The Jak and Daxter series is one of the most well-known and defining PlayStation franchises, especially during the height of the 3D platformer era. The eponymous duo created by Naughty Dog is now one of the most memorable in video game history with their extraordinary friendship and chemistry. As such, with how iconic the series is, we thought it would be best to note down every game in the Jak and Daxter series in release order.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001)
The Precursor Legacy follows the two protagonists, Jak and Daxter, to stop the lurkers led by Gol Acheron and his sister Maia from destroying the world with dark eco, a mysterious poisonous substance. But, when Daxter falls into a dark eco silo and turns from a human into an ottsel, it is up to them to decide whether they should use the coveted light echo to return Daxter to his original form or save the world from the lurkers. The game features a beautifully designed open world with impressive details and brilliant enemies. New hub areas can be unlocked to progress the story after collecting various items.
Jak II (2003)
After the events of the Precursor Legacy, Jak and Daxter, along with Samos and Keira, accidentally activate a rift and find themselves stranded in Haven City, an unfamiliar and futuristic industrial hub. There, Jak is captured by Krinzon Guard and faces various dark eco experiments, ultimately transforming him into an alter ego, Dark Jak. After being saved by Daxter two years later, Jax joins forces with the Underground and takes the fight to Krimzon Guard while keeping his brutal alter ego in check. The gameplay aspects from the first game are retained here, with the new addition of Jak having the ability to use his darker powers.
Jak 3 (2004)
Jak 3 is set a year after the events of the previous game. For possessing dark powers and bringing war, Jak is disliked by the people of Haven City. Afterward, he is banished to the Wasteland by the corrupted Count Veger. Now, in strange territory, Jak, with help from Daxter and Pecker, must prove his worth in the city of Spargus and the Wasteland or be thrown out from them. Gameplay elements from the first two games are retained, along with more weapon modifications and traveling the open world using Buggies.
Jak X: Combat Racing (2005)
Jak X: Combat Racing takes place after Jak 3 and focuses solely on the combat racing aspect in the game’s fictional universe. Jak and his gang find out that everyone in Kras City is poisoned with the black shade according to the last will of Krew. Now, in order to get an antidote, Jak and his gang must race in the Kras City Grand Championship against Mizo, a rival gang leader, and save the whole city, including themselves. Instead of the traditional 3D open-world gameplay featured in the previous titles, this game is focused solely on arcade racing.
Daxter (2006)
Daxter is set during the two years gap in Jak II and focuses on Daxter. The game, like Jak II, is set in Haven City in the more welcoming areas. Here, Daxter accepts to work for the Kridder Ridder extermination company by an invitation from its owner, Osmo. He is tasked with eliminating the Metal Bugs that are infested throughout the city using his electric bug swatter and spray gun while also searching for his lost friend, Jak. The game follows a linear progression and doesn’t feature open-world elements from the first three games, although there are explorable areas.
Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier (2009)
The Lost Frontier takes place a long time after the events of Jak 3, where a global eco shortage has affected the planet, causing dangerous natural disasters. Jak, Daxter, and Keira embarked on a journey to fix this problem. On their journey, they run into the Sky Pirates, who are trying to steal the eco all for themselves, and the people of Aeropa, who are searching for the fix of the supply of eco. While the game retains the platforming and adventure elements from the first three games, it doesn’t feature an open-world environment and instead follows a linear progression.
Jak and Daxter Collection (2017)
Image via Naughty Dog
The Jak and Daxter Collection is a full HD remaster of the first three games in the series. This was developed by Mass Media Inc. in collaboration with the original developers, Naughty Dog. Various graphical and gameplay enhancements are seen in this remaster, making the games more interesting and immersive.
