History VideoGame / ApeEscape

''Ape Escape'' (known as ''Saru! Get You!'' in Japan) is a series of 3D [[CollectAThonPlatformer Collect-A-Thon]] {{Platform Game}}s primarily by Creator/SonyInteractiveEntertainment. All three main games are about a monkey named Specter, who, after gaining super-intelligence (and turning evil) through a hapless professor's [[HatOfPower intelligence-increasing helmet]], decides to [[HilarityEnsues put said helmets on every other monkey in the enclosure he's kept in and teleport them all over time and space]]. Your character's task is to... well, [[GottaCatchThemAll catch them all]].

''Ape Escape'' is a series of 3D [[CollectAThonPlatformer Collect-A-Thon]] {{Platform Game}}s primarily by Creator/SonyInteractiveEntertainment.

All three main games are about a monkey named Specter, who, after gaining super-intelligence (and turning evil) through a hapless professor's [[HatOfPower intelligence-increasing helmet]], decides to [[HilarityEnsues put said helmets on every other monkey in the enclosure he's kept in and teleport them all over time and space]]. Your character's task is to... well, [[GottaCatchThemAll catch them all]].

''Ape Escape'' is a series of 3D [[CollectAThonPlatformer Collect-A-Thon]] {{Platform Game}}s. It is known as ''Saru! Get You!'' in Japanese.

All three main games are about an evil monkey named Specter who suddenly gains super-intelligence through a hapless professor's [[HatOfPower intelligence-increasing helmet]], who proceeds to [[HilarityEnsues put said helmets on every other monkey in a monkey enclosure and teleport them all over the place]]. Your character's task is to... well, [[GottaCatchThemAll catch them all]].

Your characters change from game to game, starting with a guy named Spike/Kakeru, then going to a kid named Jimmy/Hikaru, then your choice of two characters Kei and Yumi (North American)/Satoru and Sayaka (British) in ''3'', and a nameless HeroicMime in the [=PlayStation=] Move game. Also, starting from ''Ape Escape 2'', the game's QuirkyMinibossSquad, the Freaky Monkey Five, shows up, monkeys that have been fed the power-boosting [[GRatedDrug Vita-Z Banana]], making them go completely insane.

''Ape Escape'' is a series of 3D [[CollectAThonPlatformer Collect-A-Thon]] {{Platform Game}}s. It is known as ''Saru! Get You!'' in Japan.

Your characters change from game to game, starting with a guy named Spike/Kakeru, then going to a kid named Jimmy/Hikaru, then your choice of two characters Kei and Yumi (NA)/Satoru and Sayaka (PAL) in ''3'', and a nameless HeroicMime in the [=PlayStation=] Move game. Also, starting from ''Ape Escape 2'', the game's QuirkyMinibossSquad, the Freaky Monkey Five, shows up, monkeys that have been fed the power-boosting [[GRatedDrug Vita-Z Banana]], making them go completely insane.

* ''Saru Get You 2''/''Ape Escape 2'' (2002 in Japan, 2003 in US and EU, Platform/PlayStation2)
* ''Saru Get You P''/''Ape Escape: On the Loose'' (2005 in Japan and US, 2006 in EU, Platform/PlayStationPortable) - A port of the first game.
* ''Saru Get You 3''/''Ape Escape 3'' (2005 in Japan, 2006 in US and EU, [=PlayStation 2=])

* DifficultyByRegion: In the NTSC version of ''2'', monkeys can see Jimmy from further away than the Japanese version. Additionally, some 1-Ups in stages were removed.

* DubNameChange: Present throughout the series, starting on the US and UK versions of the first game. The UK versions would backtrack and use the Japanese names from ''2'' onwards (except for the PSP remake of ''1'', which mixed them together).

** Hiroki to Jake in the US version of ''1'' and Buzz in the UK release.
** Natsumi to Natalie in the US and Katie in the UK.

* RivalTurnedEvil: Jake ([[DubNameChange named Buzz in PAL territories]], [[ThemeNaming probably to better fit "Spike"]]) from the first game and ''Pumped and Primed''.

** The third game includes cheats the player has to input in the main menu and then load the game with the corresponding save that gave you the code. After that you will unlock different monkeys in different cameo clothing. Two of them are straight references to the first two games while one other is a reference to ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank''. (Conversely, ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal'' and ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' had Pipo Monkey skins for Ratchet [[RegionalBonus in Japan]].)

