Ape Escape (PS1, 1999)
Graphics-8 Sound-8 Control-7 Challenge-7 Story-5
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-8 Fun-7.5 Originality-6.5
Overall Score-7.5
+
Dual analog stick support (however there are some issues - see below)
Some platform adventure elements (persistent levels in terms of the monkeys and big coins/specter coins, can exit any level at any time and replay beaten levels (the former can be used to not lose a life when falling off a cliff), partially non-linear structure with some ability gating (uses small hub area (base) with access to a level select menu/mini-game room/gadget training room and a save menu, you gain new (and persistent) gadgets in-between some levels and some can be used to capture previously unreachable monkeys in beaten levels)
Pretty expressive models
Fairly impressive and very contemporary OST (sequenced, D&B/Techno/Ambient style, good variation with 3+ themes per era, the music dynamically changes a bit while sneaking up on an ape - generally cuts out the drums and bass)
Some interesting and/or innovative gadgets (water net/engine - underwater speed boost and shoots webs underwater, monkey radar - spin the right stick to show where monkeys are and press L2 to pan the camera to one and view its stats if it's nearby (sometimes funny comments regarding their mood or situation here, can also rotate the view while looking at one to get a better clue to its location), RC car - can move it around while moving Spike (can hit regular enemies/lure out monkeys or stun them by exploding it near them/press floor switches/pick up items with it), multi-target homing shot ammo for the slingshot)
Double jumps (short window like in Shinobi 3)
Time travel theme (start out in the "dinosaur age" and go forward from there until the present, no level puzzles based on traveling back and forth between eras though sadly)
Bestiary with short descriptions of each monkey's personality or hobby+their stats (same info as shown on the radar)
Cutscenes between levels (w/ voice acting - OK overall, skippable, nice one showing the monkeys taking over in the present)
Can grab ledges and climb up as well as climb trees (TR1, Mario 64)
Stealth element (can sneak up on some monkeys by crawling - hold L3/left stick trigger)
Minor puzzles here and there (switches (some are pressed with a remote controlled car), luring the t-rex, wheel-controlled water gate, pushing a box over a cliff to break a floor platform, etc.)
Some large models (most look a bit simplistic though)
Good variety overall
3 unlockable mini-games with 2-player vs. modes (collect 40 big coins/specter coins to unlock them all; skiing - decent and has a replay feature/boxing (control each ski with its own analog stick) - not good/single screen space shooter (twin stick) - pretty good and includes a time attack mode) - optional
Features two vehicles you can ride (rowing boat - unique controls in that you control each oar with an analog stick and have to sync your spins to row straight, tank which can blow up certain boxes - controls like the sleds in Cyber Sled)
Some mini-bosses
Five alternate weapons (RC car, water net, slingshot with three ammo types, extendable boxing glove/magic punch - unlocked after beating the "fake" final boss and stuns monkeys for longer+breaks walls/blocks+bounces back thrown bombs, dash)
Very limited flight via the sky flyer gadget
Dash using the super hoop (MM series; need to spin the right stick quickly a couple of times to charge it up first and it doesn't affect jump length) - can also hit enemies with it but it generally doesn't help much with catching monkeys since you bounce backwards
Optional time attack mode (unlocked for beaten levels)
Some breakable walls and platforms
Some interesting enemies (some higher level monkeys have pretty good AI for the time, some of the larger robot enemies)
Some interesting level gimmicks (can stop the timer temporarily by continuously collecting chips in the time attack mode, the flying dinosaur/pteranodon can pick up and carry you away (can easily free yourself though), the gong bell which triggers weights and can also be used by the monkeys, the part where you guide the RC car through one path and yourself through another while making it step on switches to create temporary platforms for you, rollercoaster ride with jumping, robot boss segment where you see yourself through its eyes - similar to Battletoads, speed boost objects - sadly they're underused)
Some memorable locations (inside a dinosaur who's bigger when you go inside than it looks like outside of it, hot spring, theme park, etc.)
