Ape Escape

Ape Escape also 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.

Games

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

Guest Appearances

 * Monster Rancher 4 - 2003 (PS2)
 * Everybody's Golf 4 - 2003 (PS2)
 * Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - 2004 (PS2/PS3/PSV)
 * Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal - 2004 (PS2/PS3/PSV)
 * Ratchet: Deadlocked - 2005 (PS2/PS3)
 * LittleBigPlanet - 2008 (PS3/PSP/PSV/PS4)
 * Tokyo Jungle - 2012 (PS3)

Other Media

 * Saru Get Chu -On Air-: 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, PSAS 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.