Ape Escape is a platform game developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan. Sony Computer Entertainment released it in Japan on June 24, 1999, as Saru Getchu, and in North America and Europe later that year. It was the first game to require the DualShock analog controller. A team of 25 people worked on it for about two and a half years; Masamichi Seki directed it, and Soichi Terada composed the soundtrack.
The English version's voice acting was recorded at Dubey Tunes Studios in San Francisco, and a Spanish-market version was also released. In North America the game later became a Greatest Hits title. A PSP remake, Ape Escape: On the Loose (Saru Getchu P! in Japan), followed in 2005.
The game sold 1.4 million copies worldwide by July 2003. In May 2022 the original PlayStation release was added to PlayStation Plus, playable on PS4 and PS5.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Ape EscapeEnglish Wikipedia gives June 22, 1999, Spanish Wikipedia May 13, 1999; later a Greatest Hits title. | PlayStation | 1999 | Sony Computer Entertainment | 1 |
| JP | サルゲッチュSaru Getchu | PlayStation | Jun 24, 1999 | Sony Computer Entertainment | 1 |
| EU | Ape EscapeEnglish Wikipedia gives June 22, 1999 for PAL regions. | PlayStation | 1999 | Sony Computer Entertainment | 1 |
| WW | Ape EscapeAdded to PlayStation Plus (Deluxe/Premium) in May 2022, playable on PS4 and PS5 with trophies. | PlayStation 4 | 2022 | Sony Interactive Entertainment | 1 |
Also known as: サルゲッチュ JP1Saru Getchu JP1Saru! Get You! JP1
Box art by region
NA Ape Escape 
EU Ape Escape
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Translations
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English Official
Sony Computer Entertainment1999PlayStation · Japanese versionReleased · complete
The English version features voice acting recorded at Dubey Tunes Studios in San Francisco.1
-
Spanish Official
Sony Computer Entertainment1999PlayStationReleased
A Spanish version of the game was released; Spanish Wikipedia refers to the British and Spanish versions.2
Reception
Ape Escape has a Metacritic score of 90/100; critics praised its analog controls, graphics and music. It sold over 500,000 copies in Japan, over 600,000 in the United States and 1.4 million worldwide by July 2003.1
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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