APE-X
Enter the Ape-X
We knew we needed something special to push us past the label of “that company that only makes crazy/weird throws.” Coming off our last two releases, it was time for a splash, a big splash, in the return top community.
So we introduced a new concept:
Ape-X.
Referencing MonkeyfingeR right in the name was already a win, but we also loved the dual meaning. This one had the potential to make serious waves.
Creating an undersized throw was a bit of a gamble. We knew it would reduce curb appeal for the average thrower, but we weren’t aiming for average, we were cranking things up across the board: storytelling, graphics, anodizing, and packaging.
Sidebar: What’s in a Name?
Ape-X wasn’t just a cheeky reference to monkeys, it was also a play on “apex,” like hitting the high point of innovation. We were aiming for the peak, players are aiming for a peak, and we wanted the community to feel that.
Back to the drawing board. Our formula?
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Stick to our sweet spot: 68g
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Comfortable in the hand
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Undersized but with great spin times
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That nice little thud when it hits the string
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A touch of float, super stable
Sure, we knew industry standards hovered around 63–65g, but let’s be real, there’s only so much mainstream we’re willing to do. 😏
Did we pull it off?
Well… yes. In a lot of ways, yes.
We pushed out brand new anodizing tricks the scene hadn’t seen before.
Colour combos? Check.
A one of a kind box no one else was doing? Check.
A story that gave Ape-X some serious personality? Absolutely.
Sidebar: It’s all in the box
Instead of a basic square box, we created a hybrid wrap-meets-clamshell design with layered textures. The kind of packaging you didn’t want to throw out. We wanted people to hang onto everything when they made a purchase.
And for the first time ever, we partnered with an incredible artist from Salty SeaDog to create a custom comic book included with every throw. Blair absolutely nailed it. Blair was also the artist who took our original drawings of our monkey and created Cranky who would become the face of MonkeyfingeR
We had everything ready.
Fingers crossed, we launched the Ape-X into the world…
And it sold.
It sold fast, gone in just a few days, which was a world record for us.
The pressure was on.
We even sold 6 or 7 units directly from our own store, which, at the time, was a first.
YES.
It was that accidentally on purpose moment where we realized:
This was our formula, not just to make a yo-yo, but to give it life.
The reviews? Solid.
The community? Buzzing.
People were talking about it and spreading the word.
Ape-X nailed it.
Sidebar: One and Done
This is one of the very few MonkeyfingeR throws that never saw a second run. If you got one—you’re holding a piece of history. And if you didn’t… sorry bud, that ship’s long sailed.
It was on the Ape-x that we did the first version of the “Dragon Slayer” colorway that became a signature look YYE. We’d go on to use it across multiple future throws, but it all started right here, with the Ape-X
And just like that, with the buzz still in the air, we were already on to the next challenge.
It was time to start working on our first official Co-Lab project.
