The 10 BEST Naughty Dog Games

10 Best Naughty Dog Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at the best games to come from one of Sony’s most respected first-party studios, Naughty Dog!

“Crash Team Racing” (1999)

After giving Mario a run for his money in platformers, Naughty Dog took aim at one of the mascot’s subgenres with “Crash Team Racing.” And it’s still one of the best kart racers to ever be released. Maybe it didn’t bring much new, but it didn’t need to. It took the tried-and-true mechanics and Crash-ified them, making for a zany, colorful, exciting experience whether you were playing the story mode or against a friend. Strong visuals made each of its wonderful tracks come to life, and great controls made racing through them a joy. It was a strong final outing for Naughty Dog with the franchise, before moving towards the future.

“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” (2011)

While most agree it didn’t quite reach the heights of “Uncharted 2,” there is still quite a lot to love about “Drake’s Deception.” This time around, it followed Nate in search of a famed lost city, Iram of the Pillars. It explored more of his past, primarily his relationship with Sully, in interesting ways, adding a new layer to the lovable hero. While some were critical of its linearity, the set pieces grew bigger and bolder, delivering thrills in the highest regard. Sequences where Nate was tossed out the back of a cargo plane or had to navigate a sinking ship are still highlights of the PS3.

“Jak II” (2003)

Where the first “Jak and Daxter” game was a more light-hearted, and easier, action platformer, “Jak II” cranked up the difficulty and dark, grim tone. After he’s experimented on for two years, the game follows a newly-powered Jak and his wisecracking companion as they fight against Baron Praxis in the dystopian, Haven City. The gunplay caused the platforming to take a back seat, and made for a terrific action game. Plus, the third-person shooter mechanics paired well with the darker plotline and characters. The difficulty was a bit imbalanced, making certain sections feel unfair. But it still controlled remarkably well and was a visual treat on the PS2.

“Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back” (1997)

In this sequel, Naughty Dog took everything it did in the first “Crash Bandicoot” and made it all better. There was a bit of fun to the story, following Crash as he was fooled into helping his nemesis, Dr. Neo Cortex, who lies about wanting to save the world. More importantly, level design, controls, and visuals were vastly improved. It was impossible to pop this into your PlayStation and not just want to play for hours. And you could, not only because it was fun, but because it was just tough enough to frustrate while being really rewarding. “Cortex Strikes Back” solidified Crash as a platforming star and, along with its sequel, makes up the peak of his games.

“Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy” (2001)

The first “Jak and Daxter” was not a huge leap from “Crash Bandicoot” in terms of core, platforming gameplay. But it was a tremendous evolution, branching in different directions for something more varied. And because it was on the then-brand-new PlayStation 2, it was far grander in scope with its world and story than what Naughty Dog had done before. That’s not to mention the impressive graphics that brought it all together. While “Jak 2” could grow tiresome at points with its difficulty, everything in the original moved at a delightful pace. With “The Precursor Legacy,” Naughty Dog created an excellent foundation for a series that fans still crave to see return.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

While “Part II” certainly has its detractors, there are many others who were stunned by what Naughty Dog was able to achieve. From a technical standpoint, there is visual splendor in every corner, from the most minor NPCs to the remarkably dense world design to the game’s horrific Infected, which are a lot more cunning and terrifying this time around. The tale of Ellie and Abby, both nearly destroyed through their own quests for vengeance, is one of aching heartbreak and despair. Within the characters lie themes of grief, forgiveness, and the struggle to understand an extremely different perspective, explored wonderfully through Abby’s relationship with Lev, who should be her sworn enemy. It may be a bit bloated, but it’s still a strong follow up.

“Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” (2009)

From the moment Nathan Drake wakes on a train hanging from a cliffside with a bullet wound in his gut, “Uncharted 2” has its talons firmly in you. Naughty Dog promised a grander, more fulfilling adventure than the first time around. Needless to say, the team delivered. Every shortcoming in “Drake’s Fortune” was rectified. The plot was more thrilling, the visuals just a bit crisper, the characters were a bit more daring and likable. And my GOD. The set pieces. “Among Thieves” teased with a tantalizing plot about Marco Polo’s travels, but kept us all engaged with fantastic firefights, awesome chase sequences, and a feeling of adventure that has kept it a fan favorite of Naughty Dog for years.

“Crash Bandicoot: Warped” (1998)

“Warped” just might be the very best Crash Bandicoot has to offer, and we don’t say that lightly. The plot follows a band of villains teaming up and attacking different points in time, in order to gain mystical crystals that allow them to take over the Earth. Because of the time travel plot, the developers clearly had a lot of fun in designing levels, all of which delight the imagination. It all looked amazing too, naturally so, since Naughty Dog built off of the charming, cartoonish visual style Crash was already known for. In a similar vein, controls and mechanics were also perfected to pure bliss. It really is one of the best 3D platformers of all time.

"Uncharted 4: A Thief's End” (2016)

Taking a step in a more serious direction, “Uncharted 4” explored Nate’s obsession for hunting fortune and glory. Because of this, we’d argue it has the strongest plot and characterization of the entire series. “A Thief’s End” explores greed within the pirates whose footsteps our heroes follow in, as well as within themselves, and what depths they’re willing to stoop to in order to satiate it. And quite frankly, Nolan North has never been better as Nate. Of course, then you have everything that makes the game a blast, including some of the best puzzles and set pieces the action adventure genre has ever seen. Some feel it’s a bit long in the tooth, but “Uncharted 4” is undeniably a treasure worth seeking.

“The Last of Us” (2013)

Naughty Dog has many games deemed some of the best of all time. And among them, there are many who consider “The Last of Us” the cream of the crop. It’s easy to see why. The game was tense as Hell, featuring compelling survival mechanics and Clickers, who wormed their way into our nightmares. However, when it was released, there was nothing that featured quite as much depth in its characters and themes than this. While an undead apocalypse and the descent of human decency had been explored in fiction in multiple formats, Joel and Ellie provided the story’s beating heart. Players everywhere were captivated by their dynamic. Her lovable goofiness and crass mouth made us all want to protect her, bringing warmth to Joel’s rough, guarded persona and making his defense of her entirely relatable.

What do you think is the crowning achievement of Naughty Dog? Share your thoughts in the comments!