11 Best Tomb Raider Games | Classics and Reboots in 2026

• Which is the best

Tomb Raider

• game depends on who you are as a player.  I’ve played them all, and each stands out for different reasons –
• brutal challenge, slick cinematic moments, and pure exploration

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New to the series? You’ll want a clear starting point. Nostalgic for the PlayStation days? You’ll be curious how the classics compare. Loved the recent trilogy? You’re probably hunting for that same mix of survival, story, and puzzles.

This ranked list of essentials is my shortcut for helping you find the perfect fit without wasting time or missing the highlights, with top

Tomb Raider

games ranked by what they do best.

Our Top Picks for Tomb Raider Games

If you’re deciding which

Tomb Raider

title to play first (or next), these three are my top picks, each gives you a different flavor of what this legendary series can do best.

Tomb Raider

ACTION-ADVENTURE

This origin reboot hits with cinematic intensity, believable fear, and a storyline that hooks you from the first hour. Tombs are approachable, action is gripping, and you feel Lara grow through tension, breakthrough, and survival instincts.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

ACTION-ADVENTURE

A perfectly balanced adventure combining stealth, puzzles, and combat. Hubs invite exploration without feeling empty, optional tombs reward curiosity, and every expedition feels earned.

Tomb Raider: Legend

ACTION-ADVENTURE

A nostalgic throwback with compact levels, sleek platforming, and clever puzzles. Focused on acrobatics and flow rather than sprawling hubs, it’s the perfect entry for fans of classic Lara gameplay.

Best Tomb Raider Game – 11 Must-Play Entries

Below you’ll find ranked picks spanning PS classics, Crystal Dynamics’ trilogies, and co-op spin-offs. Consider it the best

Tomb Raider

games ranked list in one place.

How many of these have you played?

Tomb Raider

Best Tomb Raider for Story-First Players

Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Type of game Action-adventure, third-person survival PC, PS3/PS4, Xbox 360/One, macOS, Linux, Stadia, SHIELD 2013 (DE: 2014)

Creator/s Crystal Dynamics · Publisher: Square Enix Europe Average playtime 12–20 hours Best for Story-first newcomers Bow upgrades, Survival Instinct, Challenge Tombs What I liked Cinematic set pieces + puzzle-tomb balance

Tomb Raider

is an incredible survival game that reset the franchise in a way that hooked me from the start. The shipwreck on Yamatai set immediate stakes, and the Hall of Ascension Challenge Tomb is still unforgettable. Balancing on beams while a storm raged and spikes closed in demanded precision and remains a community favorite.

Unlocking the bow early changed everything. I used it for both combat and traversal, creating ziplines to hidden ledges. Salvaging materials added real value, shaping my playstyle instead of just boosting stats. Collapsing caves and burning rockfalls made Lara’s growth feel tangible.

Why we chose it This reboot offers one of the strongest origin stories, balanced challenges, and cinematic moments that still make Lara’s growth feel real.

Combat can sometimes overshadow exploration, but progression and cinematic tension carried the experience.

Some say the tombs in this notable TPS game are easier than later entries, but I think that makes them perfect for newcomers. The blend of storms, desperate village fights, and quiet temple moments created an atmosphere that stuck with me.

My Verdict:

If you want a high-energy, story-driven entry with approachable tombs and progression that feels rewarding, start here. For me, it remains the best

Tomb Raider

game to begin with before moving on to Rise and Shadow.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Best All-Round Adventure Tomb Raider

Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Type of game Action-adventure (third-person)

Xbox 360/One; Windows; PS4; macOS & Linux (2018); Stadia (2019)

2015–2019 (platform staggered)

Creator/s Crystal Dynamics · Square Enix/Microsoft Average playtime 15–20 hrs main; 30–40 hrs full Best for Balanced combat, puzzles, exploration Hub zones, Challenge Tombs, stealth/assault mix What I liked Smart tomb design, rewarding upgrade loops

Rise of the Tomb Raider

is a notable action RPG that feels like the sequel the reboot promised. The Ice Ship Challenge Tomb in the Glacial Cavern stands out: I balanced across masts above icy water, used the axe to release hooks, and scrambled past a swinging bucket that shattered ice walls. It tested my timing in a way few tombs do.

