Mar Memorial Stadium, also known as simply the stadium, is a location in Main Town, Haven City. It was featured in Jak II and Jak 3, and served as the location for NYFE racing before its ruination following the fall of the Palace in the beginning of the War for Haven City, where it was thereafter referred to as the ruined stadium. However, it was eventually rebuilt during the emergence of combat racing, and was visible during Jak X: Combat Racing.
History[]
Jak II[]
A statue in front of the Stadium.
Little is known about the history of Mar Memorial Stadium, but, given its name, it was evidently a memoriam building dedicated to the legendary founder of Haven City Mar. During Jak II, Jak first visited here in the mission "Beat time to race garage", during which he had to beat a record time for driving on a city zoomer from the Port to Keira's race garage in Main Town. Krew told him that if he beat the time, his "client" may be interested in accepting him in her NYFE racing team, where he could get closer to the Baron to exact his revenge. Once he arrived, the race mechanic told him that he could test her prototype JET-Board in the stunt course, in the mission "Win JET-Board stadium challenge" — although afterward, she expressed how she was not "interested in any new drivers right now."[1] However, when Jak re-visited the race garage again to relay mission information, Daxter outburst in frustration for her blowing them off, to which, after recognizing his voice, the mechanic revealed that she was Keira, Jak and Daxter's long-lost friend from Sandover Village.
Keira's race garage.
Jak and Daxter then became Keira's official team racers. Jak raced in and won the Class 3 race and Class 1 race at the stadium, with Daxter racing as a substitute in the Class 2 race due to a small feud between Jak and Keira concerning Erol as well as Jak's recently acquired dark powers and affiliation with Krew. After winning the Class 1 race, Erol attempted to kill Jak with his racer, but instead crashed into the eco supply award and nearly killed himself.[nb 1] The Baron finally realized that it was Jak whom he was about to reward for winning the race, and ordered his guards to seize him. Jak escaped the stadium area, and did not return to it until the Baron's death and the Metal Head invasion, in which he defended the stadium while young Samos Hagai and old Samos Hagai moved the Rift Rider onto a transport balloon.
Jak 3[]
The Stadium ruins.
When the Palace collapsed in the prologue of Jak 3, it mostly destroyed the stadium and caused countless civilian casualties.[nb 2] Large structures barred access to the stadium area, but Jak was able to access it via a small corridor, where he witnessed that it was destroyed and overrun with metal heads and some dark makers. In the mission "Reach catacombs via palace ruins" (the only mission to take place at the ruined stadium), Jak had to traverse the ruins, consisting of mostly tumbled-down concrete structures, bottomless pits, and ruins among ruins. Mar Memorial Stadium was only identifiable by its orange roofing and some stone structuring remaining, such as the halls leading to the race garages, stair walks, and beds of grass.
After Jak 3, the Mar Memorial Stadium was rebuilt. It is unknown if it continued use for NYFE racing, or if it was ever used for combat racing, but it was seen in Jak X: Combat Racing, a year following the war.
Geography[]
Pre-War[]
Before its ruination, the Mar Memorial Stadium, along with the "stadium sector" of Main Town, was located in the north-westernmost part of Haven, and consisted of marvelous stone structuring; decorated with statues, water fountains, greenery, and the center of attraction: a large, somewhat dome-shaped stadium, capable of quickly modifying its interior to fit any number of recreational events. It had a mostly-open roof, but was otherwise covered by orange tarp. The stadium itself was a large facility, consisting of the actual arena where race tracks and stunt courses could be located, as well as a hall of race garages on either side. The entrance to the race track arena could be located along the wall of the northern hall. Both the northern and southern halls were separated by a large stretch of public space, and gated by two entrance poles blocking zoomer access.
Fall of the Palace[]
Jak firing at a group of enemies in the stadium ruins.
When the Palace collapsed, it rendered all of the stadium's interior completely decimated — all that was left of the interior was an endless dark pit. The stadium area, including the garages, were also destroyed, with the actual construction architecture revealed and displaying its concrete slabs, rusted metal cabling, concrete foundation, and other construction.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Naughty Dog (2012). Jak II. PlayStation. Sony Interactive Entertainment.