Ape Escape (video game)

Ape Escape
North American PlayStation cover art
Developer(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment Japan
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment
Director(s)	Masamichi Seki
Producer(s)	Susumu Takatsuka Takafumi Fujisawa
Designer(s)	Kenkichi Shimooka Shingo Matsumoto Katsuyuki Kanetaka Kenji Kaido Hidekuni Sakai
Composer(s)	Soichi Terada
Series	Ape Escape
Platform(s)	PlayStation PlayStation Portable
Release	PlayStation NA: June 22, 1999 JP: June 24, 1999 EU: July 2, 1999 PlayStation Portable JP: March 17, 2005 NA: March 24, 2005 EU: May 5, 2006
Genre(s)	Platform, action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

Ape Escape^[a] 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. Specter produces an army of apes, which he sends through time in an attempt to rewrite history. Spike, the player character, sets out to capture the apes with the aid of special gadgets.

Ape Escape is played from a third-person perspective. Players use a variety of gadgets to pursue and capture the apes, traversing across several environments. The game's controls are heavily centered around the analog sticks, being the first game to require the use of the PlayStation's DualShock controller. Development of Ape Escape lasted over two years, and was generally focused on adapting to the use of the controller, which was a significant challenge for the development team.

Ape Escape was met with critical acclaim from critics, with praise particularly directed at the innovative use of the dual analog controls, as well as the graphics and music; the voice acting received minor criticism. The game is widely considered to be one of the greatest on the PlayStation console, and received several re-releases. The game also spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, beginning with Ape Escape 2 in 2002. A remake, Ape Escape: On the Loose,^[b] was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2005 to mixed reviews.
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