8 Essential Naughty Dog Games, Ranked

Image via Naughty Dog Published Jul 31, 2026, 4:50 PM EDT Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years. Sign in to your Collider account Few video game developers have been as consistently high-quality and masterful in their scope and scale as Naughty Dog, who have consistently been at the forefront of exceptional gaming experiences during the 3D era of gaming. While they released an array of games in their early years, they didn't truly find their footing until their collaborations with Sony on their various PlayStation consoles. They proved to be so revolutionary and important to the console's success that the studio was bought by Sony in 2001, and they have continued to make exceptional games for PlayStation systems ever since. From some of the best and most engaging platformers of their era to masterfully woven pieces of cinematic greatness within the medium of video games, Naughty Dog's best games are in a league of their own in terms of quality and care. However, more than simply being the greatest games that they have released, each of these games is fundamentally essential when it comes to understanding the craft and strengths that have made Naughty Dog the powerhouse studio that they are today. 8 'Jak 3' (2004) The final game in Naughty Dog's acclaimed PS2 trilogy, Jak 3 is one of the studio's most prominent examples in their shift in mentality when it came to the types of game experiences that they wanted to create. It continues the darker tone that was set up by Jak II, with an even greater emphasis on gun combat than previous entries and the intricacies of the Wasteland. More than any previous game in Naughty Dog's catalog, there is a great emphasis placed on genuine and emotional storytelling, a tenet that would follow them for nearly every subsequent release. While it might not be an absolute narrative masterpiece or even the best game in the Jak and Daxter trilogy, its importance to the legacy and growth of Naughty Dog as a studio makes it an essential experience for fans of the studio. With well-written characters and some shocking twists laden throughout, there are a lot of core elements strewn throughout Jak 3 that can directly be compared to the stories and characters of modern Naughty Dog experiences. 7 'Crash Team Racing' (1999) Image via Playstation Kart racing spinoffs of beloved platforming franchises weren't exactly rare during the 90s, but what was a massive rarity was that Naughty Dog was actually developing this spinoff of their beloved PS1 trilogy rather than another development team. This has largely helped Crash Team Racing become one of the most well-crafted and timeless kart racing games of all time, surpassing the likes of Mario Kart 64 and becoming the must-play multiplayer racing game of the era. Crash Team Racing proved more than a shadow of a doubt that Naughty Dog was a truly special development team, able to create much more than just top-notch platformers and showing strength within a completely different genre. The final Crash Bandicoot game they developed served as an unlikely, perfect send-off for their beloved marsupial character, and it is still celebrated as one of the best kart racers ever made and an icon of multiplayer gaming on the PS1. 6 'Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy' (2001) While it may seem a bit strange to return to the more cartoony charms of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy after knowing just how much more dark and serious the series would go, the game is still a highly engaging platformer experience built upon the strengths of the collect-a-thon genre. The film is massively influenced by other prominent collect-a-thons of the previous era, like Super Mario 64 and especially Banjo Kazooie, with each world and mission brimming with character and charm that add to the overall experience. For a console that quickly became defined by an array of mature and adult-oriented gaming experiences, Jak and Daxter is easily the definitive family-friendly adventure game for the PS2. Its adherence to the strengths of the collect-a-thon genre is what really makes the game so engaging all these years later, as subsequent Jak and Daxter games largely abandoned the collect-a-thon style of gameplay with their shift to action and more story-oriented gameplay. 5 'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End' (2016) Image via Sony Computer Entertainment For the most part, the distinct console trilogies made by Naughty Dog stayed within the confines of the console that they originated on, as the Crash Bandicoot trilogy on PS1 and Jak and Daxter trilogy on PS2 set the standard for Uncharted to follow on PS3. However, the franchise ended up receiving a surprise 4th entry on the PS4, with Uncharted 4: A Thief's End being an exceptional sendoff to the beloved characters of the Uncharted franchise. It acts as this glorious culmination of all of the strengths of the franchise, from large-scale cinematic action sequences to intricate puzzles and memorable character moments. The best-selling PS4 game is an undeniable highlight of Naughty Dog's offerings, elevating the brilliance and scale of the franchise to the next generation of technological and graphical capabilities. The game even features a direct throwback to Naughty Dog's origins with PlayStation, with the player being able to play the first level of Crash Bandicoot as played by Nathan and Elena. 