A stick for the net
Swinging a net with the right stick makes direction part of the action. The monkeys do not simply wait at the end of a jump: they run, react and make a hurried approach unreliable. Each gadget adds another physical use for the controls. The camera can still need attention, but the pleasure comes from becoming comfortable enough with the equipment to plan the catch.
Spend time with each gadget’s training before looking for every monkey. Keep the right stick free for the tool instead of expecting it to act as a modern camera control. Check the input mapping when using a reissue.
When the controller is required
The 1999 game requires an analogue controller for its original PlayStation edition. Sony’s hardware history uses it to illustrate the role of the DualShock’s two sticks. An accessory that was optional for much of the library becomes part of the game’s basic design.
Why we chose it for PlayStation
Using the second stick for tools makes the controller requirement central to the play.
Explore this console’s game selection ↗Release record
Original worldwide release: 1999. Release records above identify the console editions covered by this collection.
Sources and further reading2 references
- PlayStation history: 1994 ↗Sony Interactive Entertainment · Accessed 2026-10-27
3 December 1994 Japanese launch and the shift to CD-ROM and 3D.
- Ape Escape ↗Sony / PlayStation Store UK · Accessed 2026-10-27
Live UK PS4/PS5 conversion with rewind and quick saving. The original’s analogue-control requirement is documented separately by Sony’s hardware history.
