Each of the monkeys has different attributes which makes them more or less difficult to catch

Despite protestations to the forth, Sony would desperately like to ape Nintendo's quite splendid Super Mario 64. Most attempts to date (Gex, Croc et al) have caused a raft of Beavis and Butthead-style sniggerage in these parts. Mind you, the PlayStation magazines normally award them 94% anyway. Sheesh...
Steve Bradley

So it's Mario, only on the PlayStation, right?
That's what some would like you to think. As luck would have it, Ape Escape - even in its unfinished guise - is probably the best fist that any PlayStation developer has made of a 3D, free-roaming platformer. The reason being that the designers have been somewhat light-fingered to say the least. Ape Escape has ransacked Super Mario.

A Good Thing?
Well, if you're going to steal, then steal from the best. The levels are packed with handy hints to help you control the character (like Mario), the learning curve is finely tuned (a nod to the aforementioned plumber) and while some aspects of the game's control are tricky, it gives you enough time and space to attune to situations before you're in any real danger of losing a life (like Him again). For instance, you'll spend a nervous 15 minutes (probably five minutes for most people) attempting to row a rubber dingy in a straight line, but when you get the knack, it feels great.

Does it play like Mario?
Very much so. You scoot about levels, bagging chimps, whacking plants and animals, collecting gold coins and once you've caught the requisite amount of primates, you're returned to the professor's lab to receive advice about the task ahead. There's also a room where you can access sub-games providing you can slot in a specified number of collected coins.