4 'The Last of Us: Part II' (2020) Image via Naughty Dog So far the only Naughty Dog game to have won the highly coveted Game Award for Game of the Year, The Last of Us Part II is still technically the most recent Naughty Dog release when not considering remasters and ports. This massively acclaimed sequel to the already legendary game became largely lauded thanks to its darker, more depressing story, dynamic characterization, and overarching themes of revenge. Even outside of the divisive nature of the game's story, the technical craft and exceptional gameplay are still some of Naughty Dog at their very best. There is so much passion and care placed into even the tiniest details of the game, adding to the immersion and emotional impact of each shocking twist and tense moment. This swan song for the PS4 era of PlayStation is still heralded as one of the greatest technical achievements in video game history, with the exceptional emotional impact of its story even further adding to its legacy as one of the icons of PlayStation in the 2020s. 3 'Crash Bandicoot: Warped' (1998) The third game in Naughty Dog's original PlayStation trilogy, Crash Bandicoot: Warped acts as the absolute highlight of the entire Crash Bandicoot franchise and one of the best games on the PS1. The time travel-centric platformer expands upon the strengths of previous entries to create a highly engaging experience that consistently adds new twists and elements to keep the player entertained from beginning to end. 3D platforming of the 90s simply doesn't get better than this masterpiece of the genre. Especially in the era of Naughty Dog games before they hard-focused on cinematic narrative-centric games, Crash Bandicoot: Warped features arguably some of the most seamless and satisfying gameplay out of any game that they've released. It's one of the most timeless platforming experiences that gaming has to offer, feeling just as fun to play as it was when it first released, and a symbol of the polish and impact of Naughty Dog's approach to gameplay. 2 'Uncharted 2: Among Thieves' (2009) Image via Sony Computer Entertainment The original Uncharted was certainly an impactful and memorable game for its time, but the stature and legacy of Uncharted as one of the faces of PlayStation simply wouldn't exist without the brilliance and overwhelming mastery of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The game builds upon the concepts and strengths of the original game and seamlessly creates one of the most cinematic video game experiences of all time. From one of the greatest openings in any video game to a consistent stream of impactful action and setpieces, Uncharted 2 brings the strength and scope of an action-blockbuster movie to the world of video games better than any other game before or since. It also helps that Naughty Dog had clearly gotten more comfortable with this style of third-person shooter narrative-centric action game, as they're taking much more risks and having more exciting moments when the original game felt like it was playing things safe for the most part. All of these strengths are largely inherent to the exceptional single-player experience, but Uncharted 2 also featured some surprisingly fun multiplayer modes that were extremely fun while still adhering to the core strengths of Uncharted. 1 'The Last of Us' (2013) Image via Naughty Dog There's a good reason that when many gamers of the modern day think of the exceptional games released by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us is often the first game that comes to mind. It was a revolutionary leap forward for the industry that stands tall as one of the most important games of the era and a symbol of what is possible in terms of artistic storytelling in the medium of video games. No other game in their catalog quite exemplifies the masterful reputation of Naughty Dog quite like The Last of Us, which continues to be celebrated as an all-time classic and one of the greatest PlayStation games ever made. This beautifully crafted dystopian action thriller finds the perfect blend between tense stealth-based action, exceptionally well-written characters, and a story that keeps gamers hooked from the first scene up until its legendary ending. Everything that Naughty Dog had been building towards throughout their stature as PlayStation's top development team comes to a head in The Last of Us to create the pinnacle of the PS3's library and one of the most important video games of the 2010s. Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you'd actually make it out of alive. 