The premise behind
Ape Escape 3 is just as bizarre as past games. Specter has once again let his apes loose on the world. This time his plot involves producing mindless TV shows meant to turn anyone who watches them into mush-minded zombies (similar to what UPN and MTV do every season). Even Spike and Jimmy, the heroes from previous games, have been taken out of action, leaving the monkey-wrangling duties up to two newcomers, Kei and Yumi.
Ape Escape 3 doesn’t tinker with the series’ gameplay too much. You begin armed only with a stun rod and net, and are then given the daunting task of capturing the game’s 400 loose monkeys. Yes, you heard right: 400 monkeys, though don’t let the number scare you off since you only have to capture half that number to complete the game. So while a level may have 20 monkeys hidden in it, you’re only required to snag 12 to move on. The location of monkeys is usually obvious, though you’ll always have one or two that require some puzzle-solving or platforming skills to nab.
Though the stun rod and net are likely to be your two most used gadgets, you’ll also unlock new ones. These include handheld helicopter blades, RC cars, and an ape radar – all of which come in handy during the game’s many platform and puzzle segments. On top of that, Kei and Yumi can also pull off costume changes that grant them new abilities. Some, like the cowboy and ninja, are extremely useful while others, like the knight and Arabian dancer, are limited in their uses. The catch with costume changes is that they are timed usages and require you to collect green power-ups to keep the timer going. You can, however, purchase gems at the shop that allow you to store up multiple charges.
Gamplay doesn’t differ too drastically depending on who you choose to play as. Both have access to the same gadgets and costumes, though the look will change to reflect either a “boy” or “girl” version. Playing as Yumi does, however, come with a slight bonus. Given her status as a pop star, some monkeys will actually become star-struck at the sight of her and become easier to capture.
Keeping up with the series’ tradition, mini-games can be purchased and played. Compared to past games, I was a little disappointed with the initial offering of games, though things quickly turned around after unlocking one of the strangest industry crossovers yet – Mesal Gear Solid. Without going into too much detail, imagine playing Metal Gear Solid, only with monkeys. I was actually rather surprised by how complete the mini-game really was and never expected to end up playing it as long as I did.
