The Jak & Daxter Franchise

ジャック×ダクスター

This Medium post is about an exciting video game franchise owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment (then known as Sony Computer Entertainment America) and developed by Naughty Dog (then known as JAM Software) — the Jak and Daxter franchise. The franchise was created by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin.

The games are story-based platformers that feature a mixture of action, racing, and puzzle solving. The series is set in a fictional universe that incorporates science fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, and mystical elements while centering on the eponymous characters as they try to uncover the secrets of their world and unravel the mysteries left behind by an ancient race called the Precursors. The games are inspired by a combination of Eastern and Western culture, a decision made among the team members at Naughty Dog and related stakeholders while developing the first title. The first three games in the series were re-released on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita as part of the remastered Jak and Daxter Collection that includes support for the PlayStation Network and the PlayStation Suite. This post doesn’t cover any PlayStation Portable games. Here we go!

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

• Known in Japan as Jakku × Dakusutā: Kyū Sekai no Isan (ジャック×ダクスター 旧世界の遺産, lit. “Jak and Daxter: Legacy of the Old World”).

The first order of business is Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. It was released in late 2001 in North America and Europe, as well as Japan, and is the first game in the series. The game follows the protagonist, a young teenager named Jak (Aaron Lohr, grunts only → Mike Erwin → Josh Keaton; Showtaro Morikubo in the Japanese dub), as he tries to help his friend Daxter (Max Casella; Teiyū Ichiryūsai in the Japanese dub) after he is transformed into an ottsel, a fictional hybrid of an otter and a weasel. With the help of Samos the Sage, a master of the mysterious energy called ‘Eco’ created by an ancient race known as the Precursors, the pair learn that they must save their world from the rogue sages Gol and Maia Acheron, who plan to flood the world with “Dark Eco”, a mysterious substance which corrupts all it touches. It also marks the debut of Keira (Anna Garduño → Tara Strong; Kyōko Hikami in the Japanese dub), who is implied to be Jak’s love interest. She builds the flying Zoomer vehicle that Jak and Daxter use multiple times throughout their adventure.

We also remember this quote from the first game:

Daxter: Hey baby, what say you and I go cruisin’?
Keira: …Rule number one: I don’t. Date. Animals.
Daxter: Oh, you don’t know what you’re missin’!

Daxter is voiced by Max Casella… as Vinnie Delpino from Doogie Howser, M.D.! I have yet to finish it on Disney+ for Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. Jak and Daxter received critical acclaim upon release, with most critics praising the game’s variety. Many critics agreed that the game had some of the best-looking graphics at the time of its release. By 2002, the game had sold a total of over one million copies worldwide, and by 2007, it had sold two million in the United States alone. Here are the commercials for this game.

Jak II

• Known in Europe and Oceania as Jak II: Renegade.
• Known in Japan as Jak and Daxter 2 (ジャック×ダクスター2).

Released in late 2003 (and early 2004 in Japan), Jak II features new weapons and devices, new playable areas, and a storyline that picks up after the events of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. The player takes on the dual role of protagonists Jak and Daxter. This is also the first game Jak is heard speaking in the series (in the first game, he doesn’t speak), which is heavily lampshaded by other returning characters throughout the story. He now has a goatee and his hair is always flowing as opposed to the first game, in which his hair was spiky. Here are the scenes for Jak II (Japanese dub, English original).

Jak II received critical acclaim upon release. Critics applauded the game for being very polished in nearly every department, with many agreeing it was one of the best PlayStation 2 games released at the time. Some criticism, however, was directed at the checkpoint systems, darker tone, and high difficulty. The game is notorious among gamers for being one of the most difficult games on the PlayStation 2.

Jak 3

• Known in Japan as Jak and Daxter 3 (ジャック×ダクスター3), but the game was not released there.

Released in late 2004, Jak 3 serves as the conclusion of the Jak and Daxter trilogy. The game picks up after the events of the previous games, and the player takes on the dual role of recurring protagonists Jak and Daxter. It adds new weapons, devices, and playable areas. The game was followed by Jak X: Combat Racing. The game was skipped in Japan. Like its predecessor, the gameplay of Jak 3 is a blend of platforming, driving, and gun combat. The player is led through the story as they complete missions, assigned by the various characters in the game. Missions can consist of anything from defeating particular enemies, reaching a specific location, or completing a puzzle. Except for timed or otherwise linear missions, the player is free to explore the massive game world as they see fit.

Jak X: Combat Racing

• “ジャックエックス コンバットレーシング” in Japanese (but the game was not released there, again).
• Known simply as Jak X in the PAL regions (specifically Europe).

Jak X: Combat Racing is the fourth installment in the Jak and Daxter series. It is a vehicular combat/racing game released in late 2005. The gameplay differs from previous installments in the series, focusing on arcade racing rather than action-adventure gameplay. However, the driving mechanics of the game were modeled after the previous entry in the series, Jak 3. Furthermore, Combat Racing was the first Jak and Daxter game to feature a multiplayer mode. Save data from the first three Jak and Daxter games, Daxter and Ratchet: Deadlocked unlock several drivers for the game, including Ratchet from Ratchet & Clank. For the PlayStation 4 port, the save data of the PS4 ports of the first three Jak and Daxter games, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, and Ratchet & Clank (2016) are required to unlock the content. The online functionality for the PS2 (including the games) was deprecated in mid-2012 (early 2016 for third-party support).

Jak appears alongside Ratchet as a playable character in Hot Shots Golf Fore! (in North America and Europe only) and Daxter acts as a golf caddy, as well as on posters in various games in the Ratchet & Clank universe, and in several background cameos in Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando.