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[sonycowboy]

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/557/557505p1.html

SCE quietly announces new entry in monkey franchise.

October 15, 2004 - Sony Computer Entertainment has quietly announced the next entry in the Sarugetchu series (known as Ape Escape in America). The company has added the tentatively titled Saurgetchu 3 to its official release list, with a TBA release date, genre and price.

This newest Ape Escape title continues SCE's milking of the series into everything from Eye Toy applications to PS2 party games. We presume the new title will return the series to its roots as a full-blown ape catching game.

Who knows... maybe even Solid Snake will make an appearance

 

[jarrod]

Hott!!

There has been a lot of Ape Escape this gen though, now that I think about it...

-Ape Escape 2001 (PS2)
-Ape Escape 2 (PS2)
-Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed (PS2)
-Ape Escape EyeToy (PS2)
-Ape Escape P! (PSP)
-Ape Escape: Monkey Games (PSP)
-Ape Escape 3 (PS2)

 

[pilonv1]

Ape Escape 2001 (PS2)

I remember this getting bad reviews, what was it and why was it so bad?

Ape Escape: Monkey Games (PSP)

Is this the PS2 party version on PSP?

 

[jarrod]

Is this the PS2 party version on PSP?

I think it's similar but I'm not sure. Looks like an Olympic themed Mario Party take off.

 

[Kiriku]

Hott!!

There has been a lot of Ape Escape this gen though, now that I think about it...

-Ape Escape 2001 (PS2)
-Ape Escape 2 (PS2)
-Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed (PS2)
-Ape Escape EyeToy (PS2)
-Ape Escape P! (PSP)
-Ape Escape: Monkey Games (PSP)
-Ape Escape 3 (PSP)

Which brings me to the question, exactly what is "this gen" when it comes to the PSP? I mean, it will most likely span over two generations (PS2 --> PS3). Should it be considered as a kind of artifical extension of the PS2 generation, or a separate generation all-together considering how handheld technology tend to move along at its own pace?

 

[sonycowboy]

Which brings me to the question, exactly what is "this gen" when it comes to the PSP? I mean, it will most likely span over two generations (PS2 --> PS3). Should it be considered as a kind of artifical extension of the PS2 generation, or a separate generation all-together considering how handheld technology tend to move along at its own pace?

Yeah, handhelds have rarely been defined along with the console generations, but in many ways, this will be a merging of the two markets.

I'd put it in the "next gen" category along with the PS3, XBX2, Revolution, and I guess the DS although, it will be 2 generations behind in tech, which I guess the GBA was this generation as well.

 

[jarrod]

Which brings me to the question, exactly what is "this gen" when it comes to the PSP? I mean, it will most likely span over two generations (PS2 --> PS3). Should it be considered as a kind of artifical extension of the PS2 generation, or a separate generation all-together considering how handheld technology tend to move along at its own pace?

Well, PSP (as well as DS & NGage) can probably be considered "next generation" really. This generation's handhelds really started with WSC & NGPC (then followed with GBA & GP32).

 

[brandonnn]

I remember this getting bad reviews, what was it and why was it so bad?

It was a complete departure from the freeroaming exploratory roots of the original. The buttonmashy gameplay consisted mostly of you repeatedly whacking down saru's in order to suck in their pants with a vacuum. The pants would form in neatly packaged boxes strung behind you, and the depantsed saru's would try to chase you down and reclaim them while you ran like hell to a washing machine to deliver the dirty duds.

It was a fantastic concept and was fun for the first several levels, but eventually the novelty wore a little thin. Sony ended development of the game early and nixed a bunch of design ideas that were already implemented -- changes that gave the game much more of a pure arcade feel versus the awkward retrofit of a minigame with a world map -- saying that it was straying too far from a "family children's game."

It's still worth checking out if you can find a used copy on the cheap, but when the project lead himself refers to it as his "poor sorry aborted fetus," you know not to get your hopes up too high.

 

[bobbyconover]

It's kinda funny that we argued so much about Piposaru, because when you write it out like this I realize that I almost completely agree with you!

I second the "worth checking out" bit, also, as the game is certainly not a complete disaster. I and a few friends had tons of fun with it for the day or two that it lasted, and look back pretty fondly on the game despite its inarguable flaws. Same-boss-on-every-level 4 neva.

 

[Dsal]

Sony ended development of the game early and nixed a bunch of design ideas that were already implemented -- changes that gave the game much more of a pure arcade feel versus the awkward retrofit of a minigame with a world map -- saying that it was straying too far from a "family children's game."

Do you know what kind of things they were going to put in there? Just curious.

The game ended up being really really shallow. After a few levels you just couldn't care any more about Dirty Dirty Monkey Pants.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

awesome! Hope its more mature than the last game.

 

[fennec fox]

awesome! Hope its more mature than the last game.

I hear the apes take off their pants!