History VideoGame / ApeEscape

** Natsumi to Natallie in the US and Katie in the UK.

* CastingGag: Jimmy and Natalie, in ''Ape Escape 2'', a game where you GottaCatchEmAll, are voiced by [[Creator/VeronicaTaylor Ash]] [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} and]] [[Creator/RachaelLillis Misty]].

* 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.

* NewGame+: 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.

* WholePlotReference: ''Ape Escape 3'' is one to the ''VideoGame/{{Gex}}'' series, having a plot in which a villain utilizes trashy TV in his plans.

* DubNameChange: Present throughout the series 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).

* 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.

* 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.

* DubNameChange: Present throughout the series on the US side and the UK version 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).

* {{Fartillery}}: Monkey Red. He can even ''fly'' with it.

* {{Gonk}}: Monkey Yellow.

* ''Saru Get You 2''/''Ape Escape 2'' (2002, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2)
* ''Saru Get You P''/''Ape Escape: On the Loose'' (2005, UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable) - A port of the first game.
* ''Saru Get You 3''/''Ape Escape 3'' (2005, [=PlayStation 2=])

* AllLoveIsUnrequited: In ''Ape Escape 3'', Monkey Blue has a crush on Monkey Pink, who is attracted to Specter, who just doesn't care about her.

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Monkey Pink, Helga, and Natalie in the second season of the anime.
* BonusBoss: There are two 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, 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.
* BookEnds: A non-story example, but in ''2'', the Pipo-Mech is both the first and last vehicle in the game that Jimmy/Hikaru gets to pilot.

*** Unlike ''2'' and ''3'', Spike cannot move when spinning with the Stun Club.

* IdolSinger: Monkey Pink, and Yumi from the third game. It's a RunningGag that the heroes keep screwing up Pink's concerts.

** Roughly half of the main cast from the first game (Spike/Kakeru, Jake/Hiroki, and Casi/Charu) are missing from the events of ''Ape Escape 2''. While it can be surmised that Spike and Jake had better things to do or were away at the time (Spike reappears during the true ending to greet Natalie, the Professor, Pipotchi, and Jimmy, but oddly knows of Specter's wrongdoings throughout the game), Casi is [[RobotGirl a PC program]] [[DigitalAvatar in the form of a human girl]] who worked at the lab. There's even a photo of Natalie and Casi posing together. Unlockable sketches and concept art suggest that all of these characters were going to be included in the second game at some point, perhaps with a role in the story.
** ''Pumped & Primed'' likewise introduces us to Helga/Haruka, heroine and ImpliedLoveInterest of Spike. She too goes missing after the game.

** Between Spike/Kakeru and Helga/Haruka. Both the anime and ''Pumped & Primed'' make this very clear.
** The anime also provides us with Jake/Hiroki and Natalie/Natsumi.

** The first game had a slightly more involved plot, with a brainwashed best friend to rescue, and your MissionControl getting kidnapped towards the end of the game. The plots would eventually start getting more involved, but ''2'' is comparatively straightforward.
** Casi does not appear in ''2'' or ''3'' (though concept art and other unlockables in the second game indicate she might've had a role early on in development).

* KidHero: Spike in the first game, Jimmy in the second, Kei and Yumi in the third.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Jake, Kei, and the [=PlayStation=] Move protagonist are standouts here. Casi has green hair instead. Comparatively speaking, Spike, Jimmy, and Natalie are all redheads, though Spike also has [[MulticoloredHair a tuft of blond in the front]].

** In ''Ape Escape 3'', a few cutscenes will temporarily switch to 2D animation for reaction shots. Tomoki's backstory, the first set of credits and the bonus cinematic detailing the origins of the Pipotrons are also animated in 2D. Specter's explanation of the "Two Heavens" plan is also portrayed in 2D, albiet as a rather cheap animation.

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Every single game uses this.

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

* WholePlotReference: ''Ape Escape 3'' is one to the ''VideoGame/Gex'' series, having a plot in which a villain utilizes trashy TV in his plans.

** In ''Ape Escape 3'', a few cutscenes will temporarily switch to 2D animation for reaction shots.

* BlessedWithSuck: In ''Ape Escape 3'', after the sixth boss battle, it is revealed that [[spoiler:Dr. Tomoki was a human test subject for the Pipo helmet, when a freak accident caused it to fuse to his head, resulting in his intelligence being multiplied approximately tenfold (if his claim of an I.Q. of 1300 is to be believed), but also leaving him with a ridiculous-looking light forever attached to his cranium]].

