The controls for Tools of Destruction. Released on the PlayStation 3 in October 2007, the game uses either the Sixaxis, or the standard DualShock controller.
Tools of Destruction was the first game in the series with motion controls thanks to the Sixaxis, which were used for sky diving, moving the disk from the Tornado Launcher, as well as controlling the Robo-Wings, Decryptor, and Visi-Copter. If disabled in the menu these were operated through the left analog stick instead (except for the Tornado Launcher disk, which went uncontrolled).
Ratchet[]
Ratchet is the main playable character.
Third-person mode[]
The default control set-up, based on the original games.
| Name | Controls | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Move character | 
|
Move the player character around. |
| Move camera | 
|
Move the camera around. |
| Jump | 
|
Jump once. |
| Double jump | +
|
Jump twice in the air for extra height. |
| Glide | (hold after double jump)
|
Glide slowly in the air. |
| Crouch | 
|
Crouch down. |
| Drop from ledge | (tap)
|
Drop down from ledge player character is holding onto. |
| High jump | +
|
Use the Heli-Pack to make a high jump (when with Clank). |
| Long jump | + +
|
Use the Heli-Pack to make a long jump forward (when with Clank). |
| Strafe | + 
|
Walk sideways, while facing forwards and without turning. |
| Backflip / sideflip | + / +
|
Flip in the air in the intended direction. |
| Look mode |  +
|
Enter look mode, allowing the player to strafe while aiming. |
| Swing OmniWrench 3000 | 
|
Swing OmniWrench in front of player to attack. Can be used three times in succession for a combo. |
| Hyper Strike | +
|
Jump in the air, strike the OmniWrench down to attack below, dealing more damage. |
| Comet Strike | +
|
Throw the OmniWrench forward for a brief time, dealing damage or breaking objects, before it returns to player character. Used while aiming. |
| Fire weapon Use gadget |
 / 
|
Fire equipped weapon. |
| Toggle weapon |  (tap)
|
Toggle between last weapon equipped. |
| Quick select | (hold)
|
Show quick select menu. |
| Switch quick select rings | + /
|
Switch between quick select menu rings. |
| Charge Boots | (double tap)
|
Double tap to activate the Charge Boots. |
| Interact | (when available)
|
Triangle interacts with objects, launch pads, and vehicles, such as entering Ratchet's ship. |
| Rise | (hold)
|
Hold to rise and swim upwards underwater, release to swim at the same depth. |
| Dive | (hold)
|
Hold to dive and swim downwards underwater, release to swim at the same depth. |
| Swim faster | (hold)
|
Use the Hydro-Pack to swim faster while underwater. |
| Pause | 
|
Pause game, entering pause menu. |
| Map screen |  / 
|
View map. |
Lock-strafe mode[]
The alternate control set-up, lock-strafe permanently puts Ratchet in a strafing mode, with an aimable reticle for his ranged weapons.
| Name | Controls | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Move character |
|
Move the player character around, always strafes. |
| Move camera / Aim reticule |
|
Move the camera around, also aims the reticule. |
| Jump | /
|
Jump once. |
| Double jump | + / +
|
Jump twice in the air for extra height. |
| Glide | / (hold after double jump)
|
Glide slowly in the air. |
| Crouch |
|
Crouch down. |
| Drop from ledge | (tap)
|
Drop down from ledge player character is holding onto. |
| High jump | + /
|
Use the Heli-Pack to make a high jump (when with Clank). |
| Long jump | + + /
|
Use the Heli-Pack to make a long jump forward (when with Clank). |
| Backflip / sideflip | + /
|
Flip in the air in the intended direction. |
| Look mode | +
|
Enter look mode, offering a closer-up camera view. |
| Swing OmniWrench 3000 |
|
Swing OmniWrench in front of player to attack. Can be used three times in succession for a combo. |
| Hyper Strike | / +
|
Jump in the air, strike the OmniWrench down to attack below, dealing more damage. |
| Comet Strike | +
|
Throw the OmniWrench forward for a brief time, dealing damage or breaking objects, before it returns to player character. Used while aiming. |
| Fire weapon Use gadget |
/
|
Fire equipped weapon. |
| Toggle weapon | (tap)
|
Toggle between last weapon equipped. |
| Quick select | (hold)
|
Show quick select menu. |
| Switch quick select rings | + /
|
Switch between quick select menu rings. |
| Charge Boots | (double tap)
|
Double tap to activate the Charge Boots. |
| Interact | (when available)
|
Triangle interacts with objects, launch pads, and vehicles, such as entering Ratchet's ship. |
| Rise | / (hold)
|
Hold to rise and swim upwards underwater, release to swim at the same depth. |
| Dive | (hold)
|
Hold to dive and swim downwards underwater, release to swim at the same depth. |
| Swim faster | (hold)
|
Use the Hydro-Pack to swim faster while underwater. |
| Pause |
|
Pause game, entering pause menu. |
| Map screen | /
|
View map. |
Clank[]
Clank, Ratchet's sidekick, has a few sections in which he has to act on his own, during which he can command the zoni.
| Name | Controls | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Move character |
|
Move the player character around. |
| Move camera |
|
Move the camera around. |
| Jump |
|
Jump once. |
| Glide | + (hold)
|
Glide slowly in the air. |
| Punch |
|
Throw a punch forward. Can be used three times in succession for a combo. |
| Zoni command menu | +
|
Hold to select a zoni command from a menu. |
| Time shift | (hold)
|
Hold to slow down time. |
| Start |
|
Open the in-game menu. |
Aphelion[]
The Aphelion is used in space combat in the Voron Asteroid Belt the Rakar Star Cluster, and the Verdigris Black Hole. Aphelion ship combat takes place on 'rails', the player can control the ship, but only move directionally.
| Name | Controls | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Steer |
|
Steer the Aphelion around. |
| Aim |
|
Move the targeting reticule around. |
| Fire lasers | /
|
Hold to fire lasers. |
| Fire homing lasers | / (hold)
|
Hold to lock-on, release to fire |
| Barrel roll | /
|
Perform a barrel roll in the chosen direction. |
| Start |
|
Open the in-game menu. |