Cheetahmen II: The Infamous Unreleased Sequel

Introduction: A Forgotten Tale of Heroic Cheetahs

Released in 1993 but never officially distributed, Cheetahmen II is a sequel to Action 52, a game notorious for its poor quality. Published by Active Enterprises, the game follows the Cheetahmen—a trio of anthropomorphic cheetahs with superpowers—as they attempt to thwart the villain Dr. Morbis. While Cheetahmen II was never officially released, its unfinished state has led to a cult following, making it one of the most infamous games in NES history. Collectors and retro enthusiasts alike are fascinated by its strange legacy.

In this review, we dive into the game's troubled development, lackluster gameplay, and its peculiar standing as a sought-after rarity among NES collectors.

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Gameplay and Storyline: An Unfinished Battle Against Dr. Morbis

Cheetahmen II picks up where the original Cheetahmen from Action 52 left off. Players take control of one of the three Cheetahmen—Aries, Apollo, or Hercules—each with unique abilities, as they fight to stop Dr. Morbis and his army of mutants. The six levels, while offering different environments like forests, caves, and laboratories, suffer from incomplete design and repetitive gameplay.

The combat mechanics in Cheetahmen II are simple, consisting of basic attack movements such as punches, kicks, or swinging a club (depending on the chosen character). However, these mechanics are clunky and often unresponsive, leading to frequent frustrations. Enemies spawn at random and erratically, and platforming sections are poorly designed, resulting in many unavoidable deaths. The game’s unfinished nature becomes apparent in the later levels, which feature incomplete sprites, severe bugs, and even areas that cannot be completed without exploiting glitches.

The story, like the gameplay, is minimal, with no in-game text or cutscenes to explain the plot. Players are left to assume that they must stop Dr. Morbis from creating more mutant creatures, but this narrative thread is never fully explored.

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Behind the Scenes: The Rise and Fall of Active Enterprises

Active Enterprises was a small company best known for its infamous Action 52 compilation, a collection of 52 low-quality games, including the original Cheetahmen. Active Enterprises aimed to create a multimedia empire, with plans for Cheetahmen to spawn comic books, action figures, and even an animated series. However, the poor reception of Action 52 crushed these ambitions.

Cheetahmen II was meant to be a standalone game that would redeem the franchise, but due to financial and developmental issues, it was never completed. Only a small batch of cartridges was produced, which were later discovered in a warehouse in the mid-1990s. These rare cartridges have become collector’s items, with some selling for thousands of dollars at auctions.

The development of Cheetahmen II was overseen by Vince Perri, the founder of Active Enterprises. However, the lack of experienced developers and rushed production schedules resulted in the game's incomplete and broken state. Today, Active Enterprises is remembered less for its vision and more for its over-ambition and failure to deliver quality products.

Visuals and Sound: An Unpolished Experience

The visuals of Cheetahmen II are a step above some of the games in Action 52, but they still fall far short of NES standards. The character sprites, while distinct, suffer from awkward animations, and the environments are often bland and lack detail. There are noticeable glitches throughout the game, with sprites flickering or disappearing altogether. The later levels show clear signs of being unfinished, with empty backgrounds and misplaced tiles that further detract from the experience.

The soundtrack is repetitive and uninspired, with only a handful of tracks that loop endlessly. The sound effects are equally basic, consisting of generic punching and jumping noises. While the music isn’t grating, it doesn’t add much to the atmosphere of the game, and most players will quickly grow tired of it.

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Controls: Navigating the Broken World of Cheetahmen II

For those playing Cheetahmen II on an emulator, you’ll need to use a keyboard to simulate the NES controller. Due to the unresponsive nature of the game’s controls, precision is difficult, making customization of the control scheme essential. Here’s a breakdown of the default keyboard controls:

• Arrow Keys: Move your Cheetahman left or right, and crouch.

• Z Key: Jump. Timing jumps can be tricky due to inconsistent physics in the game.

• X Key: Attack with punches, kicks, or weapon swings.

• A Key: Use special attacks (when applicable to the chosen Cheetahman).

While the controls can be customized in Nestopia UE, many players may find that no matter the configuration, the game’s mechanics remain clunky. For the best experience, remap the keys to fit your playstyle, or use a USB controller to get closer to the original NES feel.

Playing Cheetahmen II on Modern Devices: Download and Play Now

To experience the notorious Cheetahmen II on your modern device, follow these steps:

Download Nestopia UE and the Cheetahmen II game file:

Download Nestopia UE

Download Cheetahmen II

Using the Drag-and-Drop Method:

• After downloading and extracting the Cheetahmen II game files, locate the Cheetahmen2.NES file.

• Drag the Cheetahmen2.NES file and drop it onto the Nestopia UE icon.

• The emulator will automatically launch and start the game.

For detailed instructions on customizing controls and optimizing your gameplay experience, visit our dedicated Nestopia UE page.

Explore More NES Emulators

Looking to try other emulators for your NES games? Check out our NES Emulators page, where you can find options for various platforms like Windows, macOS, and Android. Explore NES Emulators Here!

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