Some good bosses (hovercraft, factory mini-boss (can destroy the box platforms around it), Circus clown; some bosses are like minor puzzles in that they make you use certain gadgets)
Capturing 100% of the monkeys unlocks the real final boss and good ending (the latter isn't really worth it)
Some nice effects (entering levels and capturing monkeys, beach water, falling stars background, inside the dino wobbly effect)
Optional vibration feature
Dynamic movement (see Mario 64) however you can't sneak up on monkeys while standing up so it's mostly pointless
Rear view mirror during the Ski mini-game (hold down L1+R1)
+/-
Tool/gadget control via the analog stick (can hold out a weapon or other tool and spin manually) - sometimes works well (slingshot shooting by pulling it downwards/backwards, stun club, radar) but other times feels a bit clunky (sky flyer, super hoop, slingshot aiming in TP view)
Collectathon (have to meet a captured monkeys quota per level to beat it - far from 100% though and it's not a lot of monkeys per level, capturing monkeys is optional on boss levels until the final one)
Save between levels
Tips and tutorial instructions are given via text boxes (SMW) and voiced explanations before levels - works but could've been more elegant
Some similarities to Mega Man (you're aided by a genius professor and his girl assistant)
Can't quickly grab small chips/coins that are placed close together (100 coins=get a 1-up)
Pretty short time limit before you drown underwater
Borrows some things from Mario 64 and Zelda: OoT (rideable sea dinosaur to reach a platform, slopes you can slide down, mostly playground/sandbox-style levels/slingshot which can hit switches)
Some levels are very small
No level time limits (some timing puzzles though)
Can lock onto and hit up to 3 targets with the homing triple shot ammo type for the slingshot (Galaxy Force II) but it sometimes misses even with a clear shot from a short distance
No traveling cutscene is shown when moving between eras except for when traveling back to the present/near future
On foot racing battles/gladiator attacks vs. one of the bad guys in-between some eras (kinda fun but he cheats by dash jumping and you can't use your dash gadget nor any gadgets not given to you at the start of a race - have to take advantage of his suboptimal pathing in some segments as well as jumping off of downward slopes and when moving up slopes to get up a bit faster)
Some fall damage when falling from a great height (1 HP)
Some HP refill stations (cookie jars)
No block/dodge/strafe moves (the hoop can sometimes be used for dodging but having to charge it makes it inefficient in most cases)
Extra lives system
Checkpoints at sub area entrances (usually more than one per level)
Dropped items disappear after a few seconds
No subtitles during cutscenes
Somewhat few bosses
Infinite supply of 1-ups at one point in the final level
Pong reference in the final level
Monkeys can only be stunned while other enemies can be destroyed
Black racial caricatures in the galaxy monkey mini-game
-
No control config besides mapping which face buttons use which gadgets (some actions like diving and shooting underwater are mapped to the stick buttons (not really necessary in the first place), jump is mapped to a shoulder button, camera rotation is mapped to the d-pad and reversed on the x-axis - can't really use it comfortably while moving around, attacking and swinging a weapon/tool around is mapped to the right stick and movement to the left - makes capturing a bit awkward since you have to press a button to switch gadgets and then use the stick again instead of just pressing the button corresponding to the gadget you want to use)
Kinda slow running speed and over head climbing (there's not much of the latter though)
Get knocked over every time you get hit except for when hit by the very first enemies
Various control/interface issues (sometimes can't rotate the camera (some indoors areas, factory level), slow camera rotation and the automatic camera adjustment when turning around has some delay to it - there is an option to tap R1 to get the camera behind your avatar though and it generally works well, the camera is sometimes angled higher and won't stay in a lower position after adjusting it with the d-pad, fairly slow and stiff aiming in free-look FP view mode - used for shooting with a slingshot later on (better than aiming in TP view though which is barely functional), can't see your exact stats for a level without entering it - only if you've 100% completed a level or not, sometimes inconsistent hit detection when capturing or hitting monkeys (the one in front of the tree mini-boss in the second era can't be hit before it jumps into the tree unless you have the boxing glove gadget even though it looks like you can hit it, a monkey's melee attack takes precedence over your club attack and your net, to your advantage the catching net has a larger hit box than it looks like), can't look straight up/down in look mode, have to let go of movement and be on the ground to go into FP view mode, can't use a gadget while moving towards a wall if you're pushing against a wall - can throw you off during an on foot race for example, can't quickly cycle through gadgets (can map up to 4 to the face buttons though) - one or two of them could've been permanently added to your basic moveset instead)
