"Guide: Playing Tomb Raider Games in Order"

Lara Croft, the iconic protagonist of the Tomb Raider series, has ventured through ancient ruins and tombs worldwide, overcoming countless obstacles to cement her status as a legendary figure in video games. As Crystal Dynamics develops a new Tomb Raider game, fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in Lara's storied journey. To help enthusiasts embark on or revisit this adventure, we've compiled a comprehensive chronological list of all Tomb Raider games up to 2025.

Jump to:

• How to play in chronological order
• How to play in release order

How Many Tomb Raider Games Are There?

By 2025, the Tomb Raider franchise boasts a total of 20 games, spread across three distinct timelines, each presenting unique plotlines and variations of Lara and her companions. Fourteen of these games were released for home consoles, six were supported on 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 excluded from these lists.

Which Tomb Raider Should You Play First?

For newcomers to the series in 2025, we suggest starting with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. This game initiates the "Survivor" trilogy, setting the stage for Lara Croft's latest series of adventures, culminating in 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider

2See it at Amazon

Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order

Exploring the Tomb Raider series chronologically involves navigating through three separate 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 hired by Jacquelin Natla to retrieve the Scion of Atlantis. After gathering all three fragments, Lara is betrayed by Natla, leading to a climactic battle 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)

Exclusive to the Game Boy Color, this sequel has Lara on a quest to destroy a mystical sword before the resurrected Madame Paveau can wield it to dominate the world.

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

3. Tomb Raider II (1997)

Lara seeks the Dagger of Xian, which has the power to transform its owner into a dragon. She must stop the cult leader Marco Bartoli from obtaining it.

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

4. Tomb Raider III (1998)

Lara's mission is to secure the Infada Stone, one of four meteorite-crafted artifacts. She races against Dr. Willard, who plans to use them to mutate the planet.

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

5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)

In Egypt, Lara inadvertently frees the chaos god Set. She must summon Horus to save Cairo from destruction, aided by Semerkhet.

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

6. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)

Following the uncertain ending of The Last Revelation, Lara's friends recount her past adventures, showcasing her extensive travels and skills.

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, encountering Kurtis Trent, the last of the Lux Veritatis Society.

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, Lara again pursues the Scion of Atlantis, with new physics-based puzzles and environmental 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.

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 sees Lara searching for Mjolnir, the key to Helheim, while confronting 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 expedition to find Yamatai goes awry, stranding her on a hostile island where she battles the Solarii Brotherhood and the Sun Queen's legacy.

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 mythic 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 racing through the Americas to prevent a Mayan apocalypse, facing the 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 of the classic 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 of the same year.

Crystal Dynamics is actively 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 extend Lara Croft's saga, possibly continuing from the Survivor trilogy.

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