* IrritationIsTheSincerestFormOfFlattery: Many monkeys imitate human ways, which they find cool, often without quite understanding the significance of what they're doing.

* IrritationIsTheSincerestFormOfFlattery: Many monkeys imitate human ways, which they find cool, often without quite understanding the significance of what they're doing. For an example, in Ape Escape 2, in the 'Lost Valley' stage, you can find one monkey sitting on a wooden couch, facing a TV carved out of a solid block of wood. Later on, you can find a refrigerator also carved from another block of wood.

* IrritationIsTheSincerestFormOfFlattery: Many monkeys imitate human ways, which they find cool, often without quite understanding the significance of what they're doing. For an example, in Ape Escape 2, you can find one monkey sitting on a wooden couch, facing a TV carved out of a solid block of wood.

* StealthBasedGame:
** Sort of. You have to crawl around to catch monkeys unaware, otherwise they'll run away and/or fire their weapons at you. But even then, it's entirely possible to catch most monkeys just by running around enough, especially if you abuse the hell out of the Super Hoop.
** ''Ape Escape 3'' features a ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' mini-game, while the [=PS2=] versions of ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' features a ''Ape Escape'' mini-game.

** SecondLove: In ''[=SaruSaru=] Big Mission'', Blue is madly in love with Aki.

%% * GettingCrapPastTheRadar: 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.

** 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''.

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

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]].

The series has two main gimmicks. The first is that you have a huge variety of gadgets and gizmos at your disposal, all of which are activated and controlled using the right analog stick. Instead of using the face buttons to jump and interact with the environment, the buttons are instead used to equip multiple gadgets at once, and the ''triggers'' are used for jumping instead. This gives the series a unique feel, as each gadget interacts with the right stick in a unique way- you can swing the Net vertically or horizontally for instance, while the Monkey Radar needs to be rotated in a circle in order to locate the nearest monkey. The second are the titular monkeys, which act as this game's [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 Stars]] or [[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Jiggies.]] Unlike those two games, the monkeys in this game are fully sentient ''enemies'', and will actually run away if you approach. There are also numerous types of monkeys, each of which has a different type of behavior. Some will run, but others will stay and fight, while others might choose to pilot vehicles to escape from you, and so on. Often, the challenge is less based around finding the monkeys, and more about putting them into situations where they become easily catchable, meaning the series has more of a puzzle bent to it than its contemporaries.

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.

Spinoffs:

** In the [=PlayStation=] Move reboot, the monkies working with Specter are quite literally space monkies. It's not so much a serious invasion as something they did for fun though.
** [[spoiler:''Million Monkeys'' features an initially covert invasion by a race of [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot robotic alien mutant blob monsters]] serving as TheManBehindTheMan for the BigBad. Once he falls, the aliens play the trope much more straight and start attacking the Earth directly.]]

** After making a VillainExitStageLeft, Yellow Monkey returns to fight Jimmy at the end of Code C.H.I.M.P. Only this time, he's huge and on a rampage thanks to an overdose of Vita-Z Bananas.

* BaitAndSwitchBoss: At the end of Code C.H.I.M.P., Specter reveals his latest creation to stop you: [[BigDamnGunship the Mk. II Battlecruiser!]] As you [[BringMyBrownPants soil yourself]] at the thought of fighting a ''flying battleship'' [[WithThisHerring with a net and a stun club]], Specter gloats... until a glowing banana peel falls on his head. He looks up to see [[spoiler:Giant Yellow Monkey]], huge and on a rampage due to an overdose of Vita-Z Bananas, who promptly [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments smashes the Battlecruiser to bits]] because Specter denied him yet more bananas.

* BlessedWithSuck: In ''Ape Escape 3'', after the 6th boss battle, it is revealed that [[spoiler:Dr. Tomoki was a human test subject for the Pipo helmet, when a freak accident caused it to fuse to his head, resulting in his intelligence being multiplied approximately tenfold (if his claim of an I.Q. of 1300 is to be believed), but also leaving him with a ridiculous-looking light forever attached to his cranium.]]

