Ratchet and Clank are some of the most lovable PlayStation Mascots. Since 2002, they've been delighting audiences of all ages to the point that they even received a movie back in 2016 (whether it was good or not is better left up to you). With a new Ratchet and Clank game coming to PS5, there will be a lot more newcomers introduced to these two PlayStation Icons.
So, for those of you who are doing some research on the franchise, we'll be giving you ten little tidbits about the series' most elusive species, The Lombax.
10 Lombaxes weren't supposed to look like Cats
Lombaxes have a very feline appearance to them, but that wasn't Insomniac Games' original choice. Initially, the team wanted Ratchet and his kind more reptilian-like. As the creation process went on, Lead artist David Guertin slowly changed the reptile-alien to more of a caveman, before eventually coming up with the Cat-Like appearance Ratchet is known for.
As for the name, it came from Insomniac Games' president, Ted Price. He felt that the name "just stuck" during a GDC panel of the franchise's 15th anniversary.
9 Lombaxes have five fingers because of Japan
Originally, Lombaxes were meant to have four fingers, in a nod to shows like The Simpsons. However, this had to be changed due to the game also being released in Japan. You see, having four fingers is looked down on in Japan. The reasoning is that, historically, having a missing finger was seen as a sign of you working in a lower and dangerous job, such as butchering.
Some even believe it has a connection to the Yakuza. So, most cartoons are edited in Japan to show characters with Five Fingers. You can learn more for Censored Gaming, where they go into much more detail.
8 There was a female Lombax introduced before the new game
While many were surprised to see there was a Female Lombax introduced in Rift Apart, this wasn't the first time a female Lombax was introduced. In the second game in the series, Going Commando, Ratchet encounters a taller female Lombax in Angela Cross. She was a former employer at Megacorp who left when her Boss, Mr. Fizzwidget, pushed up the release date of the Protopet, a creature that was still experimental and highly dangerous at this point.
However, it's revealed that Mr. Fizzwidget was Captain Qwark, who was trying to seek revenge on Ratchet and Clank for busting him in the first game. Later on, Angela was on the run from the villainous Tachyon, who was on a hunt to kill all remaining Lombaxes. She hasn't been heard of since, but it was confirmed that she wasn't killed.
7 Why Ratchet isn't "the last Lombax"
So, while Ratchet isn't the last Lombax because of the existence of Angela, there's another reason why he's not. Revealed in A Crack in Time, Ratchet is told by a fellow Lombax, Alistair Azmuth, that the Lombaxes teleported to another dimension with their most powerful creation, the Dimentionator. After Tachyon waged war on the alien species, they decided to hide from him and forces. But, only Ratchet, his parents, and Azmuth stayed behind. Ratchet's father was killed by Tachyon while searching for his wife(who also died), but he sent Ratchet away before his death.
Azmuth, for giving Tachyon access to Lombax weaponry (Tachyon tricked him), was banished form joining the Lombaxes.
6 They are masters in engineering and combat
Ratchet didn't just learn to be a fantastic engineer from the likes of Grimroth Razz; it's part of his heritage.
Lombaxes are known for their incredible engineering skills, developing several gadgets and weapons. Along with their advanced knowledge of technology, they were great warriors, becoming skilled experts in long-range combat.
5 They created Hoverboots and the OmniWrench
Ratchet can't go anywhere without his OmniWrench. While he's had a few different ones, they were all made by other companies.
Where did the original design come from? The Lombaxes, of course. They even were responsible for creating hover boot technology.
4 Nearly everyone across the galaxy loved them
Ratchet's species were one of the most beloved creatures in the entire galaxy. While their engineering and combat skills can't be doubted as exemplary, it was their "destruction" of the Cragmites that made them so respected. Before Ratchet's birth, the Lombaxes were at war with the Cragmites, the greatest threat to the Polaris Galaxy.
To rid the system of the Cragmites, the Lombaxes invented the Dimentionator and sent the destructive race to another reality. The only one that was left was Tachyon, who was raised by Lombaxes before learning what they did and attempted to exact his revenge.
3 White and Blue were some of their original design colors
There's a surprising reason why the new Female Lombax in Rift Apart is colored Blue and White. Throughout creating Ratchet, Insomniac used a wide-color spectrum in shading his fur. Initially, some of the colors that were used for him was White and Blue.
But, they ultimately went with a Brown-Yellow mixture for his final design. It's a nice touch that Insomniac went back to their drawing board for inspiration for their new creation.
2 They don't have J in their alphabet
Yup, even Lombaxes have their own alphabet. Seen in Tools of Destruction, The Lombax have their language and alphabet. Ratchet can't read it, since he was never taught it, but his friend, Talwyn Apogee, can since she learned the language from her father, who was an explorer and researcher.
The only letter that they don't have is J. Insomniacs Grant Hollis created the alphabet.
1 The Blarg had a hand in riding them
The Blarg is a race of roach-like aliens that were introduced in the original Ratchet and Clank and its remake. They are a violent, yet intelligent race that are experts in engineering, though they aren't as inventive as the Lombaxes.
It may be because of this that they helped in eliminating them from this dimension. In the 2016 remake, it is revealed through in-game text that the Blarg had aided in exterminating the Lombaxes from space.