Ape Escape (Series)



Ape Escape, known as Saru Get You! (サルゲッチュ Saru Gecchu) in Japan is a series of video games made by Sony Computer Entertainment, starting with Ape Escape for PlayStation in 1999.

Series Description 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 X 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 time 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.

Connection with

 * Spike is a playable character.
 * The Pipo monkeys appear in some of Pico's intros and outros, and alongside Pipotron P they appear as a summon in battle.
 * Time Station appears as a stage, and mashes up with many franchises, including Resistance, Twisted Metal, God of War, Jak and Daxter and PaRappa The Rappper
 * Specter, Natalie and The Professor (along with a Yellow Pipo monkey) also appear in the Time Station Stage where Specter is using the time machine while Natalie and the Professor watch on from a computer screen.
 * Invasion mashes up Killzone and Ape Escape.
 * A Goliath also appears on the Invasion Stage.
 * The Killer Bees from Million Monkeys appear as an item.
 * Charu appears in Pico's story mode.
 * A Pipo Monkey appears as Pico's unlockable minion.
 * The Professor, and PaRappa are also DLC minions.

Games

 * Ape Escape - 1999 (PS1)
 * Ape Escape 2001 - (PS2)
 * Ape Escape 2 - 2001 (PS2)
 * Ape Escape: Pumped &amp; Primped - 2004 (PS2)
 * Eye Toy: Monkey Mania - 2004 (PS2)
 * Ape Academy - 2004 (PSP)
 * Ape Escape: On the Loose - 2005 (PSP)
 * Ape Escape 3 - 2005 (PS2)
 * Ape Academy 2 - 2005 (PSP)
 * Ape Escape Million Monkeys - 2006 (PS2)
 * Ape Escape SaruSaru Big Mission - 2007 (PSP)
 * Ape Quest - 2008 (PSP)
 * Ape Escape M - 2008 (Mobile)
 * PlayStation Move Ape Escape - 2010 (PS3)

Guest Appearances

 * Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - 2004 (PS2/PS3/PSV)
 * Super Bpmberman R - 2018 (PS4)

Other Media

 * Ape Escape Shorts/Excited Saru Get You: A series of shorts based on Ape Escape 2.
 * Saru Get You -On Air- and Saru Get You -On Air- 2nd: An anime series that loosely covers the events of Million Monkeys, Ape Escape 3, and SarSaru Big Mission.
 * Ape Escape Cartoon: A series of 38 2-minute-long animated shorts about the adventures of the protagonists in their quests to stop Specter.

Trivia

 * Ape Escape was the first, and only game on the PS1 to require the use of the DualShock analog sticks, rather than as an alternative to the D-Pad.
 * Despite how widely different the Ape Escape and Metal Gear series are from each other, this game isn't the first game to have elements from both of these series. In Ape Escape 3, a minigame known as Mesal Gear Solid  was obtainable after beating the game, and followed a Pipo Monkey with the abilities of Metal Gear character Solid Snake, set in traditionally Metal Gear Solid-esqe gameplay. Likewise, a minigame under the name Snake vs. Monkey was present in Metal Gear Solid 3, where said Solid Snake is tasked with the mission of catching and stunning Pipo Monkeys.
 * Spike from his first game, the Professor, Natalie, and Specter were chosen to be icons, as shown by the strategy guide, but were not in the final product.
 * Ape Escape is one of three series to have had an anime, the others being PaRappa the Rapper and Devil May Cry.