* BrownNote: The Specter TV broadcasts in the third game hypnotized everyone who watches it, including, conveniently, the protagonists from the past two games.

* CampGay: Yellow Monkey. So much so that he "flirts" with Kei, the male protagonist of ''3''. Also, Dr. Tomoki, to a lesser extent.
* CastingGag: Jimmy and Natalie, in Ape Escape 2, a game where you GottaCatchEmAll, are voiced by Ash and Misty.

** In the first game, where monkeys with white pants are exceptionally alert, and thus pretty much impossible to sneak up on.
** The monkeys all wear different colored pants, which hints at their nature when you encounter them in a level; yellow = basic grunts, light blue = cowards, navy = insanely-fast speedsters, red = aggressive fighters (and they gain the ability to block your attacks in ''2''), green = nimble monkeys with sharp eyesight and [[BackpackCannon Backpack Cannons]] that shoot homing rockets, black = machine-gun toting monkeys with ATeamFiring skills, white = oddball with weird quirks and poor eyesight due to their OpaqueNerdGlasses.
** Later on in each game, particularly in ''2'', this is {{subverted}} as often as it is played straight, as monkeys may often borrow abilities from colors besides their own, and many use weapons on top of this, making catching them that much more difficult. This isn't even mentioning the 'unique' monkeys that are often decked out in unusual costumes related to the theme of the level - with them, it's impossible to tell what abilities they have without engaging them, as the Monkey Radar can only tell you so much.
* ContinuityReboot: The [=PlayStation=] Move ''Ape Escape'' has a completely new story. The main character is a teenager HeroicMime and his two sisters capturing monkeys from space, while looking for their grandmother too. The overall style underwent an ArtShift (although the monkeys themselves remain the same). The only returning character is Specter, and his backstory has been completely changed from a circus monkey corrupted by a intelligence boosting helmet [[spoiler:to an already intelligent WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds after being forcibly launched up into space.]] While not horrible, most fans are hoping it doesn't stick.

* {{Crossover}}: Appears as a MiniGame in the [=PS2=] versions of VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 3|SnakeEater}}. The third ''Ape Escape'' game also has a [=minigame=] called ''Mesal Gear Solid'', which is basically ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' except shorter and more kid-friendly.

* DenserAndWackier: Ape Escape 3 is noticeably a lot sillier compared to the other games in addition to being LighterAndSofter. The Frederator Cartoon series is this as well.

* DiscOneFinalDungeon: Pulled ''thrice'' in the first game. The first time is Crumbling Castle (see "WhamEpisode" below). When you return to the present, you then have to deal with TV Tower, which is merely a front for Specter Land. In ''2'', you make it to Code C.H.I.M.P after defeating Red Monkey, only for Giant Yellow Monkey to crash the party, forcing Specter to retreat. You ''do'' get to confront Specter one level later on the Moon Base though. There's also the end of [[spoiler:Specter Land: Monkey Madness. After this, you have to go back and capture all the remaining monkeys before the true final boss.]]

** The first game had a slightly more involved plot, with a brainwashed best friend to rescue, and your MissionControl getting kidnapped towards the end of the game. The plots would eventually start getting more involved, but ''2'' is comparatively straight forward.
** Casi does not appear in ''2'' or ''3.''
** The first game frequently featured large animals to spice up the levels, such as dinosaurs, mammoths, sharks, and polar bears. Dinosaurs were used similarly in one level in ''2,'' while ''3'' didn't use the idea at all.

** And Specter is very much like Specter.

* TheFaceless: You never see a full front shot of the protagonist's head in any of the cutscenes in the [=PlayStation=] Move game. You see his mouth for one scene but that's it.
%% * 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.

** At the end of the [=PlayStation=] Move game, [[spoiler:upon being re-united with his owner Haru, Specter is more than happy to be with her and her grandchildren, and they take him home to give him a bath.]]

** To a degree, Spike when [[SecretCharacter you unlock him]] upon catching all the monkeys with Jimmy. He has lines, but no interactions with any of the characters.

* HeroicWillpower: How Spike wards off Specter's psychic probing in the penultimate battle against him from the first game. [[FridgeLogic Why he's unable to do the same in the third game is unknown.]]
* HitPoints: In the original games, Player health is measured by Cookies.