Some tedious parts where you have to repeat a longer vertical segment if you miss a jump (final level, circus tent path - have to redo it if you die to the clown as well, one of the ice levels, city park barrels falling down a slope segment)
You're automatically taken out of a level when filling the quota for it (and again when getting 100% completion by capturing all monkeys) - in some cases you'd want to stay to collect big coins or explore fully
No level maps (you do get a very quick overview of a level before beginning but it's not much to go by)
Shorter draw distance than in Spyro (background objects fade in at least)
Some waiting around for platforms to move into place and slowly navigating tiny platforms
Some dead space (some ice levels and outside the castle for example)
Repeated voiced comments from the player character when performing various actions which gets old after a while (can't lower or turn these off separately)
Somewhat generic art direction besides the monkeys and a few other chars
Some trial & error (parts of the rollercoaster ride due to the short draw distance, can move through the spinning chains, enemies can shoot from off screen/outside your field of view, some big coin locations)
No difficulty options
Some invisible walls (if you swim 10+ meters or so into the water on beach levels, first present level, etc.)
Sometimes uneven difficulty (some mid-late game monkeys are pretty dumb (nearly all of the monkeys in the final level are easy to catch)
Some later monkeys armed with bombs and guns can take you out in like 10 seconds if you're not careful)
Not enough ammo drops in some levels
Stiff movement near walls and other objects in a few spots (Spike stops rather than moving along the wall like usual)
Some repetitive music (final level, crumbling castle) and some annoying music (good ending staff roll music, city park and factory indoors segments)
No reward for getting 100% on everything
A few later enemies take too many hits to kill considering their patterns
Minor framerate drops at times
Fairly long loading when entering and exiting mini-games
Bugs:
-In a couple of spots you can climb/slide up very steep walls
-Can catch some monkeys through bars/fenced walls
Notes:
-New UK dub for the European version (not really better though)
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-8 Fun-7.5 Originality-6.5
Overall Score-7.5
+
Dual analog stick support (however there are some issues - see below)
Some platform adventure elements (persistent levels in terms of the monkeys and big coins/specter coins, can exit any level at any time and replay beaten levels (the former can be used to not lose a life when falling off a cliff), partially non-linear structure with some ability gating (uses small hub area (base) with access to a level select menu/mini-game room/gadget training room and a save menu, you gain new (and persistent) gadgets in-between some levels and some can be used to capture previously unreachable monkeys in beaten levels)
Pretty expressive models
Fairly impressive and very contemporary OST (sequenced, D&B/Techno/Ambient style, good variation with 3+ themes per era, the music dynamically changes a bit while sneaking up on an ape - generally cuts out the drums and bass)
Some interesting and/or innovative gadgets (water net/engine - underwater speed boost and shoots webs underwater, monkey radar - spin the right stick to show where monkeys are and press L2 to pan the camera to one and view its stats if it's nearby (sometimes funny comments regarding their mood or situation here, can also rotate the view while looking at one to get a better clue to its location), RC car - can move it around while moving Spike (can hit regular enemies/lure out monkeys or stun them by exploding it near them/press floor switches/pick up items with it), multi-target homing shot ammo for the slingshot)
Double jumps (short window like in Shinobi 3)
Time travel theme (start out in the "dinosaur age" and go forward from there until the present, no level puzzles based on traveling back and forth between eras though sadly)
Bestiary with short descriptions of each monkey's personality or hobby+their stats (same info as shown on the radar)
Cutscenes between levels (w/ voice acting - OK overall, skippable, nice one showing the monkeys taking over in the present)
Can grab ledges and climb up as well as climb trees (TR1, Mario 64)
Stealth element (can sneak up on some monkeys by crawling - hold L3/left stick trigger)
Minor puzzles here and there (switches (some are pressed with a remote controlled car), luring the t-rex, wheel-controlled water gate, pushing a box over a cliff to break a floor platform, etc.)
