Ape Escape is a 1999 platform game developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The first game in the Ape Escape series, the game tells the story of an ape named Specter who gains enhanced intelligence and a malevolent streak through the use of an experimental helmet.

The Story Behind Ape Escape

A playable demonstration was integrated into the Jampack Summer '99 compilation CD released by PlayStation Underground. After a game director listened to Terada's track "Sumo Jungle", he was given the opportunity to compose the music for Ape Escape. Shortly after the team began conceiving the game's concept, they attended a meeting about the development of the DualShock.

Intrigued by its potential, they implemented its use in Ape Escape, making it the first game to require the use of the DualShock for gameplay. The English voice acting was recorded at Dubey Tunes Studios in San Francisco, California, with Sara Holihan and Hunter A. They set out to create a 3D, open-field sandbox game similar to Super Mario 64.

How Ape Escape Plays

Some apes are equipped with weaponry, allowing them to attack players, or binoculars that allow them to identify players from long distances. For most of the game, players control Spike, a boy tasked with pursuing and capturing the apes. Players also control vehicles like a rubber raft, which allows water travel, and the water net, which assists in underwater traversal.

Throughout the game, players can gather Specter Coins, which can be found in hidden locations in each stage. To do so, players use gadgets such as the Stun Club against enemies and the Time Net to transport apes. An ape's personality can also be determined by the colour of shorts: yellow is standard, light blue means timid, and red represents aggressive.

Why Players Still Load It Up

A mini-game featuring an ape from Ape Escape is included in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004) and the PlayStation 5 and Windows versions of its remake Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (2024). AllGames Marriott praised the appropriateness of the music to the setting, and GameSpots Bartholow applauded the soundtrack's interactivity. A Famitsu reviewer found the graphics merely acceptable but that it added to the overall charm.

Edge credited the distinct stages and original weapons, concluding that Ape Escape "offers enough novelty to make it worth serious consideration for anyone tired of the many me-too platformers". Next Generation felt the "general light-hearted cuteness makes it ideal for younger players, but its originality and challenge will also appeal to the most jaded hardcore players". IGN included Ape Escape in an article documenting the greatest PlayStation 3D platform games, and later named it the eighth greatest game on the console.

Ape Escape — Frequently Asked Questions