PS3 Ape Escape this year

By Robert Purchese Published 11 May, 2010

Monkey-capturing madness.

A PlayStation 3 Ape Escape game will be released sometime between now and Christmas.

This non-committal marker was provided by the game's official Twitter account, ApeClub. "Ape Escape PS3 - release date now Q2 - Q4 2010," read the tweet (thanks VG247).

Ape Escape is a platform game about netting monkeys, literally. A spiky-haired J-hero bolts around dazzlingly bright and colourful levels capturing monkeys for an unknown reason - presumably to be made into monkey-brain soup.

The series started on PSone just over 10 years ago but sadly never climbed above average. Our latest appraisal was of PS2 game Ape Escape 3 in 2006. Tom Bramwell was the judge.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (20) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • wizlon #1 2 years ago

    I loved the first game but never played any of the others. I'll have to stick this on my radar.

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #2 2 years ago

    "The series started on PSone just over 10 years ago but sadly never climbed above average."

    Bertie LIES. The first game was brilliant (in my memory anyway).

    Also the reason you're capturing monkeys is because they've escaped. Duh.

  • CARL05 #3 2 years ago

    Good news, I never really got round to playing the ps1 games but they always interested me.
    This will be going on my radar.

  • the_dudefather #4 2 years ago

    Move compatibility would be cool

  • JayScott #5 2 years ago

    My understanding (memory of it) is that the first game was the first title to use the dual-shock exclusively - you couldn't play it with the original PS controller. It was a fabulous game, and a great advertisement for the then functionality of the controller. I remember in Australia at least it came packed with an emerald green Dual-Shock. An excellent game which subsequent sequels and spin-offs did not do justice to.

  • andywilkie35 #6 2 years ago

    @JayScott - I believe you're right, it needed the dual-shock

    I loved the first one, if this is anything like that then I'm all over it.

    Might dig the first one out again actually and play tonight

  • Arwin #7 2 years ago

    Presumably will be a Move game? Wouldn't make much sense otherwise, imho.

  • Zebula77 #8 2 years ago

    First Ape Escape (which is on PSN somewhere) was absolutely brilliant, and one of my fave PS1 games. It still plays rather well (got it on my PSP).

    Definitely interested in this one.

  • jonnex #9 2 years ago

    I only played the first one too, but I liked it a lot. With Move compatibility this could be top. Fingers crossed.
    Edited by jonnex at 11/05/10 @ 13:46

  • seasidebaz #10 2 years ago

    @Zebula77:

    That's not true, is it? The original Ape Escape NEEDS 2 analogue sticks to play it. The PSP is lacking the stick required to actually do the capturing.

    Unless you just mean you've got it on there. And not actually playing it.

  • Slipstream #11 2 years ago

    The PSone Ape Escape was brilliant! Fun, colourful and inventive with its use of the analogue stick. I didn't think combat using the stick would work, but it did, a treat too!

    Sign me up for this next rendition!

  • Kazzahdrane #12 2 years ago

    Loved paddling the raft in the first game with the dual sticks.

    This is on my PS3 radar :)

  • markymark22 #13 2 years ago

    The first game was class! Fair enough i was young but was brilliant. First dual shock only game if memory serves!

  • albertofustinoni #14 2 years ago

    Mediocrity claims about the whole series are lies: the first game was the finest platformer on the original PlayStation. The sequels, on the other hand, ranged from bad to utterly horrible (Ape Escape 3); even the titles never released over here, while better (Million Monkeys in particular), were still not that good.

  • Eraysor #15 2 years ago

    Never climbed above average?! EG, are you mad?! The original was a masterpiece!

    Incidentally I remember being strangely affected as a kid by the scope of the world and the storyline. For some reason I found the entire game to be slightly scary. Had brilliant music too. It's a shame the PSP doesn't have a second analog, otherwise I'd be trying to play it right now.
    Edited by Eraysor at 11/05/10 @ 13:25

  • Zebula77 #16 2 years ago

    @seasidebaz: Nope, it actually works on the PSP. I forget actually how the control system is set up, but I played through the first two levels without any problems. I guess Sony altered the controls for the PSP/PSN version so you could use the face buttons? Not sure, but I suppose they must have. The game certainly works on the PSP.

    Actually, now I think I remember you had to use the triangle button for doing the capture move. Gonna have to try it out to be completely certain, but I'm pretty sure that's how the controls were laid out.

  • NkillerROH #17 2 years ago

    The series is long overdue for a comeback. I'm suprised that Sony has pretty much ignored the market outside of Japan since the original PS1 game. If they promote it well enough, we might see some of that moolah roll in for it. I mean, look at what Capcom is doing for Monster Hunter. They're realising its potental in the western market.

  • freedumb #18 2 years ago

    Class game, at least at the time. I think I only played 1+2.
    Edited by freedumb at 11/05/10 @ 19:27

  • spiritsnake #19 2 years ago

    this looks like a move pusher.i bet it will be bundled with move,seems like a great game to go with that peripheral.

  • MaoZedong #20 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:40:08 17-12-2011