The PlayStation back catalogue spans thousands and thousands of games, but when it comes to platform adventures, Jak and Daxter rule the roost.
Gaming duos need to be memorable and strike a chord with players. They need chemistry that works from the very first time we see them on screen. They need a fun back story, a good sense of humour, and some kick-ass weapons.
That’s Jak and Daxter in a nutshell!
Making a debut on the world’s best selling console can’t have been easy, but Jak and Daxter’s first-ever adventure certainly made an impact on gamers across the globe. It remains the 17th best-selling PS2 game of all time, an accolade that our gaming duo should be proud of!
But who are Jak and Daxter? Who created them, and what makes them tick?
We’ve put together the ultimate fact file on Sony’s most famous duo. Now, you can impress friends at parties or wow colleagues at business meetings instead of talking about boring stuff like spreadsheets and wage slips.
Getting To Know Jak And Daxter!
Who Are Jak and Daxter?
Jak and Daxter are a popular gaming duo from a series of games of the same name. They first appeared on the PlayStation 2 back in 2001 and have been firm fixtures on Sony consoles ever since.
The duo work together together through a series of action/adventure platforming games, with elements of shooting and puzzle-solving thrown in for good measure.
A mysterious substance called ‘Eco’ plays a huge role in the duo’s adventures, sometimes manipulating characters and otherwise affecting the world in which they are based. Many of the game’s settings are industrial and steam-punk orientated, though there are vibrant, colourful village levels to explore too.
How Many Jak And Daxter Games Are There?
In total, there are a total of six games based on Jak and Daxter. These are;
- Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
- Jak II & Jak III
- Daxter
- Jak X: Combat Racing
- Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
With the exception of ‘Daxter’, the duo appear in each of the games together on the PS2. Daxter is one of our best PSP games and focuses on the little furry sidekick trying to free an imprisoned Jak.
Is Jak Human?
Jak, and many of the people in the game’s universe, are of a human-elf hybrid race. He looks like you and I for the most part, though he has a touch of ‘Hylian Ear’ about him for that extra fantasy vibe.
Eco affects Jak in different ways throughout the series of games, adapting his look and giving him extra features in certain situations.
What Animal Is Daxter?
Daxter is an Ottsel, which is a cross between an otter and a weasel.
Still, he wasn’t always a furry troublemaker… well, he wasn’t always furry, at least.
In the beginning of the first game, the Precursor Legacy, Daxter falls into a pool of Dark Eco and becomes the sidekick that we know and love.
While Jak starts off as the ‘strong and silent’ type, Daxter provides most of the humour and does most of the talking. It’s a great system that has worked for other duos such as Banjo and Kazooie.
And don’t worry, he gets himself a lady Ottsel friend later on in the series.
Who Developed The Jak And Daxter Games
Naughty Dog kickstarted the series back in 2001 and developed The Precursor Legacy, Jak II, Jak 3, and Jak X: Combat Racing.
Daxter’s PSP adventure was developed by Ready at Dawn, while The Lost Frontier was passed on to High Impact Games.
The series is owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Who Designed Jak And Daxter?
Naughty Dog’s founders, Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin, designed the duo and the universe that they live in.
I think we need to take a moment to give them a round of applause for thinking up such an incredible series!
Where Do The Duo Live?
The universe that Jak and little Daxter live in is unnamed. It consists of lots of elven-humanoid hybrids and a couple of Ottsels. The universe in every game is open-world, so there are no load times when entering different areas.
From vibrant island towns to murky cities, there are so many places to explore in what we might as well call ‘Jaktopia’, for want of a better name.
Which Is The Best Jak And Daxter Game?
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy.
That’s just my humble opinion, as this is the game that sets everything in motion and the one that actually turns Daxter into the iconic character that we all know and love.
It’s also the most loved game by critics too, continually ranking in the high 90s on many gaming sites.
How Many Copies Of Jak And Daxter Have Sold?
15 million copies.
That’s all of the games put together, including collections on other PS consoles.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy sold over 2-million copies on its own.
What Other Games Have Jack And Daxter Featured In?
Jak and his Ottsel-features have starred in the Jak and Daxter Collection for both the PS3 and PS Vita, and the Jak and Daxter Bundle for the PS4. There are also frequent references to both characters in the Ratchet and Clank universe and in the Uncharted games.
The duo has also made cameo appearances as playable characters in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale and Hot Shots Golf Fore!
They have appeared as skins in the LittleBigPlanet series and also in Ratchet: Deadlocked.
Will There Be A New Jak And Daxter Game For The PS5?
Fans will be happy to hear that there are rumours of a new game joining the ranks of the best PS5 games.
Sadly, it is thought to be a remake of the original three titles with better graphics. I say sadly; that would still be pretty awesome, especially with the power of the PS5 behind it.
Still, it’s been a long time since The Lost Frontier made its debut, so we may well see a return of the duo in a brand new adventure hitting the new console in 2021! We’re keeping everything crossed!
Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 31 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