Fans often praise these tombs for being creative without unfair difficulty. In hubs like the Siberian Wilderness and Kitezh ruins, exploration rewarded me with relics, upgrades, and secrets that shaped later encounters. The wide, snow-capped vistas and cinematic camera pans look especially stunning on a great gaming monitor.

Why we chose it

Rise delivers a wonderful mix of puzzles, exploration, and action. Its challenge tombs and hubs reward curiosity and skill without becoming overwhelming.

Combat also felt sharper. I mixed stealth and firefights depending on mood, and the crafting system made each material useful rather than busy work. Side-quests occasionally disrupted pacing, but they also uncovered hidden murals and lore about Lara’s father that deepened the story.

Rise balances puzzles, combat, and exploration better than any entry, making it the most replayable in the series.

My Verdict:

If you are looking for the best Tomb Raider game for variety and replayability, Rise of the Tomb Raider is where you get all sides of Lara’s world balanced well.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Best Tomb Raider for Puzzle & Stealth Lovers

Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Type of game Action-adventure (stealth-leaning)

PS4, Xbox One, Windows; macOS/Linux (2019); Stadia (2019)

Creator/s Eidos-Montréal · Square Enix Europe Average playtime 12–15 hrs main; 30–40 hrs full Best for Puzzle-heavy tombs, stealth fans Paititi hub, difficulty sliders, underwater traversal What I liked Intricate tomb puzzles, dense hubs

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

begins with Lara Croft triggering a Mayan apocalypse, instantly setting a darker tone than earlier games. Traveling through Mexico and Peru, the hidden city of Paititi stood out to me as one of the most alive hubs in the series, packed with quests, secrets, and culture.

The tombs here are the trilogy’s most intricate. Solving them felt like true brain teasers, and I loved using the difficulty sliders to set puzzles to Hard while leaving combat lighter for balance. Stealth also impressed me. Covering myself in mud, hiding in foliage, and silently clearing camps scratches the itch for the best stealth games.

Pro tip

Use the difficulty sliders. Hard puzzles with easier combat create the perfect raiding flow.

The pacing sometimes dragged, and combat encounters could feel repetitive, but the puzzle density made up for it. For me, this is the entry where patience and observation mattered most.

My Verdict:

Shadow is the best Tomb Raider game for players who crave intricate puzzle game elements and stealth-driven exploration, the trilogy’s most atmospheric and cerebral chapter.

Tomb Raider: Underworld

Best Tomb Raider for Exploration Enthusiasts

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• Type of game
• Action-adventure, exploration focus
• PC, PS2/3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, OS X
• Creator/s
• Crystal Dynamics · Eidos
• Average playtime
• 8–12 hrs main; 15–20 hrs full
• Best for
• Fans of large environmental puzzles
• Improved grapple, scuba dives, motorbike sections
• What I liked
• Multi-room puzzles that reward patience

Tomb Raider: Underworld

• felt like a fitting conclusion to the
• Legend

trilogy. Lara Croft’s hunt for Mjolnir takes her through the Mediterranean, Thailand, Mexico, Jan Mayen, and into Helheim, with a clear tilt toward exploration over firefights.

A standout moment for me was the Valhalla chamber on Jan Mayen. I had to rotate massive gears with the grapple to align moving bridges while dodging crushing spiked rollers.

It is a true multiroom chain where every lever and platform matters, and it rewards patience and careful observation. Many tombs follow this style, asking you to read vertical spaces, track clues across rooms, and connect solutions you started ten minutes earlier.

Pro tip

Slow down in underwater areas. Check side passages for relics and upgrades you can easily miss.

I also enjoyed the scuba sections.

Searching for air pockets and side tunnels slows the pace in a good way and hides worthwhile secrets.

The upgraded grapple sells the traversal, since the rope wraps around pillars for neat physics solutions. The motorbike sequences are less refined, but they do break up the rhythm.

