Ape Escape 2
サルゲッチュ2, Saru Getchu 2 (Saru! Get You! 2)
.jpg){kind=link}
I’m sure by now you’ve heard the very sad news that Rachael Lillis, the original Misty and Jessie from Team Rocket from the Pokémon anime series has died. Today we are paying tribute to her… with Ape Escape 2! It’s a PlayStation 2 platformer developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment1 (Ubisoft for the North American release), released in 2002 in Japan and 2003 for Europe and North America. This is also the first time that the (then-)Pokémon anime cast voiced the characters in a video game that is not Nintendo. Naoto Ohta is the game’s director, Yasuhide Kobayashi is the game’s producer, and the game’s composer is Koji Hayama.
In the game, you play as Jimmy (Hikaru in the Japanese and European versions; Veronica Taylor — credited as Kathleen McInerney in the NA game’s ending credits — which is her real name), a lively 10-year-old boy who accidentally sends not only the monkey pants but some Monkey Helmets as well, wrecking the laboratory in the process. Specter (Greg Abbey), the game’s main antagonist, gets a hold of one, and yet again makes an army of monkeys bent on ruling the world. Specter has supplied five monkeys, the Freaky Monkey Five, with Vita-Z bananas, making them stronger and more intelligent than the average monkeys.
Players control Jimmy by using the left analog stick (moving) and shoulder buttons (jumping) while using the right analog stick to control various Gotcha Gadgets that are unlocked as the player progresses through the game. Along with returning gadgets such as the Stun Club, Monkey Net, Super Hoop, Water Net, Slingback Shooter, RC Car, and Sky Flyer, Ape Escape 2 introduces three new gadgets; the Bananarang, which attracts monkeys with its scent, the Water Cannon, which puts out fires, and the Electro Magnet, which can be used on magnetic surfaces. New to the game is the Pipo Monkey sidekick, Pipotchi (then-Fridays co-host Tara Sands), who accompanies Jimmy through most of the game. While with Jimmy, Pipotchi can give the player hints, help Jimmy reach ledges, and revive him once per life when his health is depleted.
Throughout the game, players can collect golden Gotcha Coins, which become more valuable when collected in quick succession. These coins can be spent on the Gotcha Box gashapon machine to unlock bonus material. Along with various collectibles such as concept art, music, comic strips (manga), and fables, players can unlock three brand new minigames; Monkey Football, Dance Monkey Dance, and Monkey Climber, which can be played with up to two players. Monkey Soccer (known as Monkey Football outside of North America) is an association football game, Dance Monkey Dance is a rhythm game requiring players to match dance moves to the rhythm, and Monkey Climber is a challenging game requiring players to navigate a monkey across vines. Completing the game unlocks a New Game+ mode in which players can play as the previous game’s hero, Spike (Kakeru outside of North America).
Other characters include Natalie (Natsumi in the Japanese and European versions; Rachael Lillis), a 16-year-old tomboy who follows in her father's footsteps (in the games starting from the second game, she wears red sandals, but in Pumped & Primed, she wears red Chuck Taylor-inspired sneakers). The Professor and Spike (Dan Green — credited as James Hadley Snyder in the NA game’s ending credits — who is known for voicing the original Yugi Muto in Yu-Gi-Oh!). Jeremy Blaustein (the younger brother of the late Maddie Blaustein) recorded the voices in the North American version, along with Dan Rich.
I remembered watching the game when my younger brother rented it at the now-closed Blockbuster in 2004 since we didn’t have the money or our own PS2 memory cards until now. The game’s official website, formerly located at http://www.apeescapetwo.com/2 (North America), is no longer available and can only be accessed through the Wayback Machine.
Thank you, Rachael Lillis, for bringing our childhood characters to life. You protected our world from devastation.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to this newsletter!
Now known as Sony Interactive Entertainment
The website uses Flash Player, which has been deprecated since 2021.