Few video game protagonists have stood the test of time to last as long as the likes of Mario or Sonic the Hedgehog. One of these characters would be Lara Croft. When Tomb Raider burst onto the scene in 1996, it was very rare for a female protagonist to be the leading playable character in a video game, with the only noteworthy exception being Samus from the Metroid series.
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Tomb Raider exploded into a mega-franchise that continued for many years, then found itself rebooted with a new series of games that enjoyed tremendous success during the 2010s. Which are the best Tomb Raider games? Which are the worst?
Updated December 29, 2025 by Mark Sammut: 2026 should be a huge year for Lara Croft, as she will be making her long-awaited return in the form of a remake of her original adventure. Then, she will embark on an entirely new adventure in 2027. This article has been updated with a section dedicated to the upcoming Tomb Raider games.
Certain games were released on both home and handheld consoles; in these cases, the former will be the priority since the latter are, generally, not the same.
23 Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness (2003)
Lara's Broken Adventure
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
- Released
- June 20, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
When Lara made the leap from the PlayStation to the PlayStation 2, fans were met with a grittier and darker game that disappointed plenty of players. The lack of polish to the controls, a camera that the players ended up fighting more than the in-game enemies, and a plethora of bugs and glitches made The Angel of Darkness a mess to play.
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The developers openly admitted to suffering from a severe lack of leadership, with too much ambition for the project, leading to many production issues that resulted in the broken game that was released in 2003. The Angel of Darkness has neat ideas and a potentially interesting story, but it is difficult to recommend in its current form. Out of all of Lara Croft's adventures, this would be the best candidate for a remaster or remake.
22 Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
Franchise Fatigue
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
- Released
- November 24, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Core Design
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, PC, PS1, PS2
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 11 Hours
The developers at Core Design had already become fatigued by Tomb Raider by the time Chronicles rolled around. Consequently, they attempted to kill off Lara Croft in the previous game but Eidos was determined to keep the franchise going as a cash cow. This led to the final game for Lara on the original PlayStation.
With a mixed reception, the consensus is that Chronicles was nothing bad but very uninspired, forgettable, and with little to no difference to distinguish it from previous installments. This is just another PS1 Tomb Raider game, an adventure that goes in one ear and out the other.
21 Tomb Raider Reloaded (2023)
An OK Mobile Diversion
Tomb Raider Reloaded
- Released
- February 14, 2023
- ESRB
- m
- Engine
- Unity
Tomb Raider's only new game to be released in the 2020s so far, Reloaded went by largely unnoticed, which makes sense since the franchise is predominantly a console staple rather than a mobile heavyweight (despite producing quite a few projects for the latter). Several big IPs have tried their hand at iOS and Android gaming, and while there are a couple of great releases, they tend to fall by the wayside quite quickly. Tomb Raider Reloaded is no exception, although that does not mean the game has nothing to offer. In fact, it is a decent mobile project, even if it might struggle to satisfy long-time fans who want a traditional Lara Croft adventure.
Reloaded's gameplay loop revolves around short-burst stages filled with traps and enemies. The controls and mechanics are stripped down quite a bit, but they do complement this type of release. Unfortunately, like so many mobile games before and after it, Reloaded's monetization is frustrating at the best of times. That said, the Netflix version removes a lot of the ads and greatly improves the overall experience.
20 Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
A Respectable But Forgettable Portable Adventure
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy
- Released
- November 12, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Core Design, Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
Swapping from a third-person adventure to a Zelda-esque overview, Lara jumped to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance with a mildly successful title. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy was praised for its impressive graphics and sound for a Game Boy Advance title.
However, it received criticism for its dull gameplay, little to no story to drive the repetitive action set pieces, and various other complaints. It all led to a title that even die-hard Tomb Raider fans have forgotten had existed over the years. While it is far from brilliant, The Prophecy is a serviceable handheld entry in the franchise.
