Few video game protagonists have stood the test of time to last as long as Mario or Sonic the Hedgehog. One of these characters would be Lara Croft. When Tomb Raider onto the scene in 1996, it was very rare for the main playable character in a video game to be a female protagonist, with the only notable exception being the game's Samus. Metroid series.
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Tomb Raider it exploded into a mega-franchise that continued for many years before finding itself rebooted with a new series of games that enjoyed massive success throughout the 2010s. Which they are 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 makes her long-awaited return in the form of a remake of her original adventure. Then, in 2027, he will embark on a brand new adventure. This article has been updated with a section dedicated to upcoming Tomb Raider games.
Certain games have been released on both home and handheld consoles; in these cases the former will take priority as the latter is not generally the same.
23
Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness (2003)
Lara's Broken Adventure
When Lara made the jump from PlayStation to PlayStation 2, fans were met with a bolder and darker game that disappointed many players. A lack of polished controls, a camera that players ended up fighting more than the enemies in the game, and a lot of bugs and glitches. Angel of Darkness a mess to play with.
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The developers openly admitted that they suffered from a severe lack of leadership, with too much ambition for the project, which led to many production problems that resulted in a broken game that was released in 2003. Angel of Darkness it has neat ideas and a potentially interesting story, but it's hard to recommend as it stands. Of all the Lara Croft adventures, this would be the best candidate for a remaster or remake.
22
Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
Franchise fatigue
The developers at Core Design were already tired Tomb Raider according to time Chronicles he rolled around. They subsequently tried to kill off Lara Croft in the previous game, but Eidos was determined to keep the franchise going like a cash cow. This led to the final game for Lara on the original PlayStation.
In mixed income, there is a match Chronicles it wasn't bad, but very uninspired, forgettable and with little to no difference to set it apart from the previous installments. This is just another PS1 Tomb Raider a game, an adventure that goes in one ear and out the other.
21
Tomb Raider Reloaded (2023)
OK mobile diversion
Tomb Raiderso far the only new game to be released in 2020, Reloaded it went largely unnoticed, which makes sense since the franchise is largely a console mainstay rather than a mobile heavyweight (despite producing several projects for the latter). Several big IPs have tried their hand at iOS and Android gaming, and while there are some great releases, they tend to fall by the wayside fairly quickly. Tomb Raider Reloaded is no exception, although that doesn't mean the game doesn't have much to offer. It's actually a decent mobile project, though it may struggle to satisfy longtime fans who want a traditional Lara Croft adventure.
ReloadedThe game loop revolves around short stages full of traps and enemies. The controls and mechanics are pretty pared down, but they complement this type of release. Unfortunately, like many mobile games before and after, ReloadedMonetizing a user is frustrating at the best of times. This means that the Netflix version removes a lot of ads and greatly improves the overall experience.
20
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
A respectable but memorable portable adventure
Transitioning from a third-person adventure to a ZeldaLara jumped onto the Nintendo Game Boy Advance with a mildly successful title. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy was praised for its impressive graphics and sound for the Game Boy Advance title.
However, it received criticism for its boring gameplay, little to no story to drive repetitive action pieces, and various other complaints. All this led to a title that was even stubborn Tomb Raider fans have forgotten he existed over the years. Although far from brilliant, Prophecy is a serviceable manual entry in the franchise.
19
Tomb Raider: Apocalypse (2002)
(Almost) Lost in Time
Probably the hardest Tomb Raider find a project Apocalypse was a 4-episode game released through Sky Gamestar, a service that allowed customers to play a fairly extensive list of titles by paying either per session or per day. The service was launched in 2001 and discontinued in 2015, making legitimate access to the library difficult. Although unknown to people outside the UK, Sky Gamestar had games based on several recognizable IP addresses (ben 10, Avatar, Codename: Kids Next Door, Dexter's Laboratory, Ed, Edd and Eddy, Wreckand Scooby-Doo!), along with popular originals such as Beehive Bedlam.
for years Tomb Raider: Apocalypse was considered lost media, like many Gamestar projects; however, 2023 changed all that as most of the service's games were discovered and made available in one form or another. Regardless of the quality, the fact that Apocalypse can be experienced nowadays is fantastic. Does that mean it's actually worth playing? Well, the game is an acquired taste, especially when it plays like no other Tomb Raider edition. An old-school cinematic platformer, Apocalypse a lot of it seems ripped from the late 80s and early 90s, albeit with good visuals that benefit from the episodes visiting several different locations. The gameplay is okay, but slow and punishing and repetitive quite quickly. Still, Apocalypse is quite substantial, containing dozens of levels across its episodes.
18
Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015)
Tomb Raider is good for endless runners
This mobile spin-off took the liberty of introducing the series to a casual audience. Basically a Tomb Raider mobile version of the game Temple Run, Relic Run it features some of the hallmarks of the franchise that make the game stand out in the Endless Runner genre.
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It's more of an evolution in the endless platformer genre as elements such as wall running and weapon use are put into the game. All things considered, Relic Run is a great way to introduce the series to casual fans, even if it's too one-dimensional.
17
Tomb Raider: Curse Of The Sword (2001)
Impressive for hardware
GBA Curse of the Sword is the sequel to 2000 Tomb Raider which came out on the Game Boy Color. Similar to that title, the 2001 edition takes players on a small but satisfying adventure. This time around, the campaign primarily takes place in urban locations, opting for larger stages rather than the shorter levels of its predecessor.
Curse of the Sword looks pretty decent for a Game Boy Advance game, especially the backgrounds. While the environments aren't particularly exotic, the game does its best to be visually striking.
16
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
A really fun top-down co-op shooter
In 2014, Tomb Raider the series tried its hand at arcade-inspired gameplay with co-op coming to the fore. Temple of Osiris it can accommodate up to four characters, including Lara, and they all have their own special abilities and characteristics.
It has a top-down view of the action, which takes a bit of the charm away from the franchise because the camera is so limited. Other than that, though, the game is good multiplayer fun, making it a small but fun entry in the series.
15
Tomb Raider (2000)
Better than it has any right to be
2000 years Tomb Raider took Lara to Nintendo's Game Boy Color, and the franchise handled the handheld transition surprisingly well. Expectations need to be tempered, of course, because the hardware wouldn't be able to replicate the home console experience, but Tomb Raider does an admirable job of replicating Lara's iconic move.
As the game maintains a relatively slow pace, it's definitely not an action-packed experience; however, the campaign offers a good mix of puzzles, exploration, and cutscenes. While not a must-play title, this release is a fitting addition to any GBC collection.
14
Tomb Raider 3 (1998)
A very good but safe sequel
While not as popular as the first two games in the series, Tomb Raider 3 is a solid threequel that makes everything bigger than ever. Admittedly, it came with the loss of most of the mystery and tension found in the previous entries.
This also caused a serious lack of innovation Tomb Raider 3 feeling more like an expansion pack to the second game rather than a big-budget sequel. Despite this criticism, Tomb Raider 3 is a very enjoyable classic romp in the series that should please anyone who enjoys Lara's previous two adventures.