Some large models (most look a bit simplistic though)
Good variety overall
3 unlockable mini-games with 2-player vs. modes (collect 40 big coins/specter coins to unlock them all; skiing - decent and has a replay feature/boxing (control each ski with its own analog stick) - not good/single screen space shooter (twin stick) - pretty good and includes a time attack mode) - optional
Features two vehicles you can ride (rowing boat - unique controls in that you control each oar with an analog stick and have to sync your spins to row straight, tank which can blow up certain boxes - controls like the sleds in Cyber Sled)
Some mini-bosses
Five alternate weapons (RC car, water net, slingshot with three ammo types, extendable boxing glove/magic punch - unlocked after beating the "fake" final boss and stuns monkeys for longer+breaks walls/blocks+bounces back thrown bombs, dash)
Very limited flight via the sky flyer gadget
Dash using the super hoop (MM series; need to spin the right stick quickly a couple of times to charge it up first and it doesn't affect jump length) - can also hit enemies with it but it generally doesn't help much with catching monkeys since you bounce backwards
Optional time attack mode (unlocked for beaten levels)
Some breakable walls and platforms
Some interesting enemies (some higher level monkeys have pretty good AI for the time, some of the larger robot enemies)
Some interesting level gimmicks (can stop the timer temporarily by continuously collecting chips in the time attack mode, the flying dinosaur/pteranodon can pick up and carry you away (can easily free yourself though), the gong bell which triggers weights and can also be used by the monkeys, the part where you guide the RC car through one path and yourself through another while making it step on switches to create temporary platforms for you, rollercoaster ride with jumping, robot boss segment where you see yourself through its eyes - similar to Battletoads, speed boost objects - sadly they're underused)
Some memorable locations (inside a dinosaur who's bigger when you go inside than it looks like outside of it, hot spring, theme park, etc.)
Some good bosses (hovercraft, factory mini-boss (can destroy the box platforms around it), Circus clown; some bosses are like minor puzzles in that they make you use certain gadgets)
Capturing 100% of the monkeys unlocks the real final boss and good ending (the latter isn't really worth it)
Some nice effects (entering levels and capturing monkeys, beach water, falling stars background, inside the dino wobbly effect)
Optional vibration feature
Dynamic movement (see Mario 64) however you can't sneak up on monkeys while standing up so it's mostly pointless
Rear view mirror during the Ski mini-game (hold down L1+R1)
+/-
Tool/gadget control via the analog stick (can hold out a weapon or other tool and spin manually) - sometimes works well (slingshot shooting by pulling it downwards/backwards, stun club, radar) but other times feels a bit clunky (sky flyer, super hoop, slingshot aiming in TP view)
Collectathon (have to meet a captured monkeys quota per level to beat it - far from 100% though and it's not a lot of monkeys per level, capturing monkeys is optional on boss levels until the final one)
Save between levels
Tips and tutorial instructions are given via text boxes (SMW) and voiced explanations before levels - works but could've been more elegant
Some similarities to Mega Man (you're aided by a genius professor and his girl assistant)
Can't quickly grab small chips/coins that are placed close together (100 coins=get a 1-up)
Pretty short time limit before you drown underwater
Borrows some things from Mario 64 and Zelda: OoT (rideable sea dinosaur to reach a platform, slopes you can slide down, mostly playground/sandbox-style levels/slingshot which can hit switches)
Some levels are very small
No level time limits (some timing puzzles though)
Can lock onto and hit up to 3 targets with the homing triple shot ammo type for the slingshot (Galaxy Force II) but it sometimes misses even with a clear shot from a short distance
No traveling cutscene is shown when moving between eras except for when traveling back to the present/near future
On foot racing battles/gladiator attacks vs. one of the bad guys in-between some eras (kinda fun but he cheats by dash jumping and you can't use your dash gadget nor any gadgets not given to you at the start of a race - have to take advantage of his suboptimal pathing in some segments as well as jumping off of downward slopes and when moving up slopes to get up a bit faster)
Some fall damage when falling from a great height (1 HP)
Some HP refill stations (cookie jars)
No block/dodge/strafe moves (the hoop can sometimes be used for dodging but having to charge it makes it inefficient in most cases)
Extra lives system
Checkpoints at sub area entrances (usually more than one per level)