** Akie to Aki.

* ''Saru Get You''/''Ape Escape'' (1999, UsefulNotes/PlayStation) - The first [=PlayStation=] game to explicitly require the use of the [=DualShock=] controller.
* ''Saru Get You 2''/''Ape Escape 2'' (2002 in Japan, 2003 in US and EU, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2)
* ''Saru Get You P''/''Ape Escape: On the Loose'' (2005 in Japan and US, 2006 in EU, UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable) - A port of the first game.

* ''Saru Get You: [=SaruSaru=] Daisakusen'' (2007, [[UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable PSP]])

* ''Furi Furi! Saru Get You''/''([=PlayStation=] Move) Ape Escape'' (2010, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3)

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not to confuse with]] the 1982 game of the same name for the Platform/VIC20, or the 1983 game for UsefulNotes/Commodore64, or the 1984 game for UsefulNotes/AppleII.

* BonusBoss: There are three secret monkeys in ''Ape Escape 2'' that only appear after completing the game and capturing all the monkeys in their respective levels. One is dressed in [[WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}} Mickey Mouse's Sorcerer's Apprentice getup]] and summons hordes of enemies while teleporting around the area, one is based off [[Literature/JourneyToTheWest Sun Wukong]], and the other is a cyborg who is faster than the other cyborg monkeys, more powerful than them, and takes several hits from [[InfinityPlusOneSword the Magic Punch]] before the suit is destroyed.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not to confuse with]] the 1982 game of the same name for the UsefulNotes/VIC20, or the 1983 game for UsefulNotes/Commodore64, or the 1984 game for UsefulNotes/AppleII.

* EnemyMine: In Pumped & Primed. After the High-Tech Tournament comes to a close, the Pipotrons take the trophy from the winner (Or didn't have to if they themselves won) and reveals to the audience that the disc that controls the virtual was inside the trophy. And after distorting the virtual world to the Grid Core's image, the heroes, monkeys, and the Pipotrons too (As the Core threw them under the bus) find themselves teaming up to defeat him.
 * EnergyWeapon: Some monkeys carry laser blasters with them. Most notable in the first and third games.

* EnergyWeapon: Some monkeys carry laser blasters with them. Most notable in the first and third games.

* RetrauxFlashback: In ''2'', when Natalie brings up Specter not learning his lesson after being beaten by Spike, it cuts to footage of Spike's final confrontation with Specter in the first game, PS1 blocky graphics and all.

* {{Fartillery}}: Red Monkey. He can even ''fly'' with it.
* FieryRedhead: Spike and, to a lesser extent, Jimmy.
%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
* {{Gonk}}: Yellow Monkey.

** In an inversion of the above examples, whereas all of the above characters make a grand reappearance either in the anime or in ''Million Monkeys'', Jimmy and Pipotchi never reappear after the third game, the Federator cartoon notwithstanding.

* QuirkyMinibossSquad: The Freaky Monkey Five for the second and third games.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Dr. Tomoki, except not really.]]

[[caption-width-right:300:Your job is to catch some monkeys. [[WithThisHerring Here's a net.]] [[{{Pun}} Go bananas.]]]]

* PeekABangs: Specter (again).

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not to confuse with]] the 1982 game of the same name for VIC-20, or the 1983 game for UsefulNotes/Commodore64, or the 1984 game for UsefulNotes/AppleII.

* ConvectionSchmonvection: Not only can the protagonists of most of the games walk right next to boiling lava with no issues, but they can also ''[[UpToEleven paddle across it in inflatable rowboats]]''.

* LighterAndSofter: ''Ape Escape 3'', as well as the aforementioned Federator cartoon.

* NewGamePlus: After capturing all the monkeys, the player could hold L1 while selecting a new game to access this. In addition to playing as Spike, main character of the first game, all gadgets would be unlocked from the start and all Gotcha Box rewards could be obtained right away, as some required reaching certain stages in a normal game.

** The monkey types as indicated by pants color were not established until ''Ape Escape 2.''

* PublicDomainSoundtrack: The music for the Space TV Fortress in ''3'' is a synthesized re-arrangement of "Mars, the Bringer of War" from [[Music/GustavHolst Holst's]] ''The Planets''. In ''Academy'', there are a re-arrangement of "Korobeiniki" and "Flight of the Bumblebee".

* PublicDomainSoundtrack: The music for the Space TV Fortress in ''3'' is a synthesized re-arrangement of "Mars, the Bringer of War" from [[Music/GustavHolst Holst's]] ''The Planets''.