Ranking the Best Ratchet and Clank Game and the Worst

Ratchet & Clank is a PlayStation staple at this point. Ever since the original platformer released in 2002, the duo has been popular mascots for Sony’s gaming brand. After all, their adventures have spanned multiple systems at this point. From the PlayStation 2 to Vita, you can find our favorite robot and Lombax on almost every Sony console.

With over 10 entries in the series, it can be hard to decide which is the best Ratchet and Clank game. We’re up for the task, though, and it made sense to rank the series from best to worst with the upcoming PS4 version out tomorrow (check out our review of it here).

Before we get onto the list, here are a few things to consider. First off, only games released on PlayStation systems were considered for ranking. So that means no Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile or the iOS runner Before the Nexus. Second, and most importantly, there wasn’t some mathematical formula to come up with this list. It’s all just a matter of opinion.

We hope you enjoyed our look at the Ratchet & Clank series on PlayStation. While some entries are definitely better than others, there really isn’t a bad one in the bunch! That’s quite the accomplishment when you consider how much experimentation Insomniac has done with the series, and the chances they have taken over the past 14 years.

In your opinion, which is the best Ratchet and Clank game? Which is the worst entry in the franchise? Share them in the comments below!

Essential Reading:

Ranking the Ratchet & Clank Series

Ranking the Best and Worst of the Ratchet & Clank Series
Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

You can't say that Insomniac doesn't try new things. It's just that they don't always work out perfectly. Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault was the studio's attempt to blend its platforming roots with a tower defense game. It's not bad, but it's the weakest game in the series.
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One was another experimental title in the series. This worked out better than Full Frontal Assault, as a cooperative game worked better than tower defense. Sadly, though, it just didn't feel like a fully fledged entry, and is one of the weaker offerings. It's fun with friends, but it's not something you'll keep coming back to.
Secret Agent Clank

High Impact Games did a solid job with their PSP spin-off, Secret Agent Clank. The stealth focused game starred the lovable robot for the first time and was a fun way to spend time during your commute. It eventually made its way to PlayStation 2, where the bite-sized gameplay didn't translate nearly as well.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty actually builds upon the gameplay found in Tools of Destruction, but it's just too short to rank higher on our list. It ultimately felt like more of a teaser than a fully fleshed out game. That said, there's still a lot of fun to be had, just don't expect it to last very long.
Ratchet: Deadlocked

Ratchet: Deadlocked was the first time that Insomniac experimented with the Ratchet & Clank formula and it was largely a success. Deadlocked focused on combat instead of puzzle solving and exploration, so your mileage may vary with how much you dig it compared to other games in the series. This ultimately makes it feel a bit more repetitive compared to its predecessors, and the lack of Clank is disappointing.
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters may have been developed for the PlayStation Portable, but it's a fully featured title. There's plenty of awesome weapons to unlock, worlds to explore, and bosses to beat. It's a great example of a portable entry done right.
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus

The final PlayStation 3 title in the series was a good one. Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus had a fun gameplay twist (gravity manipulation) while retaining the platforming that fans came to expect from the series. It's also drop dead gorgeous in spots. Into the Nexus is one of the best platformers on the system.
Ratchet & Clank

The original Ratchet & Clank has aged pretty dang well over the past 14 years. The remastered version of the game still looks solid on PlayStation 3, and there's a certain nostalgia that gets factored in due to it starting the series. While plenty of gamers are excited to experience the magic all over again in the reimagining, there's still a lot to enjoy in the original.
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando was a great follow-up to the original game. The weapons were zanier, the levels were more interesting, and the gameplay was more polished. Throw in a new level of variety thanks to the game's arena combat and racing stages, and you had a game that managed to pull out all of the stops. It's one of the PS2's greatest games, and that's why it ranks high on our list.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Our heroic duo's PlayStation 3 debut was a great one. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction took the series to a new level graphically, and managed to retain what made the series so beloved on PS2. It's rare to see such an acclaimed series jump generations without missing a step, but that's what happened here.
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is the series' peak on PlayStation 3. The humor is at an all-time high, with a memorable and engaging plot, and the gameplay is enhanced thanks to a new focus on time. A Crack in Time is the payoff from Quest for Booty and it's an absolute joy.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal is the apex of the series. The combat is top-notch, the plot will leave laughing, and it was a graphical marvel for the time. It's held up fantastically over time, and it's just as fun on PS3 as it was when it released in 2004. Up Your Arsenal is the best game in the series, and one of the greatest 3D platformers ever made.