* IdiotHero: Jimmy has shades of it. Most notably, he's the one who ''accidentally'' sends a shipment of pipo helmets to the zoo, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero setting off the plot of the second game.]]

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

* MarathonLevel:
** The final few levels of all three games are significantly larger than those that came before them. This actually corresponds with an increase in difficulty, as larger areas = more hiding places for monkeys. For example, in the first game, Crumbling Castle is a warm-up MarathonLevel about 75% into the game.
* MascotMook: The helmeted Pipo Monkeys are the head attraction of the series. Very rarely will you see the protagonists, or even the villain Specter be seen on ''Ape Escape'' promotional material and boxart.

* MiniBoss: The second game includes a number of monkeys piloting vehicles which must be destroyed before they can be caught, including [[AnimalMecha bull robots]], [[SkeleBot9000 skeleton robots]], rocket turrets, and miniature [[FlyingSaucer Flying Saucers]].
* MiniMecha: The third game has an angel robot which the protagonists use in certain levels, including [[spoiler:the battle with Doctor Tomoki in the third game, which pits your mecha against his.]]. Unfortunately, the turtle carrier was only used in the final level... as a platform.

* MixAndMatchCritter: Before ''3'', the grand majority of uncatchable {{Mooks}} were these, such as a bee crossed with an eggplant or an owl crossed with a candle. Even the [[TheGoomba Porkies]] are an example, as an unlockable comic strip reveals that they're pigs crossed with... [[ToiletHumor 'something smelly']].

* NintendoHard: Several instances throughout the series, but the last level of the first game is particularly JustForFun/{{egregious}}. We're talking about bottomless pits everywhere, and things that just love to knock you into them placed every few feet. Get used to hearing Spike's "whooooooaaaaaa!" for the next several minutes.

* OneSteveLimit: Often {{Averted}} by the monkeys, which may share their names with other monkeys in different levels. The second game, for instance, has two monkeys called Ty, both of whom are aggressive red monkeys with boxing gloves, likely referencing Creator/MikeTyson. Then there's monkeys who simply have a different spelling or variation of another monkey's name (e.g. Lily and Lili, Oliver and Ollie, Bruce and Brucie), or those that have the same name but with the addition of a surname (Bruce and [[Creator/BruceLee Bruce Monkee]]).
* PatrickStewartSpeech: Jimmy, of ''all'' people, delivers one to Specter below finally snagging him with the Gotcha Net:

* PsychicPowers: Monkey Pink, when angered, turns into the monkey answer to Literature/{{Carrie}}.

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

** Roughly half of the main cast from the first game (Spike/Kakeru, Jake/Hiroki, and Casi/Charu) are missing from the events of ''Ape Escape 2''. While it can be surmised that Spike and Jake had better things to do or were away at the time (Spike reappears during the true ending to greet Natalie, the Professor, Pipotchi, and Jimmy, but oddly knows of Specter's wrongdoings throughout the game), Casi was a [[RobotGirl PC program in the form of a human girl]] who worked at the lab. There's even a photo of Natalie and Casi posing together. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Unlockable sketches and concept art suggest that all of these characters were going to be included in the second game at some point, perhaps with some role in the story.]] ''Pumped & Primed'' introduces us to Helga/Haruka, heroine and ImpliedLoveInterest of Spike. She too goes missing after the game. In ''3'', Spike, Jimmy, and the Professor are {{Brainwashed}} by Specter, rendering them inactive during the story. Luckily, all of the above characters (with the sad exception of Jimmy and Pipotchi) make a grand reappearance either in the anime or in ''Million Monkeys''.

* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: ''Pipotchi''. Specter, when he's not under the influence of the Peak Point Helmet, is also quite adorable and huggable. He also looks like this in the [=PlayStation=] Move title, due to the ArtShift [[spoiler:and being TheWoobie.]]
* RivalTurnedEvil: Jake (named Buzz in PAL territories, probably to better fit "Spike") from the first game and ''Pumped and Primed''.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Specter pulls this in the second game after Yellow Monkey smashes the Mk. II Battlecruiser, leaving you to fight against Yellow Monkey for the second time.