Dropped items disappear after a few seconds
No subtitles during cutscenes
Somewhat few bosses
Infinite supply of 1-ups at one point in the final level
Pong reference in the final level
Monkeys can only be stunned while other enemies can be destroyed
Black racial caricatures in the galaxy monkey mini-game
-
No control config besides mapping which face buttons use which gadgets (some actions like diving and shooting underwater are mapped to the stick buttons (not really necessary in the first place), jump is mapped to a shoulder button, camera rotation is mapped to the d-pad and reversed on the x-axis - can't really use it comfortably while moving around, attacking and swinging a weapon/tool around is mapped to the right stick and movement to the left - makes capturing a bit awkward since you have to press a button to switch gadgets and then use the stick again instead of just pressing the button corresponding to the gadget you want to use)
Kinda slow running speed and over head climbing (there's not much of the latter though)
Get knocked over every time you get hit except for when hit by the very first enemies
Various control/interface issues (sometimes can't rotate the camera (some indoors areas, factory level), slow camera rotation and the automatic camera adjustment when turning around has some delay to it - there is an option to tap R1 to get the camera behind your avatar though and it generally works well, the camera is sometimes angled higher and won't stay in a lower position after adjusting it with the d-pad, fairly slow and stiff aiming in free-look FP view mode - used for shooting with a slingshot later on (better than aiming in TP view though which is barely functional), can't see your exact stats for a level without entering it - only if you've 100% completed a level or not, sometimes inconsistent hit detection when capturing or hitting monkeys (the one in front of the tree mini-boss in the second era can't be hit before it jumps into the tree unless you have the boxing glove gadget even though it looks like you can hit it, a monkey's melee attack takes precedence over your club attack and your net, to your advantage the catching net has a larger hit box than it looks like), can't look straight up/down in look mode, have to let go of movement and be on the ground to go into FP view mode, can't use a gadget while moving towards a wall if you're pushing against a wall - can throw you off during an on foot race for example, can't quickly cycle through gadgets (can map up to 4 to the face buttons though) - one or two of them could've been permanently added to your basic moveset instead)
Some tedious parts where you have to repeat a longer vertical segment if you miss a jump (final level, circus tent path - have to redo it if you die to the clown as well, one of the ice levels, city park barrels falling down a slope segment)
You're automatically taken out of a level when filling the quota for it (and again when getting 100% completion by capturing all monkeys) - in some cases you'd want to stay to collect big coins or explore fully
No level maps (you do get a very quick overview of a level before beginning but it's not much to go by)
Shorter draw distance than in Spyro (background objects fade in at least)
Some waiting around for platforms to move into place and slowly navigating tiny platforms
Some dead space (some ice levels and outside the castle for example)
Repeated voiced comments from the player character when performing various actions which gets old after a while (can't lower or turn these off separately)
Somewhat generic art direction besides the monkeys and a few other chars
Some trial & error (parts of the rollercoaster ride due to the short draw distance, can move through the spinning chains, enemies can shoot from off screen/outside your field of view, some big coin locations)
No difficulty options
Some invisible walls (if you swim 10+ meters or so into the water on beach levels, first present level, etc.)
Sometimes uneven difficulty (some mid-late game monkeys are pretty dumb (nearly all of the monkeys in the final level are easy to catch)
Some later monkeys armed with bombs and guns can take you out in like 10 seconds if you're not careful)
Not enough ammo drops in some levels
Stiff movement near walls and other objects in a few spots (Spike stops rather than moving along the wall like usual)
Some repetitive music (final level, crumbling castle) and some annoying music (good ending staff roll music, city park and factory indoors segments)
No reward for getting 100% on everything
A few later enemies take too many hits to kill considering their patterns
Minor framerate drops at times
Fairly long loading when entering and exiting mini-games
Bugs:
-In a couple of spots you can climb/slide up very steep walls
-Can catch some monkeys through bars/fenced walls
Notes:
-New UK dub for the European version (not really better though)