Ratchet & Clankhas amused gamers with its platformer-shooter antics for nearly two decades. The titular duo has traversed across countless wacky worlds, battling bots, aliens, and other creatures in a profit-driven galaxy. Of course, a franchise as long as this is bound to have a few callbacks along the way.
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The most recent entry,Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, dials that up to eleven. Not only does the game allude to past titles inInsomniac’s series, but fans now have a gun that literally fires references. The RYNO 8 creates rifts that brings in characters and objects from other dimensions (or franchises). That means Easter Eggs galore. Even the most jaded gamers might crack a smile at some of these cheeky cameos.
10Sly Cooper And The Gang
Thesestealth action titlesstood shoulder-to-shoulder withRatchet & Clankas the most beloved platformers on the PlayStation 2. Though their inclusion here was teased on Twitter, fans weren’t expecting to get three Easter Eggs for the price of one.
The RYNO portals can spit out the raccoon thief himself, his tech turtle ally Bentley, and even their colorful Cooper Gang van. No sign of Murray, though. Maybe the hefty hippo will make it through the rift later. After all, the team van is nothing without its daredevil driver.
9Jak & Daxter: The Precursor (Orb) Legacy
Rounding out the trifecta of iconic PS2 platformers,Jak & Daxterthemselves pop out of a portal to join the fun. Unfortunately, they don’t look too happy to see Ratchet & Clank, probably because these dynamic duos have an unofficial rivalry that stretches back to their earliest adventures. Of course, it doesn’t help that Ratchet’s taking all their money.
Players can also replacethe collectible boltswith Precursor Orbs. These engraved globes function as currency in theJak & Daxtergames, particularly the first entry. Their inclusion here takes the Easter Egg concept to a more literal level.
8Bots From Horizon: Zero Dawn
Talk about a stylistic shift. Sometimes, the RYNO portals will spit outtwo of the robo-dinos fromHorizon: Zero Dawn: the Sawtooth and the Thunderjaw. These mechs are far more intimidating than the ones Ratchet & Clank typically tackle. Maybe they should have ported Aloy over here to help.
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Then again, their arsenal is much bigger and deadlier than hers. A gun beats a bow and arrow, especially a space gun. If anything, pitting the local heroes against these new buckets of bolts would probably be overkill.
7Uncharted Artifacts
While none ofthe witty characters from this treasure-hunting seriesmake an appearance, several artifacts do. One of the less obvious is the jeep fromA Thief’s End, which just looks like a miscellaneous vehicle from any other game. Far more distinctive is the plane straight out ofDrake’s Fortune, complete with the dirty picture up front. This comes courtesy of Victor “Sully” Sullivan.
Considering it crashed on a creepy island, this thing should be scrap. However, its size and bright colors do help it stand out more than Marco Polo’s dagger fromUncharted 2. Sure, it’s the key to Shangri-La, but this little tool often blends into the darker environments and slew of other items flying everywhere. Good luck spotting it, let alone identifying it. And speaking of keys…
6A Keyblade From Kingdom Hearts
Among all the guns at Ratchet’s disposal, it’s easy to forget his melee weapon: a wrench from his mechanic roots. Thankfully, this Easter Egg ensures that no one forgets the close-quarter combat.
As an alternate weapon, Ratchet and Rivet can swap out the wrench for aKeyblade. In the longstandingKingdom Heartsseries, worthy heroes use these keys to travel betweenDisneyworlds and battle the hordes of darkness. It’s a different dimension-hopping tool than the RYNO, but the result is the same. The only downside is that it can’t fix leaky pipes.
5Rupees From The Legend Of Zelda
It figuresone of the most famous game series of all timewould show up here. That said, it’s surprising how little lip serviceThe Legend of Zeldagets. Neither Link nor Zelda show up, and the Master Sword and Triforce are nowhere to be found. Instead, players can simply replace bolts with rupees.
For longtime gamers, though,even this will be enough to make them smile. Not only are they recognizable, but their vibrant coloration makes them more visually appealing than the gray bolts. When it comes to in-game currency, it’s impossible to beat the classics.
4Tales Of LittleBigPlanet
Sadly, Sackboy himself doesn’t appear here. Instead, his quirky journeys get a mention through the Lombax Lorbs. These secret collectibles reveal several hidden messages left by lombax explorer Mags. One of his recordings describes a realm with abundant creativity and a “pleasant voice.”
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The clues indicate that this is the patchwork world ofLittleBigPlanet, the PS3 platforming and puzzle game. As for the voice, it’s probably the theatrical narration by Stephen Fry. The guy narrates audiobooks, so he ought to have a pleasant tone.
3Sunset Overdrive’s Malicious Mascot
Thispost-apocalyptic shootermay not be one of Insomniac’s better-known titles, but that won’t stop them paying tribute in their flagship franchise. Out of a rift comes Fizzie, the mascot of energy drink company Fizzco. However, the heroes should be concerned, since this company’s soda turns people into ravenous mutants.
Then again, players can also change their currency bolts to Fizzco cans. As such, the sinister side effects must not matter much to consumers in this dimension. It’s not all that surprising, considering how commercialized Ratchet & Clank’s galaxy is.
2Angela Cross, The Wayward Lombax
One would thinkthe franchise’s first female lombaxwould get more attention. Angela Cross debuted back in the second game,Going Commando. She needed the heroes' help in saving her galaxy from the mysterious MegaCorp. In that way, she’s much like Rivet.
It’s only fitting, then, that this new heroine references the old. During her journeys, Rivet mentions escaping from a prison with a friend named Angela, lamenting that she hasn’t seen that friend for a while. That’s for sure – it’s about time for a comeback. The other characters got alternate-universe doppelgangers, so is it too much to ask the same for this forgotten lombax?
1RYNO
Perhaps the most potent Easter Egg is the RYNO itself. This weaponis a well-worn staple of the series. Ever since the shady salesman sold it for 150,000 bolts in the first game, unlocking the “Rip Ya A New One” has been a challenge for only the most devoted players.
That’s why its return here is so important. While newcomers might see it as just another gun, series veterans will view it as a stamp of authenticity. It just wouldn’t be aRatchet & Clanktitle without the RYNO.
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