Ape Escape

Ape Escape
Sony's answer to Super Mario 64 and Sonic Adventure.
Protagonist(s): Spike Genre(s): Platform Platform(s): PlayStation PSP Release: May 31, 1999 Developer(s): SCE Japan Studio Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment Country: Japan Series: Ape Escape Successor: Ape Escape 2

Ape Escape is a platform video game developed by SCE Japan Studio and released for the PlayStation in 1999. In 2022, the game was added on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5's PS Plus Classics.

Plot

Specter acquires a mind altering helmet that makes him want to conquer the world. He captures the Professor and Natalie in his laboratory which houses his newly invented Time Station. Spike and Jake go to his location looking forward to be sent to the past and discovers they have been wrapped in coils and a monkey activates the Time Station. Spike, Jake, and Specter along with around 200 Apes are sent into the Time Station and are put back in time. Jake is corrupted by Specter's influence and turns to side with him instead of Spike, who must now collect all of the Apes sent to the past and send them back to the present time.

Why It Rocks

1. Using and outright requiring the use of the newly introduced DualShock controller players use both analog sticks to use a host of gadgets with a unique control scheme (for its time at least). For example, the Stun Club can be spun in a circle using the right stick. Usually Spike's movement is controlled with the left stick instead of the directional buttons on the controller, which are instead used to control the camera.
2. As mentioned above, lots of gadgets are used in the game, such as the Remote Controlled Car, the Magic Punch, and the Sky Flier. One of the first two gadgets, the Stun Club, is like a Lightsaber.
3. Lots of worlds set in different time periods, which is set up as Spike was sent into the Time Station to try and stop Specter from interfering with the history of the planet. The levels are large and open.
4. There are 200 monkeys to collect and capture. The color of the pants determine what type of monkey it is, which that itself is a clue to how to defeat it.
5. Replay value is added by the fact that Specter Coins can be collected in the game.
6. A time attack trial can be started after completing a level with all monkeys captured to try to get a gold, silver, or bronze medal.
7. There are three mini-games to unlock using Specter coins collected in the worlds.
   • 10 Spector coins unlocks the Ski Kidz Racing mini-game, which has you racing and playing as paper cut out of the characters.
   • 20 Spector coins unlocks the Spector Boxing, which has the player playing as an ape boxing against other apes. (The mini-game is a nod to Punch-out!.)
   • 40 Spector coins unlocks Galaxy Monkey, which is an arcade shoot-em up.
8. Good graphics for the PS1. The monkeys themselves are also funny to look at.
9. Awesome & memorable electronic soundtrack thanks to Soichi Terada.
10. Tight and responsive controls.

Bad Qualities

1. Somewhat low rendering distance. They could have at least used the LOD method from Spyro The Dragon.
2. If a player uses a PlayStation controller without the Analog sticks, the game can't be played properly.
3. Poor English voice performances, though they are better in the PAL Version.
4. Rowing a boat is a pain since turning the boat feels so stiff, not to mention that you have to use both analog sticks to row.
5. Clunky camera at times (back then, they weren't aware of the right analog stick being for the camera).
6. It can be a pain to get gold in time attack due to how little room there is for error.
7. No reward for 100%.
8. While the PSP remake has much better graphics and vastly superior voice acting, but it unfortunately butchers the controls of the original due to lacking a second analog stick, which the game was designed around. It is far from being unplayable and bad, but still disappointing.
9. The last level of the first game is egregious. We're talking about bottomless pits everywhere, and things that just love to knock you into them placed every few feet.

Trivia

• Spike was featured as a playable character in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• In the PAL version of the game, Jake is referred to as "Buzz" and Natalie is referred to as "Katie".

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