"Tomb Raider Games: Chronological Play Guide"

Tomb Raider boasts a storied history, with Lara Croft fearlessly exploring ancient ruins and tombs across the globe. Overcoming countless challenges, Lara has secured her place among the most celebrated video game protagonists. As Crystal Dynamics develops a new Tomb Raider game, fans can look forward to another thrilling adventure. To help you embark on your own journey, we've compiled a chronological list of every Tomb Raider game, allowing you to start or restart your adventures from the very beginning.

**Jump to**:
How to play in chronological order
How to play in release order

How Many Tomb Raider Games Are There?

As of 2025, there are a total of 20 Tomb Raider games. These games span three distinct timelines, each featuring unique plotlines and variations on Lara Croft and her companions. Fourteen games were released for home consoles, six supported handheld portable consoles, and six were available on mobile devices. Stand-alone titles such as Tomb Raider: The Prophecy, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Lara Croft Go, Lara Croft: Relic Run, and Tomb Raider Reloaded are not included in these lists.

Which Tomb Raider Should You Play First?

For newcomers in 2025, we recommend starting with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. This game kicks off the "Survivor" trilogy, setting the stage for Lara Croft's latest series of expeditions, which concludes with 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order

Embarking on a chronological journey through the Tomb Raider series involves navigating three separate timelines:

• Original Saga Timeline
• Legend of Tomb Raider Timeline
• Survivor Trilogy Timeline

First Timeline - Original Saga

1. Tomb Raider (1996)

In the inaugural Tomb Raider game, Lara Croft is hired by Jacquelin Natla to retrieve the Scion of Atlantis. After gathering all three fragments of the Scion scattered across the world, Lara faces betrayal by Natla, leading to a showdown on a monster-filled volcanic island.

**Available on:** PlayStation, iOS, Android, Mac OS | IGN's Tomb Raider Review

2. Tomb Raider: The Curse of the Sword (2001)

This Game Boy Color exclusive sequel follows Lara as she seeks a mystical sword to prevent the resurrection of Madame Paveau, who aims to conquer the world with dark magic.

**Available on:** Game Boy Color | IGN's Curse of the Sword Review

3. Tomb Raider II (1997)

Lara pursues the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon sought by cult leader Marco Bartoli for its ability to transform its owner into a dragon.

**Available on:** PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Mac OS | IGN's Tomb Raider II Review

4. Tomb Raider III (1998)

Lara's quest for the Infada Stone—one of four crystalline artifacts—leads her to thwart the nefarious Dr. Willard, who plans to mutate the planet.

**Available on:** PC, PlayStation, Mac OS | IGN's Tomb Raider III Review

5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)

Unwittingly releasing the Egyptian god of chaos Set, Lara must summon the god Horus to stop the chaos unleashed on Cairo.

**Available on:** PlayStation, Mac OS, PC, Dreamcast | IGN's The Last Revelation Review

6. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)

Following the ambiguous ending of The Last Revelation, Lara's friends recount her past adventures, showcasing her travels through Rome, a Russian submarine, and a haunted island.

**Available on:** PlayStation, PC, Mac OS, Dreamcast | IGN's Tomb Raider: Chronicles Review

7. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)

Framed for her mentor Werner Von Croy's murder, Lara explores Paris and Prague to clear her name and uncover the truth, with the mysterious Kurtis Trent shadowing her every move.

**Available on:** PC, PlayStation 2, Mac OS X | IGN's Angel of Darkness Review

Second Timeline - Legend of Tomb Raider

1. Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007)

A remake of the 1996 original, this game sees Lara once again searching for the Scion of Atlantis, featuring revamped puzzles and physics-based challenges.

**Available on:** PC, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, Mobile, OS X, PS3 | IGN's Tomb Raider Anniversary Review

2. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)

This reboot reimagines Lara's origins as she races to find the mythical sword Excalibur before her former friend Amanda Evert.

**Available on:** GBA, Gamecube, PC, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PS3, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360 | IGN's Tomb Raider: Legend Review

3. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)

Lara's quest for Mjolnir, the key to Helheim, leads her through mythological underworlds and a confrontation with the villainous Natla.

**Available on:** Nintendo DS, PS3, Wii, PC, Xbox 360, Mobile, PlayStation 2, OS X | IGN's Tomb Raider: Underworld Review

Third Timeline - Survivor Trilogy

1. Tomb Raider (2013)

In a grittier take on Lara Croft, her expedition to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai goes awry, stranding her on a hostile island where she battles the Solarii Brotherhood cult and tries to stop the Ascension ritual.

**Available on:** PC, PS3, Xbox 360, OS X, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, Linux | IGN's Tomb Raider (2013) Review

2. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)

Lara explores Siberia in search of the legendary city of Kitezh, battling the paramilitary organization Trinity and confronting the Deathless Ones.

**Available on:** Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, PS4, macOS, Linux, Stadia | IGN's Rise of the Tomb Raider Review

3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)

The final installment of the Survivor Trilogy sees Lara journeying through the Americas to find the city of Paititi and prevent a Mayan apocalypse, all while facing the monstrous Yaaxii and Trinity.

**Available on:** PS4, PC, Xbox One, Linux, macOS, Stadia | IGN's Shadow of the Tomb Raider Review

How to Play ALL the Tomb Raider Games By Release Date

• Tomb Raider (1996)
• Tomb Raider II (1997)
• Tomb Raider III (1998)
• Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
• Tomb Raider (Game Boy Color, 2000)
• Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000)
• Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (Game Boy Color, 2001)
• Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (GBA, 2002)
• Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
• Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
• Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010)
• Tomb Raider (2013)
• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
• Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015)
• Lara Croft Go (2015)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
• Tomb Raider Reloaded (2023)

What’s Next for Tomb Raider?

For fans looking to relive the nostalgia of the original games, Aspyr released remastered collections for current-gen consoles. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered was released in early 2024, followed by Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered in February.

Crystal Dynamics has confirmed a new Tomb Raider game is in development, set to use Unreal Engine 5 and published by Amazon Games. While details are scarce, Crystal Dynamics hinted on Twitter that this new title will continue Lara Croft's saga, suggesting it might be a continuation of the Survivor trilogy that concluded with Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018.

Outside of gaming, Netflix debuted its animated series "Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft" in October, which has already been renewed for a second season. Meanwhile, Amazon's planned Tomb Raider series with Phoebe Waller-Bridge as writer and executive producer appears to have been shelved.