Hydro-Pack

The Hydro-Pack was a black market upgrade to Clank.

In Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet and Clank acquired it on planet Hoven. It could be bought from Edwina's Robo Shack for 2,000 bolts. The Hydro-Pack was a useful upgrade that allowed Clank to use jets to propel him and Ratchet underwater much more effectively than if Ratchet were to swim on his own. This feature also allowed Ratchet to swim against currents to get to secret areas, like up the river in Tobruk Crater, Novalis (which leads to a gold bolt), and navigate water storages that have a timed electric current running through the water. This upgrade did not allow Ratchet to avoid the large fish that dwell in many waters.

Clank kept the upgrade for the later games, and so that it was immediately available from the beginning of the game.

On the European Going Commando site, it stated that the Hydro-Pack was fitted with Torpedo Launchers, but this feature never made it into the final game, so Ratchet was still vulnerable to any creatures that may prey on him in the water.

In Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, the Hydro-Pack can be equipped and used like the Thruster-Pack.

In the 2016 remake of the original game, Clank already comes equipped with the Hydro-Pack.

Trivia

 * In Ratchet & Clank, the Hydro-Pack could be equipped outside water, but it would do nothing and would be the equivalent of Ratchet without Clank.
 * The Hydro-Pack was claimed to be a Gadgetron gadget. However, Gadgetron's manufacturers Minton Incorporated, were involved in on-going licencing issues, which caused Gadgetron unable to stock the gadget. Gadgetron's lawyers Brushling, Flynn and Culverhouse were mentioned to be working on the issue.
 * In Tools of Destruction, the device was still controlled with the R1 button, and was the only R1 feature that kept its place, whereas all the other R1 functions were switched to R2. Also, if it was equipped in the pause menu while on land it worked as although it was the Thruster-Pack, but it still looked like the Hydro-Pack.
 * Oddly enough, the effect of the Hydro-Pack still worked for Ratchet in Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, despite him not having Clank on his back.
 * In Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando the Hydro-Pack was supposed to be first obtained on the alternative path in Canal City; however, was replaced with a Nanotech upgrade.
 * A modification, called the Gunsled, was planned for the Hydro-Pack in Going Commando. It would have been used for underwater gameplay, but was cut from the final version.
 * In the remake, unlike the original, Clank already came equipped with the Hydropack.

Appearances

 * Ratchet & Clank
 * Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
 * Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
 * Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
 * Ratchet & Clank (PS4)

Notes and references
Hidropack Hidro-Pack