Tomb Raider boasts a rich history, with Lara Croft traversing ruins and tombs worldwide, overcoming any obstacle in her path. This has cemented her status as one of the most iconic video game protagonists. With a new Tomb Raider game currently in development at Crystal Dynamics, fans can look forward to another thrilling adventure. To help newcomers or veterans refresh their journey, we've compiled a chronological list of every Tomb Raider game, allowing you to start or restart your spelunking adventure 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, spread across three distinct timelines, each offering unique plotlines and variations of Lara Croft and her companions. Fourteen of these 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 the chronological or release order lists.
Which Tomb Raider Should You Play First?
If you're diving into the franchise for the first time 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 recent series of expeditions, culminating in 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
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Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order
Embarking on a chronological journey through the Tomb Raider series involves navigating three different timelines:
- Original Saga Timeline
- Legend of Tomb Raider Timeline
- Survivor Trilogy Timeline
First Timeline - Original Saga
1. Tomb Raider (1996)
The inaugural Tomb Raider game sees Lara Croft hired by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla to locate the mysterious Scion of Atlantis. After collecting all three fragments scattered globally, Lara faces betrayal by Natla and battles her 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)
A Game Boy Color exclusive sequel, this game follows Lara as she tracks a mystical sword to prevent the resurrection of the long-dead Madame Paveau, who aims to use dark magic to subjugate the world.
Available on: Game Boy Color | IGN’s Curse of the Sword Review
3. Tomb Raider II (1997)
Lara's quest this time is for the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon capable of transforming its wielder into a dragon. She races against cult leader Marco Bartoli, who seeks the dagger for its powers.
Available on: PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Mac OS | IGN’s Tomb Raider II Review
4. Tomb Raider III (1998)
In the third mainline game, Lara seeks the Infada Stone, one of four artifacts made from a meteorite. She must thwart the nefarious Dr. Willard, who plans to use the stones to accelerate evolution and mutate the planet.
Available on: PC, PlayStation, Mac OS | IGN’s Tomb Raider III Review
5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
Exploring a tomb in Egypt, Lara inadvertently releases the Egyptian god of chaos, Set. With Cairo in peril, she allies with Semerkhet to summon the god Horus, the only hope to stop this world-ending threat.
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 reminisce about her past adventures, from navigating Roman catacombs to battling demonic forces on 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. She encounters Kurtis Trent, the last of the Lux Veritatis Society, who harbors a dark secret.
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 follows Lara's quest for the Scion of Atlantis, featuring redesigned 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 globally to find the mythical sword Excalibur before her former friend Amanda Evert can claim it.
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)
The final installment of the Legend trilogy sees Lara searching for Mjolnir, the key to Helheim. She explores various mythological underworlds and confronts the villainous Natla once more.
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 this gritty reboot, Lara's first expedition to find Yamatai goes awry, stranding her on a hostile island. She must stop the Solarii Brotherhood's Ascension ritual and thwart the Sun Queen's successor.
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 for the legendary city of Kitezh, battling Trinity, a paramilitary organization. As both parties race to rediscover Kitezh, the Deathless Ones may prove more than just a myth.
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 concluding chapter of the Survivor Trilogy has Lara journeying through the Americas to find Paititi before a Mayan apocalypse. With the Yaaxii and Trinity in pursuit, can she save the world in time?
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 those nostalgic for the original Tomb Raider games, Aspyr released remastered collections for current-gen consoles. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered launched in early 2024, followed by Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered in February.
Crystal Dynamics has confirmed a new Tomb Raider game is in development, utilizing Unreal Engine 5 and set to be published by Amazon Games. While details are scarce, Crystal Dynamics hinted on Twitter that this new adventure will continue Lara Croft’s saga, suggesting it may be a continuation of the Survivor trilogy that ended with Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018.
Beyond 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 canceled.
