• ID = PS0031
• STYLE = 3D Platform
• DEV. = Sony CEJ, Inc.
• PUB. = Ubi Soft Entertainment
• R-DATE = Jul-03-2003
• ESRB = E / For Everyone
• PLAYERS = 1 player
• LIST PRICE = $39.99
  

There’s been a terrible accident at Monkey Park! Jimmy, the main character, has accidentally provided the monkeys with a superior intelligence and means of escape from the park!

Three hundred monkeys. One little mix-up. One gorilla of a problem.

Everyone knows the Professor is an awfully bright man. After all, he’s invented all sorts of cool devices, like the Monkey Helmet, a brilliant contraption designed to boost the intelligence of the average primate. But he forgot to take a few things into account. First, that his well-meaning assistant Jimmy might not be the most responsible person to leave in charge. And second, that the marvelous Monkey Helmets might fall into the hands of a not-so-average primate the conniving Specter, a devilish monkey with schemes to take over the world. So when Jimmy accidentally boxes up some Monkey Helmets with the Monkey Pants he’s supposed to warp over to Monkey Park, total mayhem breaks loose as Specter leads 300 riotous monkeys in a madcap monkey revolution.

Go bananas with wacky gadgets, funky vehicles, and zillions of unlockable items as you help Jimmy and his friend Pipotchi chase down 300 spunky monkeys and squash their plans for world domination. Be careful these little anarchists strut some serious attitude, and they’re not monkeying around!

Features:
• Up the fun with three side-splitting mini games, including Monkey Soccer, Dance Monkey Dance, and Monkey Climber.
• Go ape-wild with 12 crafty new gadgets and videos, like the Banana Boomerang, and the Radio-Controlled Car.
• Take on the Freaky Monkey Five and 300 spunky monkeys, each with his own unruly antics and outrageous personality.
• Explore all sorts of large and lavish environments, such as Castle Frightmare, Panic Pyramid, and Moon Base.
• Play your way through 20 exciting levels and 8 challenging bosses as you capture monkeys around the world.

The original Ape Escape was the first PlayStation game to demand use of the then new Dualshock analogue controller as you battled through time, capturing monkeys with the aid of a variety of unlikely James-Bond-style gadgets. This PS2 sequel is more of the same, opening with the accidental distribution of intelligence-boosting helmets along with special monkey pants. (Whether the game actually means underpants or trousers is never made clear and so you never know whether the peculiar dialogue is meant to be preposterously rude or just sounds that way to British ears.)

The nonsense never gives up as you get to operate a monkey radar, use a remote control car to press switches and fling specially scented banana-rangs. And you really do need all these gadgets and more, since the monkeys are always hidden in the most inaccessible areas of the many levels, with most able to defend themselves with everything from monkey kung fu to guided missiles. Although the game really does nothing different from its predecessor--even the level settings are disappointingly familiar--the addictive gameplay and immense variety ensure that all but the most cynical hearts will find something to enjoy here. -- David Jenkins