Grind Boots, occasionally known as Grindboots, are a recurring gadget in the Ratchet & Clank series, which have appeared in most entries. They are boots that allow Ratchet and Rivet to grind and move on grind rails, steel bars, train lines, vines, mag rails, telephone poles, among other specific locations.
History[]
Ratchet first obtained the Grind Boots during Ratchet & Clank, purchased on Blarg Tactical Research Station in Nebula G34 from Fred, an engineer. They cost 2,000 bolts, which included the employee discount.[1] During this time, the existence of the Grind Boots was rumored, but Gadgetron did not believe such a device existed.[2]
In Going Commando, Ratchet obtained the Grind Boots along with the Swingshot in "Visit Clank's apartment", in which he visited Clank's apartment on Endako to see if he had left any useful behind.[3]
During most subsequent adventures, Ratchet (and Rivet during Rift Apart) began with a pair of Grind Boots equipped.
Characteristics[]
The Grind Boots are most commonly featured as a pair of red ankle-high boots, with a prominent crystal display at the top or sides, and elevated heel-and-toe sections, allowing users to grind on narrow surfaces with the space left inbetween.
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Gameplay[]
Overview[]
Ratchet on a grindrail on Metropolis.
Grind Boots allow the user to traverse grind rails—often steel bars, train lines, or other specific locations—which often comprise lengthy segments across an area. The user can also hop between adjacent rails, and can sometimes use the OmniWrench to destroy obstacles and enemies along the path.
In most entries, Grind Boots are available from the beginning of the game, though other entries require them to be obtained first. A few entries do not feature Grind Boots.
Ratchet & Clank (2002)[]
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Ratchet on a grind rail in the Gorda City Ruins.
The Grindboots are obtained in the mission "Buy Grindboots", which came immediately after "Explore the space station", for 2,000 bolts.
They are used in the grind rails outside of Fort Krontos, Batalia, while scouting the area, during which a grind rail is found rode in the mission "Ride the grind rail". The grind rails present here are notably littered with numerous explosive mines. Ratchet does not use them again until planet Oltanis, where they are used through the Gorda City Ruins to find any survivors of the blarg attack. Plasmabots appeared to also be capable of riding the grind rails present in the city, but failed to stop Ratchet from making his way through.
Ratchet also rides a grind rail on Kalebo III, during there a large amount of bolt thieves create hazards along the rise. Finally, the grindboots are used for a short section on the Kyzil Plateau, Veldin, while making his way through the blarg forces during the mission "Save Ratchet's planet".
Going Commando[]
Grind Boots are obtained in "Visit Clank's apartment" in Megapolis, Endako. They can then first be used on Endako on the same path taken to get them, to reach Slim Cognito's weapon mod vendor.
Ratchet in Damosel.
The Grind Boots are used in the Silver City, Boldan, in "Ride the power lines", to traverse the power lines for a shortcut to travel around the city.[4] They are also used briefly in "Rescue Angela" on Snivelak while traversing the outer buildings before reaching the bridge. Later, they are used in Allgon City, Damosel, in "Ride the train rails", once again believing they may provide a shortcut. Lastly they are used twice to collect platinum bolts on Yeedil's Protopet Factory.
Deadlocked[]
Grind Boots are used for a handful of battlecourses. In this, Ratchet can used the Dual Vipers while on the grind rail, a first for the series. They are extensively used during the challenges on Kronos, in conjunction with the Grind Cable gadget used by the combat bots. The Grind Boots were also used on the Valix Belt, the planets Stygia and Maraxus, the Ghost Station, and both Dread Challenges in the Vindicator Tournament. New to the series was Ratchet being able to accurately use a ranged weapon, specifically the Dual Vipers, while on the grind rail.
Size Matters[]
After "Win the skyboard race" on Kalidon, the Skyboarder throws a pair of Grindboots for free along with the Shrink Ray. These are used in tandem with the Shrink Ray to open magnetic locks, known as Grind Locks, on many occasions throughout Ratchet's adventure.
Tools of Destruction[]
Ratchet facing the Kerchu boss.
The Grind Boots are prominently used thrice in Tools of Destruction. The first time during "Escape on the Mag Rail" in Metropolis, while escaping Emperor Tachyon's imperial cruiser. The second time outside Zordoom Prison during "Grind the Rails to the Prison". The third time in Kerchu City during "Defeat the Kerchu Guardian", which featured a major boss fight centered around escaping the kerchu mechwrecker's assault while on a grind rail.
Quest for Booty[]
Hoolefar Island in Quest for Booty featured a large grind rail network centered around Wind Turbine Epsilon, as explored during "Repair the Wind Turbines". The Morrow Caverns and Lythoin Caves also contain brief grind rail sections.
A Crack in Time[]
Ratchet chasing Azimuth.
A Crack in Time is the first game to introduce a grind rail mission in which Ratchet chases someone else; in "Chase down Alister Azimuth " he has to chase after Alister Azimuth, who uses his hoverboots rather than his own Grind Boots. Henceforth Ratchet acquires his own hoverboots pair, which largely supplant the Grind Boots as a traversal mechanic henceforth. At the end of the game another chase mission, "Beat Azimuth to the Orvus Chamber!", on a rail network occurs in the Great Clock.
Ratchet also uses the Grind Boots to ride vines on Zanifar and Morklon
All 4 One[]
In All 4 One, larger grind tubes are used in place of grind rails, to allow four players to grind at once. These are otherwise functionally identical to grind rail segments from previous entries. Larger grind tubes appear in Luminopolis and the N.E.S.T. area, with shorter tubes also appearing in the Polar Sea region and Uzo City.
Full Frontal Assault[]
Full Frontal Assault sees the larger grind tubes returning in both the Hidden City of Balkai and the GrummelNet Plasma Harvester, with especially the latter including several. As with All 4 One, these allow multiple players to use the grind rails at once. In multiplayer mode, the grind rails are often used to access the number 1 node.
Ratchet & Clank (2016)[]
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Ratchet on a grindrail in the re-imagined game.
The Grind Boots are obtained for free in "Fight the Blarg" after infiltrating the Blarg Depot facility on planet Gaspar. These then help Ratchet and Clank during the "Find the Jetpack" mission.
They are be used on planet Batalia during the "Ride the rail" mission in order to acquire an infobot with a transmission from Grimroth Razz about his brother Felton Razz being in danger on Pokitaru, and again on Kalebo III during the "Ride the grindrail" mission which leads the duo to a room containing the Map-o-Matic. Finally, they are used briefly during a grind rail section in the "Defeat Dr. Nefarious" mission.
Behind the scenes[]
After Going Commando, designers Anthony Mu and Mike Stout had differing opinions on if the Grind Boots had much use or had reached their potential, with Mu believing they should be included more, while Stout felt they had limited their potential.[5] Ultimately, the Grind Boots were not featured in Up Your Arsenal.
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Citations[]
References[]
- Video games
- Insomniac Games (2002). Ratchet & Clank [Game]. Sony Computer fEntertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Insomniac Games (2003). Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Insomniac Games (2005). Ratchet: Deadlocked [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- High Impact Games (2007). Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation Portable.
- Insomniac Games (2007). Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2008). Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2009). Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2011). Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2012). Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2016). Ratchet & Clank [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 4.
- Insomniac Games (2021). Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 5.
- Videos
- Stout, Mike; Garcia, Tony [@uselesspodcasts] (2011, June 23). Ratchet & Clank 2 Dev Commentary: 5B - Endako [Video]. YouTube.