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Otherwise known in the US as "Ape Escape", even though apes =/= monkeys. At least Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) was trying to be clever with a rhyming name like the Japanese name.

I've only played the first one (Ape Escape), but it was a lot of fun. Probably my favorite villain of all time is that of Specter. As well, I usually prefer to listen to Japanese names and voices in games/anime, Escape/Getchu is one of where I actually prefer the dubbing. The voice acting wasn't horrendous, and though some voices didn't make some sense (Spike(Kakeru) sounded like he was 14/15, even though he's 10), it didn't suck horribly that you'd want to turn the volume off. I'd say the acting was even better than either Kingdom Hearts game and Tales of Symphonia.

The main story is pretty straight-forward: Monkeys have botten a hole of a time machine and are trying to muck up the past by making humans the slaves of the world, and not them. So, as Spike/Kakeru, you travel to the different time zones (10 "worlds", though 3 of them, the "Dimension X" worlds, are nothing but just battling areas) to catch the monkeys from screwing anything up. As the game progresses, you get new gadgets to help you climb your way as well as hitting walls so that you can catch the monkeys with greater ease.

Probably the most ingenious idea, I think at least, was the fact that you would HAVE to back-track if you didn't have a certain gadget at the time to get the monkey or the Specter Coins. This added to the replay value significantly, as on more than one occasion, you couldn't fully clear an area either due to retraints of the mission "Capture X amount of Monkeys" or the fact you didn't have the right equipment.

Plot-wise the game could be overlooked nowadays as a fairly cheesey and odd, "WTF is wrong with Japan?" type game. But I still find it a hilarious adventure, just because of the idea of it. In addition to just capturing the monkeys, as you get further later on, some more nasty bosses appear under the creation of Specter (Who's voice actor, I might add, did a stupendous job in the US version), leaving Spkie/Kakeru unable to catch the elusive Specter, and deal with something more menacing. Though character development is either not there, or hard to see, who needs it? It's a platformer, though of an odd and, at the time, revolutionary style, the plot itself was enough to keep me going.

Of course, some of the bonus stuff was good too, like the minigames you'd unlock for getting X amount of Specter coins, 60 in all, and required to get to the true final boss. Of such Minigames are Ski Kidz Racing, a fun skiing game with paper models as your characters, Specter Boxing, a boxing game of which you choose what monkeys you want to pit aganist each other and try to become champion, and one of my favorites, Galaxy Monkey, a more old-school like "Invasion" type game using both analog sticks interestingly to destroy the enemies in your way.

As always, music plays a key role in what I consider a good game, and Getchu/Escape's OST was probably one of my favorites as well, somewhere on my top 10 list of best VG OSTs. It does have some tracks I am not fond of, such as the "battle" stages aganist Jake, but those ones aside, a lot of them are cool. Especially when you get to the Dawn of Civilization era, and on from there. Specterland is also one of my favorite songs of VG lore, just because it's a threatening final stage, and here is this very happy-go-lucky music to start out with, XD.

If this was a review... how about I just call it a review, XD. It gets a 9.5/10. It still entertains me today, even with out of date graphics, a bit of choppy camrea and the fact that it does get repetitive, but it still entertains.
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I really wish I could play the second or third game, both for PS2, but considering US voice casts are not constant, as well as the fact that Spike/Kakeru is not the main protagonist in either of them, I'd rather not play them. Though, an upcoming game, so far only released in Japan, going to be in Europe, "Saru Getchu/Ape Escape: Million Monkeys", looks a bit more destructive and promising. I might actually import it, as I've already watched some of the Saru anime (Yes, there is an anime, XD), and I'm already used to Kakeru and co.'s voice. Specter's still being the best, though I do prefer US Specter's voice.

I have the PSP version =D

It pwns so hard.

-Shrug-

I enjoyed it.

The MGS stage in Ape Escape 3 was rather fun. XD

The anime, I believe, was for mostly promo of the upcoming game: Million Monkeys. Character designs as well as new characters (Haruko) from the game are reflected in the anime. One of my favorite being Specter with his long red cape that goes around his body.

Kakeru was Spike I think..... Red spiky hair, right?
I know the Proffesor's name was Hayakase (...uh... something like that)

...Lyurii=PHAIL, when it comes to Ape Escape...(;_;")