Ape Escape
Introduction
Released in 1999, Ape Escape arrived at a pivotal moment in gaming history, serving as the ultimate showcase for Sony's new DualShock controller. While many platformers of the era were still struggling with clunky camera controls and digital inputs, this title leaped into the future by requiring the use of twin analog sticks. Known in Japan as Saru Getchu and sometimes referred to by its literal translation Monkey Get You, the game offered a vibrant, zany, and mechanically deep experience that stood out in the crowded PlayStation library. Whether you knew it as the original classic or by its localized Spanish title, Ape Escape: La Invasión de los Monos, the game was a revolutionary step forward for the 3D platforming genre.
Story & Setting
The plot of Ape Escape is as charmingly absurd as its premise suggests. The trouble begins when a white-furred circus monkey named Specter happens upon a prototype Peak Point Helmet. This experimental device, created by a scientist known simply as the Professor, boosts Specter's intelligence to genius levels but also corrupts his mind with a desire for world domination. Specter equips a massive army of monkeys with helmets and sends them through a Time Station to various eras of Earth's history, hoping to rewrite the past and create a world ruled by simians. Players take on the role of Spike (known as Kakeru in the Japanese version, Saru! Get You!), a young boy tasked by the Professor to travel through time, capture every single runaway ape, and eventually face off against Specter to restore the fabric of reality.
Gameplay
The core of Ape Escape revolves around the hunt. Unlike traditional platformers where jumping on enemies is the primary interaction, Spike must utilize a wide array of "Gotcha Gadgets" to succeed. The left analog stick handles Spike's movement, while the right analog stick is used to manipulate tools with 360-degree precision. Your primary tools are the Stun Club, used to daze monkeys, and the Time Net, used to capture them. As you progress through prehistoric jungles, medieval castles, and futuristic cities, you unlock more advanced gadgets like the Monkey Radar for tracking, the Sky Flyer for reaching high platforms, and the Super Hoop for speed bursts. Each monkey has its own personality, aggression level, and alert status, requiring players to use stealth or quick reflexes to bag their targets before they can fight back or flee.
This game was released on several platforms, including the original PlayStation, the PlayStation Portable, and through digital distribution on the PlayStation 3.
Legacy
The legacy of Ape Escape is defined by its innovation. By being the first PlayStation game to require a DualShock controller, it forced a shift in industry standards, proving that dual-analog controls were the superior way to navigate 3D environments. The game was a critical and commercial success, praised for its inventive level design and catchiness. Its success spawned numerous sequels on the PlayStation 2 and several spin-offs across different genres. Decades later, it remains a beloved cult classic, remembered for its high-energy soundtrack composed by Soichi Terada and its unique blend of hide-and-seek mechanics and platforming action.
Fun Facts
- The monkeys in the game are color-coded by their pants: yellow-pants monkeys are standard, blue-pants monkeys are fast runners, and red-pants monkeys are aggressive fighters.
- Ape Escape was used as a primary marketing tool to sell the DualShock controller, as the game literally could not be played with the standard digital gamepad.
- Specter’s design was so popular that he became a recurring guest character in other Sony titles, including the Everybody's Golf and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale series.
- The game features a mini-game called "Ski Kidz 21," which was a precursor to more complex sports titles developed by Japan Studio.
