When Sony released the PlayStation, the console’s controllers didn’t have analog sticks; the iconic Dual Analog design (which was eventually replaced by the Dualshock) didn’t appear on store shelves for several years. True to its name — and unlike the PlayStation’s main rival, the Nintendo 64 — the Dual Analogshock sported two sticks instead of one. To demonstrate the power and advantages of this unique design, Sony greenlit an entire game franchise.
“Ape Escape” is, at its core, a mascot collectathon, except instead of playing as a mascot collecting tons of items, gamers control a kid collecting the mascots. The premise of each “Ape Escape” game can be boiled down to “A bunch of apes got their hands on intelligence-enhancing helmets, and it’s your job to get them back.” But nobody plays an “Ape Escape” game for the story.
Gameplaywise, “Ape Escape” titles are polished if by the book, collectathons. You go around different levels collecting apes, acquiring upgrades, using them to catch even more apes, and repeating until you win. Each level revolves around a unique theme and gimmick, but what makes “Ape Escape” special, at least at the time of launch, is its control scheme. The left analog stick controls the character while the right stick controls aiming. This system is standard nowadays, but when “Ape Escape” was released, it was revolutionary.
Both “Ape Escape” and its sequel, “Ape Escape 2,” are available through the PlayStation store. However, a warning for PlayStation 5 owners: according to some gamers on Reddit “Ape Escape 2” was broken on the PS5, but according to more gamers on GameFAQs, its texture problems might have been fixed.
