Sony might be hyping up MindsEye and Days Gone Remastered, but fans are more interested in some of the recent Ape Escape teasers. The series got a whole level dedicated to it in Astro Bot, and we just found out some of the original designers worked on that segment. Furthermore, Metal Gear Solid: Delta is bringing back Snake vs Monkey, making us think they’re going somewhere with these teases.
A Famitsu article (via X user Genki) confirmed that designers from the original PS series worked on that specific Astro Bot level. The post claims that this level’s Pipo Monkey model data came from Ape Escape 3. Furthermore, one of the designers from this series designed the whole stage after studying their work from the franchise.
Considering how dead the series has been for all these years, it is intriguing to see all this love for the franchise recently. Granted, Astro Bot is all about that PlayStation nostalgia, but this big tidbit has us hoping there’s something new coming for the series. Nothing hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it would be nice to see the series get more than a neat Metal Gear Solid Delta cameo.
To be fair, seeing the Ape Escape monkeys appear at all in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a sight to behold. Considering how the mini-game has been ignored in numerous re-releases, including the recent Master Collection, just seeing it return is enough for some. It’s also nice that the Xbox version is getting Bomberman as a replacement, making that port more unique than usual.
Even with all of this involvement from the franchise’s iconic monkeys, there’s still a good chance Sony has nothing planned for this series. While the success of Astro Bot could change things, it’s worth noting that the game’s 20th anniversary in 2020 didn’t lead to anything big. Fans hope there’s something in store for the 25th entry, but we’ll believe it when something concrete is shown.
For those who’ve never played them, the Ape Escape games are solid 3D platformers that use those right analog sticks differently. Most titles would use those controls for the camera, but these games used them for attacking monkeys and capturing them with gadgets. With a ton of apes escaping, the franchise’s lead characters used stun batons, hula hoops, slingshots, and more to catch these nefarious creatures.
Gamers shouldn’t expect deep plots from this franchise, as it’s all about the gameplay. There are a ton of monkeys to catch, and you won’t be able to get all of them in one sitting. More gadgets get unlocked as the game progresses, letting you go back to older levels and catch any marsupials that previously escaped you. It was a great way to add replayability.
Luckily, even if the franchise never gets any games, some Ape Escape games are readily available on the PlayStation Network. Fans can currently get the first Ape Escape that was on PS1, Ape Escape 2 originally from PS2, and Ape Escape: On the Loose from PSP. We don’t know what’s keeping Ape Escape 3 in the vault, but Sony could re-release it in the future.