigsaw), they decided to "fix" the problem...by including a slip of paper with future stock that claimed [[LyingCreator you could "unlock" them by completing Ooze]], a game that was already UnintentionallyUnwinnable due to [[GameBreakingBug crashing after level 3.]] This is taking fraud to a whole new level, considering they ''had'' to have already known about the bug by this point given the impossible to win the contest surrounding it, which they surely must have gotten at least a few complaints about.

* CashCowFranchise: Attempted, but failed miserably. Active was clearly expecting ''Cheetahmen'' to become the next ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'', or at the very least the next ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}''. While it could perhaps have enjoyed some success, as many agree that the basic concept was kind of cool if not especially original, having the only way of obtaining it be as part of a $200 cartridge pretty much killed that idea from the word go.

* FanNickname: The Haunted Hill main character is officially called "Mrs. Tits" by many people, due to one [[WebVideo/AngryVideoGameNerd influential reviewer]].
* FollowTheLeader: Cheetahmen was this to the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles.

* ManualMisprint: Taken UpToEleven, as several of the manual descriptions bear absolutely no resemblance to the actual game. Several examples are rather JustForFun/{{Egregious}}:
** The manual describes ''Crazy Shuffle'' as a matching game, but it's actually a game where you shoot stuff in a hedge maze.
** ''Bits n Pieces'' is described as a puzzle game but is actually a game where you jump on stock movie monsters.
** In the manual, ''Jigsaw'' is described as being ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. However, it's actually a carpentry-themed platformer.
** The manual describes ''Manchester'' as a RhythmGame where animals will try to disturb your rhythm, but the actual game is a PlatformGame with no animals in sight.

* DeliberateFlawRetcon: After Active got complaints about the two games that fail to launch (Alfredo and Jigsaw), they decided to "fix" the problem...by including a slip of paper with future stock that claimed [[LyingCreator you could "unlock" them by completing Ooze]], a game that was already UnwinnableByMistake due to [[GameBreakingBug crashing after level 3.]] This is taking fraud to a whole new level, considering they ''had'' to have already known about the bug by this point given the impossible to win the contest surrounding it, which they surely must have gotten at least a few complaints about.

* DeliberateFlawRetcon: After Active got complaints about the two games that fail to launch (Alfredo and Jigsaw), they decided to "fix" the problem...by including a slip of paper with future stock that claimed [[LyingCreator you could "unlock" them by completing Ooze]], a game that was already UnwinnableByMistake due to [[GameBreakingBug crashing after level 3.]] This is taking fraud to a whole new level, considering they ''had'' to have already known about the bug by this point given the impossible to win contest surrounding it, which they surely must have gotten at least a few complaints about.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: With the rarity of these games, most people would play it on emulator.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece:
** ''Storm Over The Desert'' is very transparently based on [[UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar Operation Desert Storm]], which concluded just before the game's release.
** The [[BandLand music themed]], psychedelic ''Manchester'' is likely a reference to the "Madchester" music scene that declined in the early 90's.

* FanNickname: The Haunted Hill main character is officially called "Mrs. Tits" by many people, due to one [[WebVideo/AngryVideoGameNerd influencial reviewer]].

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Mario Gonzalez said he took the idea of "Bubblegum Rosy" from his then-girlfriend and eventual wife Rosy, who was always chewing gum.

** As stated in the main article, the creators had big dreams of making ''Cheetahmen'' into a big franchise, now, had they put all that wishful thinking into developing one functional game, instead of 52 broken ones, they might have maybe, possibly gotten somewhere. Mayhaps.

* CowboyBepopAtHisComputer: The manual for Action 52 describes the story and background for each game, but it also makes mention of gameplay functions and goals that don't appear in the final release and also alludes to many characters that don't appear in the games.

* There exists hidden-away sprites and some code suggesting further game entries, which would have made the total number of games 60 rather than the final 52 present.

* CreatorKiller: This game's infamous execution cemented Active Enterprises as SnarkBait right away, and they only got partway through ''Cheetahmen II'' before they effectively vanished.

* OnlyInFlorida: Yup, the brainchild of some guy from Miami who ended up [[http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Napleton-Hyundai/internet/Napleton-Hyundai-Bait-Switch-Underhanded-and-Dishonest-are-the-only-positive-things-to-899974 ripping people off more with car sale policies]]. HonestJohnsDealership much?

* UnlicensedGame: It pretty much is this.

* UrbanLegendOfZelda: Unused data in the game shows 8 duplicates of what appear to be a menu template, leading some to believe there would have been 60 games in total. This has been since regarded to be incorrect, due to further discoveries showing that some games had to be split into two "game" segments on the [=ROM=] (hence why you cannot exit Billy Bob after stage 2), plus more obvious tells of scrapped games (such as unused graphics pertaining to them) have not been found whatsoever.

** Heck, just about ''any'' unlicensed game is this, [[ScrewedByTheLawyers especially if it's based off a property they didn't get permission to use]].