** The second game has plenty of monkeys named after Franchise/StarWars characters on [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon the Moon Base]], one of whom is frozen in carbonite (strangely, this monkey is called [[{{Series/RedDwarf}} Lister]] - there ''is'' another monkey called Han, who is found earlier in the same level). The same game also has a wizard wearing [[WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}} Mickey Mouse's Sorcerer outfit]] and [[Franchise/DragonBall a monkey called Goku]] FlyingOnACloud and attacking with a pole.

** Several Black-Pantsed monkeys in Casino City in the second game are references to American action movies and actors, including [[Creator/ClintEastwood Clint Apewood]], [[Creator/StevenSeagal Simian Seagal]], and two monkeys sporting afros called [[{{Film/PulpFiction}} Julius and Vincent]], the latter of whom is always thinking about a Royale with Cheese. Unlike the Vincent he's named after, he at least remembered to pick up his gun.

** The second game has a fair few references to ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': A monkey named Homer whose description reads "Mmmm... bananas.", a monkey named Mel who says "What a sideshow!" or Scratchy the monkey who is "itching to get you".

** 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 ''Ratchet & Clank''.

** ''Ape Escape 3'' features a ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' minigame, while the [=PS2=] versions of ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' features a ''Ape Escape'' minigame.

* {{Tomorrowland}}: Dr. Tomoki's ''Tomoki City'' level in ''3'':
--> I have seen the future, and it is [[SinglePaletteTown BLUE ON BLUE.]]

* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: The final level of each game is extremely long and considerably harder than anything encountered before then.

** Crumbling Castle. Though it seems like the last level, no sooner do you reach Specter and Jake before they ditch you, leaving you to fight an armored warrior. Then you get transported back to the present day where the monkeys are already in charge of the city and The Professor and Natalie have been kidnapped.
** When [[spoiler:Natsumi and the Professor are kidnapped atop TV Tower.]]

** ''[[DarkerAndEdgier Million Monkeys]]'' makes no attempt whatsoever to hide that it is a very different game than the rest. To put it into perspective, the [[HumongousMecha Goliath mechas]] that serve as the FinalBoss of the first two games were usually incomplete or flawed. In ''Million Monkeys'', a boss fight against a fully-functional Goliath is the ''[[OhCrap first mission]]''.
* WidgetSeries: The series is about catching monkeys in brightly flashing helmets in nets, whether it be following [[TimeTravel them through time]], around the world or even [[spoiler:into space]], or [[TrappedInTVLand chasing them into parodies of famous TV programs and stories.]] Even then, the game makes no attempt to hide the fact that it's based in Japan, with Japan-based levels, gadgets, and even characters popping up frequently in all the games.
* WithThisHerring: Throughout the series, the protagonist usually has equipment that's mostly non-lethal (The [[SetSwordsToStun Stun-Club]] being their main tool in that regard) or are souped up versions of children's toys (one of which is flat out a slingshot. Granted, it's a slingshot that can shoot explosive ammo, but still.) That does not stop them from accomplishing such feats as beating flying fortresses, {{Giant Mecha}}s, or even [[spoiler:[[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant, banana steroid fueled monkeys]]]] without much trouble.
* WombLevel: Dexter's Island, as most of the level takes place inside a massive dinosaur named Dexter.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Jake, Kei, and the [=PlayStation=] Move protagonist are standouts here. Casi has green hair instead. Spike and Jimmy both have red hair.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** In one of the early levels in the first game (Dark Ruins), four of the monkeys are named after the kids from ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''. One of them is named "Cratman".
** Another monkey in a later level, also in the first game, is called "Droog". [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Think about that for a moment]].
** The monkey fables in the second game. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Good God.]] One of them manages to use the word "Damn".
*** The UK version of the game uses the word "Damn" quite frequently, especially Specter, who says it every single time he gets hit during his boss battle. The Professor also says that the monkeys are "raising hell" at one point.
** Before the final battle against Specter in ''Ape Escape 2'', Jimmy shouts [[ADateWithRosiePalms "I'm gonna spank you, monkey!"]]
** [[CampGay Monkey Yellow]].
** ''Ape Escape 3'' features a level that takes place in a hot spring. Depending on if the player picked Kei or Yumi, they can only enter the male or female section of the hot spring through the doors. In the male section, there is a monkey that is attempting to climb up a wall, likely wanting to sneak a peek at the girl monkeys. And you have to jump over the wall in order to catch all of the monkeys in that specific level.