"Tomb Raider Games: Chronological Play Guide"

Tomb Raider boasts a rich history, with Lara Croft exploring ancient ruins and tombs worldwide. Overcoming countless obstacles, Lara has cemented her status among the most iconic video game protagonists. With a new Tomb Raider game currently in development at Crystal Dynamics, fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in Lara's adventures. To help you dive into or revisit this legendary series, we've compiled a comprehensive chronological list of every Tomb Raider game.

**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 are spread across three distinct timelines, each featuring unique plotlines and variations on Lara and her companions. Fourteen of these games are available on home consoles, six on handheld devices, and six on mobile platforms. Standalone titles like 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?

If you're new to the franchise in 2025, we recommend starting with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. This game kicks off the "Survivor" trilogy, which spans through to the latest mainline game, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, released in 2018. This series offers a fresh and gritty perspective on Lara Croft's adventures.

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 follows Lara as she's commissioned by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla to locate the Scion of Atlantis. After collecting all three fragments scattered across the globe, Lara is betrayed by Natla and must confront her on a volcanic island teeming with monsters.

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

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

Exclusive to the Game Boy Color, this sequel sees Lara hunting down a mystical sword to prevent the resurrection of the malevolent Madame Paveau, who aims to use dark magic to dominate the world.

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

3. Tomb Raider II (1997)

Lara's quest in Tomb Raider II is to find the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon sought by cult leader Marco Bartoli, who plans to transform into a dragon with its power.

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

4. Tomb Raider III (1998)

In this installment, Lara seeks the Infada Stone, one of four crystalline artifacts from a meteorite. She must stop the nefarious Dr. Willard from using these artifacts to mutate the planet.

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

5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)

Lara inadvertently releases the Egyptian god of chaos, Set, while exploring a tomb. She teams up with Semerkhet to summon the god Horus to stop Set's destructive rampage in 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 share stories of her past adventures, highlighting her travels through Rome's catacombs, a Russian submarine, and a demon-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 the murder of her mentor Werner Von Croy, Lara navigates Paris and Prague to clear her name and uncover the truth. She encounters Kurtis Trent, the last survivor 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 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 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 game in the Legend trilogy, Lara searches for Mjolnir to unlock Helheim, the realm of the dead, and confronts 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)

This gritty reboot sees Lara stranded on an island during her first expedition to find Yamatai. She battles the Solarii Brotherhood cult to stop an Ascension ritual and thwart the Sun Queen's resurrection.

**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, clashing with the paramilitary organization Trinity and uncovering the truth about 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 concluding chapter of the Survivor Trilogy has Lara journeying through the Americas to find Paititi and prevent a Mayan apocalypse, all while evading Trinity and the monstrous Yaaxil.

**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

For those interested in playing the games in the order they were released:

• 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 nostalgic for the original games, Aspyr has 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 is currently developing a new Tomb Raider game, utilizing Unreal Engine 5 and set to be published by Amazon Games. While details are scarce, Crystal Dynamics has hinted on Twitter that this new title will continue Lara Croft's saga, potentially extending the Survivor trilogy narrative.

Beyond gaming, Netflix launched the 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.