19 Tomb Raider: Apocalypse (2002)
(Almost) Lost To Time
Tomb Raider: Apocalypse
- Released
- December 18, 2002
- Developer(s)
- Minds Eye Productions
- Platform(s)
- Sky Gamestar
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Arguably the hardest Tomb Raider project to find, Apocalypse was a 4-episode game released through Sky Gamestar, a service that allowed customers to play quite an extensive list of titles by paying either for a session or daily. The service launched in 2001 and ended in 2015, making its library difficult to access legitimately. While unknown to people outside the UK, Sky Gamestar had games based on quite a few recognizable IPs (Ben 10, Avatar, Codename: Kids Next Door, Dexter's Laboratory, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Hulk, and Scooby-Doo!), along with popular originals like Beehive Bedlam.
For years, Tomb Raider: Apocalypse was considered lost media, as were many Gamestar projects; however, 2023 changed all of that, as most of the service's games were discovered and made available in some form or another. Regardless of quality, the fact that Apocalypse can be experienced nowadays is fantastic. That said, is it actually worth playing? Well, the game is an acquired taste, especially since it does not play like any of the other Tomb Raider releases. An old-school cinematic platformer, Apocalypse very much seems ripped from the late '80s and early '90s, albeit with OK visuals that benefit from the episodes visiting quite a few different locations. The gameplay is fine but slow and punishing, and it gets repetitive quite quickly. Still, Apocalypse is quite substantial, containing dozens of levels across its episodes.
18 Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015)
Tomb Raider Is A Good Fit For An Endless Runner
Lara Croft: Relic Run
- Released
- May 28, 2015
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
This mobile spin-off took its liberties to present the series to a casual audience. Essentially a Tomb Raider version of the mobile game Temple Run, Relic Run does contain some of the franchise’s trademark qualities that allow the game to stand out in the Endless Runner genre.
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It’s more of an evolution in the endless platforming genre, as elements like wall-running and utilizing weapons are injected into the game. All things considered, Relic Run is a great way for casual fans to be introduced to the series, even if it is too one-dimensional.
17 Tomb Raider: Curse Of The Sword (2001)
Impressive For The Hardware
Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword
- Released
- June 25, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Core Design
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Color
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
The GBA's Curse of the Sword is the sequel to 2000's Tomb Raider which came out on the Game Boy Color. Similar to that title, the 2001 release takes players on a small but satisfying adventure. This time, the campaign primarily takes place in city locations and opts for larger stages rather than its predecessor's shorter levels.
Curse of the Sword looks pretty decent for a Game Boy Advance game, particularly its backdrops. Even if the environments are not especially exotic, the game does its best to make them visually striking.
16 Lara Croft And The Temple of Osiris (2014)
Really Fun Co-Op Top-Down Shooter
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
- Released
- December 8, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
In 2014, the Tomb Raider series tried its hand at arcade-inspired gameplay with co-op pushed to the forefront. The Temple of Osiris accommodates up to four characters, including Lara, and all of them have their own special abilities and traits.
It has a top-down view of the action, which takes away some of the franchise's charm since the camera is so limited. Apart from that, however, the game is good fun for multiple players, making it a small-scale but enjoyable entry in the series.
15 Tomb Raider (2000)
Better Than It Has Any Right To Be
Tomb Raider (Game Boy Color)
- Released
- June 12, 2000
- Developer(s)
- Core Design
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Color
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Puzzle
- How Long To Beat
- 12.5 Hours
2000's Tomb Raider took Lara to Nintendo's Game Boy Color, and the franchise handled the transition to handheld surprisingly well. Naturally, expectations need to be tempered since the hardware could not possibly replicate the home console experience, but Tomb Raider does an admirable job of replicating Lara's iconic moveset.
As the game maintains a relatively slow pace, this is certainly not an action-heavy experience; however, the campaign offers a good mix of puzzles, exploration, and cutscenes. While not a must-play title, this release would fit snugly in any GBC collection.
14 Tomb Raider 3 (1998)
Very Good, But Safe Sequel
Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft
- Released
- November 21, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
While not as beloved as the first two games in the series, Tomb Raider 3 is a solid threequel that made everything bigger than ever before. Admittedly, this did come at the loss of most of the mystery and suspense found in the prior entries.
There was also a severe lack of innovation that caused Tomb Raider 3 to feel more akin to an expansion pack to the second game rather than a big-budget sequel. Despite these criticisms, Tomb Raider 3 is a highly enjoyable classic romp in the series, one that should please anyone fond of Lara's previous two adventures.