Every Tomb Raider Game Listed in Order of Release Date – The Complete 25+ Year History

Since first bursting onto the gaming scene 25+ years ago with the eponymous debut title in 1996, the Tomb Raider video game series has cemented itself as one of the most iconic and enduring franchises in the industry.

Centered around the legendary adventurer Lara Croft, the games have transported players to larger-than-life locales filled with danger, intrigue and discovery across dozens of thrilling installments spanning multiple gaming generations.

In this comprehensive guide, we take a nostalgic journey through Tomb Raider history highlighting every core game released over the past two decades along with key details on storylines, gameplay innovations and the monumental impact of key titles.

Origins and Early Success (1996 – 2000)

The origins of Tomb Raider can be traced back to 1994 when the England-based developer Core Design began working on a 3D action-adventure game centered around a female protagonist for the rapidly growing 32-bit console market.

Initially dubbed "Tomb Raiders", the game would undergo several concept revisions for both lead character design and environments before finally arriving at the signature elements that would define Lara Croft and her world-spanning archaeological exploits hunting relics in ancient tombs filled with deadly traps.

After two years of development, Tomb Raider finally released in October 1996 on the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS to both commercial blockbuster success and critical acclaim for its groundbreaking graphics, expansive 3D environments and fusion of action-adventure gameplay with platforming and puzzle-solving.

Selling over 7 million copies, Tomb Raider became the best-selling game of 1996 and one of the most successful of the decade. More importantly, it cemented Lara Croft as pop culture icon and a new standard for female video game protagonists with her tough-as-nails attitude and take-no-prisoners swagger.

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    <img src="https://i.imgur.com/bXAnM60.jpg" alt="Lara Croft in Tomb Raider II">
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Bolstered by new hardware capabilities, the next year saw two more ambitious Tomb Raider releases – Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft in November 1998 followed by Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation in October 1999, just one month before the new millennium.

Both games expanded on the Tomb Raider formula with exotic global locales ranging from the jungles of India to the Nevada desert near the mysterious Area 51 complex along with new gameplay elements including limited ammunition, sprinting maneuvers and sneak attacks.

While well-received, some critics did note franchise fatigue and lack of innovation compared to earlier games. Still over 8 million copies sold between the two is no small feat!

Handheld Spin-Offs and Angel of Darkness Troubles (2000-2003)

The early 2000s marked an experimental period for the Tomb Raider franchise focusing on portable spin-off titles and a darker cinematic reboot which ultimately led to significant upheaval.

Kicking off the millennium was the series‘ first foray into handheld gaming with Tomb Raider for the Game Boy Color in June 2000.

With hardware limitations in mind, developers created an original top-down action-adventure adapted to the smaller screen focused on 2D puzzles, platforming and navigating traps – a noble effort even if lacking the graphical prowess of console counterparts.

Next up was the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 and PC release of Tomb Raider Chronicles in November 2000 continuing the main storyline which saw Lara presumed dead following the events of The Last Revelation.

Chronicles adopted an anthology format with friends recounting untold stories of past Lara exploits playing out over four distinct episodes set in locations ranging from a high-tech skyscraper to deep-sea wreckage.

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