Ubisoft bringing next Ape Escape stateside

Ubisoft announced today that it's bringing the next game in the Ape Escape series stateside. Titled Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed, the game will be a localized version of the previously released Japanese version of the game--called Gacha Mecha Stadium Saru Battle. Currently the game is set to be released exclusively for the PlayStation 2 in October 2004. It also marks the second time Ubisoft has published an installment in the Sony-developed series, following last year's Ape Escape 2.

Characters from previous installments in the Ape Escape series will appear in Pumped & Primed, including hero and heroine Spike and Natalie. New characters will also be featured, including Pipotron, Helga, and a "mysterious boss." As before, the game's plotline will focus on the mysterious appearance of a multitude of rambunctious simians, who wreak havoc in a computer-generated world. Said world will be packed with a plethora of unlockables and character-specific gadgets.

Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed will also feature two game modes. The story mode will let one or two players play through 44 levels and eight boss battles, while the versus mode will feature 21 premade, party-game-style tournaments for up to four players. The game will also let players custom-create their own tournaments. Recently, GameSpot got to monkey around with the Japanese import version of the game--check out our hands-on impressions.