Ratchet & Clank : Size Matters

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters for PSP is a 2007 action-platform adventure developed by High Impact Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It brings the Lombax mechanic Ratchet and his robot partner Clank to the PlayStation Portable for the first handheld chapter in the series, while retaining its mix of third-person shooting, gadget-led traversal and science-fiction comedy. The game begins when the pair’s holiday on Pokitaru is interrupted by the disappearance of Luna, a young girl they have just met. Their search draws them toward the mysterious Technomites, a supposedly forgotten race whose technology and ambitions place the wider galaxy at risk.

Most of the journey is played as Ratchet. Players guide him through planets packed with enemy forces, moving between combat arenas, platforming routes and exploration spaces while collecting bolts, the series’ currency. Bolts pay for weapons, ammunition and upgrades, so defeating opponents and breaking scenery both feed into progression. Ratchet’s familiar wrench remains useful at close range, but the arsenal is central to the game’s rhythm: weapons include returning equipment alongside new tools, and many can gain further variants and optional modifications. Nanotech health can be expanded over time, giving the campaign a gradual increase in survivability as encounters grow more demanding.

Size Matters also changes the way armor is acquired. Rather than simply purchasing complete suits, Ratchet finds individual pieces during the adventure. Helmets, body armor, gloves and boots can be mixed, letting players combine the benefits of different equipment, while completing a matching set unlocks an added effect. This collectible structure encourages exploration beyond the direct route through a level. Titanium Bolts and Skill Points provide additional goals for players who want to search stages carefully or meet particular challenge conditions, with the resulting rewards opening cosmetic and cheat-related extras.

The campaign regularly shifts perspective to give Clank a larger role. Giant Clank sections place him in a huge robotic form for battles, while other episodes feature Clank in arena-style vehicles or directing Gadgebots through simple objective-based tasks. Ratchet also takes part in hoverboard races, adding time trials and course hazards to the platforming-and-shooting formula. These diversions sit alongside the main planetary missions instead of replacing them, and help emphasize that the partnership has more than one way to confront the Technomite threat.

Completing the story unlocks Challenge Mode, a replay option that carries forward the player’s accumulated weapons, armor and bolts into a tougher run with stronger enemies. The mode introduces further armor and advanced weapon upgrades, giving the original PSP release a reason to revisit its levels after the first ending. Its portable format did not remove the series’ social component: the PSP version supports multiplayer through local Ad Hoc and Infrastructure connections, with competitive modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag and Iron Lombax Challenge.

High Impact Games, a studio formed by former Insomniac Games staff, developed Size Matters as its first released project. Its arrival in 2007 made it the first Ratchet & Clank game built for a handheld console, and it was later adapted for PlayStation 2 in 2008. The game is known in Japan as Ratchet & Clank 5: Gekitotsu! Dodeka Ginga no Mirimiri Gundan, reflecting its place after the earlier console adventures. For PSP players, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters offers a self-contained galactic quest built around explosive weapons, collectible upgrades, varied playable roles and the ongoing banter between its two heroes.