💊The Matrix 🔥Mad Max 🌧️Blade Runner 🏜️Dune 🚀Star Wars TEST YOUR SURVIVAL → 01 You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one. APull on every thread until I understand the system — then figure out how to break it. BStop asking questions and start stockpiling — food, fuel, weapons. Questions don't keep you alive. CKeep my head down, observe carefully, and trust no one until I know who's pulling the strings. DStudy the patterns. Every system has a rhythm — learn it, and you learn how to survive it. EFind the people fighting back and join them. You can't fix a broken galaxy alone. NEXT QUESTION → 02 In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires. AKnowledge. If you understand the system, you don't need resources — you can generate them. BFuel. Everything else — movement, power, escape — runs on it. CTrust. In a world of fakes and informants, a truly reliable ally is rarer than any commodity. DWater. And after water, information — the two things empires are truly built on. EShips and credits. The galaxy is big — you survive it by being able to move through it freely. NEXT QUESTION → 03 What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of. AThat reality itself is a lie — that everything I experience has been constructed to keep me compliant. BA raid. No warning, no mercy — just the roar of engines and then nothing left. CBeing identified. Once someone with power decides you're a problem, you're already out of time. DBeing outmanoeuvred — losing a political game I didn't even know I was playing. EThe Empire tightening its grip until there's nowhere left to run. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you deal with authority you don't trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything. ASubvert it from the inside — learn its rules well enough to weaponise them against it. BIgnore it and stay out of its reach. The further from any power structure, the better. CAppear to comply while doing exactly what I need to do. Visibility is the enemy. DManoeuvre within it carefully. You can't beat a system you refuse to understand. EResist openly when I have to. Some things are worth the risk of being seen. NEXT QUESTION → 05 Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn't just tactical — it's physical, psychological, and very much about where you are. AUnderground bunkers and server rooms — cramped, artificial, but with access to everything that matters. BOpen wasteland — brutal sun, no shelter, constant movement. At least the threat is honest. CA dense, rain-soaked city where you can disappear into the crowd and nobody asks questions. DMerciless desert — extreme heat, no water, and something enormous living beneath the sand. EThe fringe — backwater planets and busy spaceports where the Empire's attention rarely reaches. NEXT QUESTION → 06 Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are. AA tight crew of believers who've seen behind the curtain and have nothing left to lose. BOne or two people I'd trust with my life. Any more than that and someone talks. CNobody, ideally. Alliances are liabilities. I work alone unless I have no choice. DA community bound by shared hardship and mutual survival — people who need each other to last. EA ragtag team with wildly different skills and total commitment when it counts. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they're actually made of. AI won't harm the innocent — even the ones who'd report me without hesitation. BI do what I have to to protect the people I've chosen. Everything else is negotiable. CThe line shifts depending on who's asking and what's at stake. DI draw a long-term line — nothing that compromises my people's future, even if it'd help now. ESome lines, once crossed, can't be uncrossed. I know which ones they are. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another. AWaking others up — dismantling the illusion so no one else has to live inside it. BFinding somewhere — or someone — worth protecting. A reason to keep moving. CAnswers. Understanding what I am, what any of this means, before time runs out. DLegacy — shaping the future in a way that outlasts me by generations. EFreedom — for myself, for others, for every world still living under someone else's boot. REVEAL MY WORLD → Your Fate Has Been Calculated You'd Survive In…Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for. The MatrixYou took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You're a systems thinker who can't help but notice the seams in things. You're drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it. You'd find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines' worst nightmare. You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it. The Matrix built an airtight prison. You'd be the one probing the walls for the door. Mad MaxThe wasteland doesn't reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That's you. You don't need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon. You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you're good at all three. You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider. In the wasteland, that distinction is everything. Blade RunnerYou'd survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely. You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer. In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional. You're not a hero. But you're not lost, either. In Blade Runner's world, that distinction is everything. DuneArrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards. Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they're survival tools. You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory. Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You'd learn its logic and earn its respect. In time, you wouldn't just survive Arrakis — you'd begin to reshape it. Star WarsThe galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn't have it any other way. You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion. You'd gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire's grip can be broken. You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn't something you're capable of. In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