Active Enterprises
Encyclopedia
Active Enterprises Ltd. is a defunct American
video game developer headquartered in Miami, Florida
that was active in the early 1990s. Their best known game, and the only title officially released by the company, was the infamous Action 52
multicart
for the NES
and Sega Genesis
video game consoles.
.
Promising 52 "new and original exciting games", Action 52 was initially sold for the comparatively high price of $199 USD (or "less than $4 for each game"), and was backed up by a promotional contest which offered a grand prize of $104,000. However, the title soon became notorious for the poor quality of its games and their numerous bugs and glitches, while the contest, which involved reaching a stage in the game Ooze became essentially unwinnable due to these same factors. Nonetheless, in 1993 Active Enterprises contracted Farsight Technologies
to port Action 52 to the Sega Genesis and the SNES
, and develop the sports game Sports 5. Only Action 52 for the Genesis was released out of these 3 games.
Action 52 also included a game titled The Cheetahmen, which Active Enterprises trademarked in 1992 and hoped to turn into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
-inspired media franchise consisting of action figures, a comic book series and even a television cartoon series. A sequel, Cheetahmen II was developed but never released.
By late 1994, Active Enterprises had left the video game industry, but not before making a final Consumer Electronics Show
presentation, which included promotion for a third Cheetahmen game and announcing an ambitious handheld game console
, the Action Gamemaster
, which promised compatibility with NES, SNES, Genesis and CD-ROM
games via separately sold adapters.
Contrary to popular opinion, Active Enterprises reportedly continued trading in the computer technology sector after their short-lived foray in the video game industry. During its years in business, the company was headquartered in Florida
and managed in The Bahamas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
video game developer headquartered in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
that was active in the early 1990s. Their best known game, and the only title officially released by the company, was the infamous Action 52
Action 52
Action 52 is an unlicensed multicart consisting of 52 individual and original video games, released in September 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System and in May 1993 for the Sega Genesis consoles by Active Enterprises...
multicart
Multicart
In video game parlance, a multicart is a cartridge that contains more than one game. Typically, the separate games are available individually for purchase or were previously available individually . For this reason, collections, anthologies, and compilations are considered multicarts...
for the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
and Sega Genesis
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
video game consoles.
Company history
Active Enterprises was formed by Raul Gomila and Vince Perri in 1989, and was founded by the genesis of the idea behind Action 52, a collection of 52 original games on one cartridge which was developed and published internally and eventually released for the NES in 1991. The game was not licensed by NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
.
Promising 52 "new and original exciting games", Action 52 was initially sold for the comparatively high price of $199 USD (or "less than $4 for each game"), and was backed up by a promotional contest which offered a grand prize of $104,000. However, the title soon became notorious for the poor quality of its games and their numerous bugs and glitches, while the contest, which involved reaching a stage in the game Ooze became essentially unwinnable due to these same factors. Nonetheless, in 1993 Active Enterprises contracted Farsight Technologies
FarSight Studios
FarSight Studios is an American video game developer established in 1988. They are an official licensed developer for all current home and handheld consoles including the Sony PlayStation 3 and Move, PlayStation 2, PSP, and PlayStation Vita; the Microsoft Xbox, Xbox 360, and Kinect; as well as the...
to port Action 52 to the Sega Genesis and the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, and develop the sports game Sports 5. Only Action 52 for the Genesis was released out of these 3 games.
Action 52 also included a game titled The Cheetahmen, which Active Enterprises trademarked in 1992 and hoped to turn into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
-inspired media franchise consisting of action figures, a comic book series and even a television cartoon series. A sequel, Cheetahmen II was developed but never released.
By late 1994, Active Enterprises had left the video game industry, but not before making a final Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
presentation, which included promotion for a third Cheetahmen game and announcing an ambitious handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
, the Action Gamemaster
Action Gamemaster
The Action Gamemaster was a vaporware product that would have been produced by Active Enterprises, a small manufacturer of unlicensed video games....
, which promised compatibility with NES, SNES, Genesis and CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
games via separately sold adapters.
Contrary to popular opinion, Active Enterprises reportedly continued trading in the computer technology sector after their short-lived foray in the video game industry. During its years in business, the company was headquartered in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and managed in The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
.
Released games
- Action 52Action 52Action 52 is an unlicensed multicart consisting of 52 individual and original video games, released in September 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System and in May 1993 for the Sega Genesis consoles by Active Enterprises...
(1991) (Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
) - Action 52 (1993) (Sega GenesisSega Mega DriveThe Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
)
Unreleased games
- Action 52 (Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
) - Sports 5 (Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
) (Sega GenesisSega Mega DriveThe Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
) - Cheetahmen II (Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
) - Cheetahmen III (Action GamemasterAction GamemasterThe Action Gamemaster was a vaporware product that would have been produced by Active Enterprises, a small manufacturer of unlicensed video games....
)
External links
- Active Enterprises at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Active Enterprises exposed
- Cheetahmen Corner - A site dedicated to the Cheetahmen, Action 52 and other Active Enterprises information.