Ape Escape

This article is about the Ape Escape series. For the first game in the series, see Ape Escape (video game).

Ape Escape
Official series logo
Genres	Platform game
Developers	SCE Japan Studio
Publishers	Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms	PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable
First release	Ape Escape June, 1999
Latest release	PlayStation Move Ape Escape December, 2010

Ape Escape (known as Saru Get You (サルゲッチュ, Saru Getchu) in Japan) is a series of video games made by Sony Computer Entertainment, starting with Ape Escape for PlayStation in 1999. The series often incorporates ape-related humour, unique gameplay, and a wide variety of pop culture references; it is also notable for being the first game to make the DualShock controller mandatory.

History

Ape Escape, Piposaru 2001 and Sequel (1999 - 2003)

In 1998, it was confirmed that a title would be developed under the name "Sarugetchu" and would be specifically designed for the DUALSHOCK controller, and would be the first game to do so. The title was a massive success going Platinum, entering the Greatest Hits series in the US, and entered the "Best Of" releases in Japan. It was reviewed positively, and was compared to games such as Super Mario 64. In 2001, it was confirmed that two games would be coming out from the franchise. "Piposaru 2001" was confirmed first as well as "Ape Escape 2" to follow. Piposaru 2001, was released in July 2001 in Asia only, and was a massive success making it into the "Best Of" series. It was received well, most saying that the game was fun, and easily one of the best platformers the PlayStation 2 had seen. But it was criticized for not being as addictive as the original. In 2003, Ape Escape 2 was released worldwide to great success entering the 'Best Of" series again in Asia, making it the franchise's 3rd consecutive title to enter the series. In the US, the game entered the "Greatest Hits" series and in Europe, the title was re-packaged in 2005, with a whole new look, to match the then just-released title "Ape Escape 3". The game gained similar reviews, with its only criticism being the game wasn't as good as the first.

Games

Main series

• Ape Escape (PlayStation) - June 1999
• Ape Escape 2 (PlayStation 2) - July 2001
• Ape Escape: On the Loose (PlayStation Portable) - March 2005
• Ape Escape 3 (PlayStation 2) - July 2005

Spin-offs

• Ape Escape 2001 (PS2) (Japan only) - July 2001
• Ape Escape Million Monkeys (PS2) (Japan only) - July 2006
• Ape Escape Racing (PSP) (Japan only) - December 2006
• Ape Escape SaruSaru Big Mission (PSP) (Japan only) - July 2007
• Ape Quest (PSP) (released in North America & Europe exclusively on the PlayStation Store and a UMD in Japan only) - January 2008

Party games

• Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed (PS2) (Japan & USA only) - July 2004
• EyeToy: Monkey Mania (PS2) - August 2004
• Ape Escape Academy (PSP) - December 2004
• Ape Academy 2 (PSP) (Japan & Europe only) - December 2005
• PlayStation Move Ape Escape (PlayStation 3) - December 2010

Cameo appearances

• Monster Rancher 4
• Everybody's Golf 4
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
• LittleBigPlanet

Story

See also: List of Ape Escape characters

Main Series

One of the main story elements of each of the main series involves a white-haired monkey named Specter obtaining a helmet known as the Peak Point Helmet (Pipo Helmet for short), which boosts his intelligence. After equipping an army of monkeys with Pipo Helmets, and using an enhanced helmet for himself, Specter sends his monkey army to take over the world, and Space. It is up to the game's protagonists, equipped with various gadgets, to capture the monkeys and restore order to the world.

Alternate Series

The alternate series, developed by SCEI, Is the alternate main series. Specter and the Monkeys take over the world, or try to sabotage players in "Pumped and Primed". In both games, Specter does not end up being the main villain and there are usually darker forces behind Specter that you will have to defeat. The villains change from game to game. It is up to the game's protagonists, equipped with various gadgets, to capture or defeat monkeys/characters, to save the day.

Gameplay

The Ape Escape series is notable from its radical departure from the tried-and-true control method in most other games. It was the first PlayStation game to require the use of a DualShock controller; the left stick moves the character while the right operates whatever gadget the player has in his/her possession. Again, unlike many games which use to jump, both the R1 and R2 buttons are used, while the 'shape' buttons are used to cycle through the available items in the inventory.

In the PSP spin-offs, a more conventional control scheme must be used, due to the PSP's lack of a right analog stick.

The main objective through the majority of the games is to use your available array of gadgets to locate and capture monkeys. When a monkey has been found, he needs to be caught with the Time Net gadget. On the first through, players will have a set number of monkeys to catch before progressing towards the next level. Once each level has been completed, they can be reentered with the gadgets necessary to catch the remaining monkeys.

Minigames

In the main series, there are three unlockable minigames that can be played at the hub. These can be accessed by clearing the necessary amount of stages and/or having the necessary amount of coins. In Ape Escape and Ape Escape: On the Loose, you had to collect a certain amount of Specter Tokens to unlock a minigame.

In Ape Escape 2, you could obtain these three minigames by betting ten coins in the Gotcha Box, but here the stage-clearing was much more vital, yet it didn't mean it'd be based on your percentage on your record.

In Ape Escape 3, because coins were far more abundant than Ape Escape 2 and the fact that you could hold coins past 999, the prices went up for the mini-games as well. Another thing is that this time it was based on your percentage, so clearing stages, beating time attacks, or purchasing things from the shops would get you faster to making the mini games become available to purchase. The minigame Mesal Gear Solid seems fuller and more of a game of its own rather than just a simple unlockable. This game has a plot and more traditional gameplay of the AE series, and could be the start of more fuller minigames based on a series already established, like Metal Gear Solid.

In Ape Quest, the player randomly encounters mini-games in a very similar fashion to classic JRPG random enemy encounters.

Other media

• Saru Get You -On Air- (anime series based on the franchise)
• Ape Escape (cartoon series) (animated shorts created by American studio Frederator Studios)
• Manga (CoroCoro comics)

Sales

The total Ape Escape franchise has sold around 58.9 million copies. 6.9 million are from PlayStation consoles. These figures are also displayed on the Sarugetchu Development Page, but can not be seen by the public. It is the 12th best-selling video game franchise of all time.

External links

• Official Japanese site (Japanese)