Organization:Ape Escape Academy

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Ape Escape Academy
Ape Escape Academy cover art.jpg
Developer(s)Shift
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
SeriesApe Escape
Platform(s)PlayStation Portable
Release
  • JP: December 30, 2004
  • EU: September 1, 2005
  • NA: January 17, 2006
Genre(s)Party
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Ape Escape Academy, also known as Ape Academy in Europe and Piposaru Academia: Dossari! Sarugē Daizenshū (ピポサルアカデミ〜ア どっさり!サルゲー大集合, Piposaru Akademi〜a Dossari! Sarugē Daizenshū) in Japan, is a game for the PlayStation Portable system that consists of a collection of 47 mini-games, many of which borrow from elements of Ape Escape 2. The game was first released in Japan and later in Europe and North America. By utilizing the PSP's Wi-Fi capabilities, up to 4 players can play at a time.

The North American release was on the same day as Ape Escape 3.

A sequel, Ape Escape Academy 2, was released in Japan and Europe, but not in North America.

Gameplay

A monkey working for Specter, the player must work up from junior class to senior class by playing mini games by meeting certain criteria for each class. There are 9 mini games in each class to complete. Failing to meet the criteria rewards the player with an X, while meeting the criteria rewards an O, similar to tic-tac-toe.

Each level has a certain number of lines required to pass the class (one line consists of 3 Os, either horizontally, vertically or diagonal). The game also offers review lessons for players that have almost met the requirements. Usually, these are mini-games that the player has failed previously.

Critical reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic51/100[1]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM4.83/10[2][lower-alpha 1]
Eurogamer4/10[3]
Famitsu27/40[4]
Game Informer7/10[5]
GameRevolutionD+[6]
GameSpot6.1/10[7]
GameSpy2/5 stars[8]
GameZone6.7/10[9]
Hardcore Gamer2.75/5[10]
IGN5.5/10[11]
OPM (US)1/5 stars[12]
Pocket Gamer2.5/5 stars[13]
Detroit Free Press1/4 stars[14]
The Times3/5 stars[15]

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[1] Many reviewers criticized the difficulty of most of the mini-games, as the controls were not explained fully, often leading to a failure during the first run in these minigames, but generally liked the variations in the available mini-games. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of one six and three sevens for a total of 27 out of 40.[4]

Game Informer noted how the game focuses on mini games like the WarioWare series, said the game does give some quick thrills, and criticized the loading times between games diminishing the fast-paced feel in comparison to the WarioWare games; the magazine concluded: "Still, this unambiguous title manages to (mostly) hit its target."[5] GamePro said that the mini-games "look nice, but just can't compete with Wario Ware's [sic] non-stop style of play that is best suited for the stylus-equipped DS."[16][lower-alpha 2]

The Times gave it a score of three stars out of five, saying, "With more than 45 mini-games in the mix, it is not surprising that the quality of them is fairly mixed — it is Ape Academy's major weakness that while many are rather too easy (the one-metre dash, for instance), others seem impossible (catching the contents of a kebab on a sword)."[15] Entertainment Weekly gave it a C+, saying, "Most of these minigames are fun and challenging, but the lack of a plot can leave you wondering just where you're going with the gameplay — and some become insanely hard after a couple starter rounds."[17] However, The Sydney Morning Herald gave it two stars out of five, saying, "Ape Academy's pace is languid. Frequent, lengthy loading delays frustrate, and many of the 50 challenges suffer from clumsy controls, ambiguous instructions, or are just dull."[18] Detroit Free Press gave it one star out of four, saying, "Throw in some excessive load times and a lame several-players-on-one handheld multiplayer mode and you have a barrel of frustration."[14]

It is believed that because of this game's lackluster reception, the future of the Ape Escape series in the North America is uncertain, as successive titles in the series (such as Ape Escape Racer and Ape Escape Million Monkeys) have yet to receive a North American release. However, Ape Quest was released for download for the PSP on the PlayStation Store in Japan & the US.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 4.5/10, and the other gave it 5.5/10
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the game 4/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 2.5/5 for control, and 3/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ape Escape Academy for PSP Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/ape-escape-academy/critic-reviews/?platform=psp. 
  2. ↑ Tsao, Jennifer; Ashley, Robert; Rea, Jared (February 2006). "Ape Escape Academy". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (200): 111. http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3133445&did=2. Retrieved August 2, 2023. 
  3. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (August 30, 2005). "Ape Academy". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-apeacademy-psp. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Collection of every PSP-game reviewed in Famitsu". NeoGaf LLC. August 27, 2006. https://www.neogaf.com/threads/collection-of-every-psp-game-reviewed-in-famitsu.116580/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Helgeson, Matt (February 2006). "Ape Escape Academy". Game Informer (GameStop) (154): 113. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/2B33D57B-22C2-4A5C-A72C-3B836B66AFB7.htm. Retrieved January 26, 2021. 
  6. ↑ Hurh, JP (February 1, 2006). "Ape Escape Academy Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/36502-ape-escape-acade-review. 
  7. ↑ Davis, Ryan (January 17, 2006). "Ape Escape Academy Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ape-escape-academy-review/1900-6142549/. 
  8. ↑ Theobald, Phil (January 13, 2006). "GameSpy: Ape Escape Academy". IGN Entertainment. http://psp.gamespy.com/playstation-portable/ape-escape-academics/681222p1.html. 
  9. ↑ Zacarias, Eduardo (January 13, 2006). "Ape Escape Academt - PSP - Review". https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/ape-escape-academy-psp-review/. 
  10. ↑ Cunningham, James; Hatchett, Geson "Racewing" (February 2006). "Ape Escape Academy". Hardcore Gamer (Prima Games) 1 (8): 64. https://archive.org/details/hardcore-gamer-magazine-v1i8/page/n31/mode/2up. Retrieved August 2, 2023. 
  11. ↑ Castro, Juan (January 19, 2006). "Ape Escape Academy". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/19/ape-escape-academy. 
  12. ↑ Kohler, Chris (February 2006). "Ape Escape Academy". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (101): 84. https://archive.org/details/official-us-playstation-magazine-issue-101-february-2006/page/n83/mode/2up. Retrieved August 2, 2023. 
  13. ↑ James, Chris (September 8, 2005). "Ape Academy". Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/ape-academy/ape-academy/. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Huschka, Ryan (February 12, 2006). "'Ape Escape Academy'". Detroit Free Press (Gannett Company). http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060212/ENT06/602120325/1044. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 McNamara, John (September 17, 2005). "Ape Academy". The Times (News UK). https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ape-academy-c9wl9zjgp30. 
  16. ↑ Mr. Marbles (March 2006). "Ape Escape Academy". GamePro (IDG) (210): 91. https://retrocdn.net/images/0/0e/GamePro_US_210.pdf. Retrieved August 2, 2023. 
  17. ↑ Xu, Samantha (April 13, 2006). "Bananas! (Ape Escape Academy)". Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.). https://ew.com/article/2007/01/03/new-psp-titles-good-things-small-packages/. Retrieved August 2, 2023. 
  18. ↑ Hill, Jason (September 29, 2005). "Nightmare Before Xmas". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/nightmare-before-xmas-20050929-gdm5cg.html. 

External links



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