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#12

Ape Escape 2 continues the monkey-catching gameplay introduced in 1999's Ape Escape on the original PlayStation, which was the first title to require the Dual Shock Analog Controller due to its distinctive control scheme. Players guide a young boy named Jimmy, who must round up as many rambunctious simians as possible before they overrun the world. The game's 20 levels are selected from the safe confines of the Travel Station, a base of operations where players can learn more about their targets and unlock various bonuses. Both analog sticks are used to control movement and one of the 11 gadgets, up from eight in the original, ranging from a butterfly net and stun baton to monkey radar and a slingshot. Players use stealth and some light strategy to corner the apes, as each creature wears a light-equipped helmet whose color indicates the animal's level of alertness. Startle a monkey by simply running up to it, and the helmet will change from blue to red, causing the monkey to either attack or scamper away, based on its aggressiveness rating. If a monkey hears a noise but cannot see Jimmy, the helmet will switch to yellow and the simian will investigate. If players avoid detection for a certain amount of time, the light will revert back to blue. Levels range in theme from prehistoric lands to Egyptian, Venetian, and Japanese locales. Also new to the game is a baby monkey companion to help provide hints. Three bonus mini-games let players swing from a series of ropes, participate in a rhythm-based dance contest, and compete in a five-on-five soccer game.