My Verdict:

Choose the Underworld if you love big environmental puzzles and atmospheric ruins. It is a satisfying, exploration-led sendoff to the Legend era.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

Best Tomb Raider Co-op Adventure

Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Type of game Isometric action-adventure (co-op optional)

PC, PS3, Xbox 360, iOS/Android, Stadia, Switch 2010 (later ports 2010-2023)

Creator/s Crystal Dynamics · Square Enix Average playtime 8–10 hrs campaign; 6–8 hrs co-op Best for Co-op puzzle fans, score chasers Asymmetric co-op, bomb puzzles, leaderboards What I liked Tight, replayable levels best with a partner

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

surprised me in the best way as one of the best co-op games I’ve ever played. This

Tomb Raider

spin-off swaps third-person for an isometric, arcade rhythm that clicks the moment co-op starts.

My favorite scene had my partner pinning spears into a wall so I could climb, while I anchored a grapple line for a tightrope over a spike pit. We then tossed a bomb to trigger a hidden switch. That single room sold the design:

quick, clever, and coordinated.

Abilities complement each other. Totec’s spears become platforms. Lara Croft’s grapple yanks levers and creates crossings. Solo works too since you can swap roles, but the co-op puzzles are the star. Short stages invite replays, and score challenges kept me chasing better times.

Pro tip Play with a partner.

Asymmetric mechanics open alternate routes and secrets you will not see alone.

If you love teamwork driven design, check our.

As a PC gamer, I liked the snappy controls and instant retries. Compared to the previous game, it is more puzzle-first and faster paced.

My Verdict:

A refreshing

Tomb Raider

video game that stands out within the Tomb Raider series. If you want brisk puzzles, energetic combat, and co-op chemistry, this is the one.

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation

Best Tomb Raider for Puzzle Purists

Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Type of game Action-adventure, hub-based PC, PlayStation, Dreamcast, Mac Creator/s Core Design · Eidos Average playtime 15–20+ hrs Best for Puzzle purists, backtracking fans Rope swings, vehicles, laser-sight puzzles What I liked Egypt-only epic with intricate multi-stage puzzles The Last Revelation is the

Tomb Raider

entry that tested my patience and paid it back.

Set entirely in Egypt, Lara Croft moves through Karnak, Alexandria, Cairo, and Giza in interconnected hubs that feel like real places rather than levels. One sequence I still remember is the Alexandria library puzzle.

I had to line up mirrors across two chambers, rope swing to a balcony, then use the laser-sighted revolver for a precision shot to trigger the mechanism. It was the moment the game’s layered gameplay truly clicked.

Pro tip

Keep light notes as you play. Backtracking is intentional, and laser-sight weapons help with precise puzzle shots.

Designed by Core Design, this video game rewards note-taking and observation. Keys and artifacts found an hour ago often unlock a door you marked earlier. Vehicles like the jeep add pace, but the focus stays on puzzles and careful exploration.

Rope swinging feels demanding at first, then becomes second nature. It makes sense to keep a simple map of locked gates and unsolved contraptions.

My Verdict:

The Last Revelation is the best

Tomb Raider

pick for puzzle purists who want a cohesive Egypt adventure with intricate, multi-stage challenges that still hold up today.

Tomb Raider

Most Immersive World Tomb Raider

Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Type of game Action-adventure, grid-based traversal Sega Saturn, PC, PlayStation; later Mac, N-Gage, mobile, TR I–III Remastered (2024)

• Creator/s
• Core Design · Eidos
• Average playtime
• 12–20 hrs
• Best for
• Fans of pure exploration & old-school platforming
• Save Crystals, Croft Manor training
• What I liked
• Moody, lonely atmosphere that defined 3D raiding
• The original Tomb Raider
• is the first game that defined 3D raiding for me. As Lara Croft hunts the
• Scion of Atlantis

across Peru, Greece, Egypt, and Atlantis, the mood is unforgettable. Sparse music and heavy ambience make every corridor feel ancient and dangerous.

One scene I still picture is St. Francis’ Folly in Greece. I worked my way up and down the tower, timing jumps to moving ledges, unlocking the four animal doors, and treating every step as puzzle-solving rather than pure platforming. That is where the game clicked.

Why we chose it It’s the blueprint of

Tomb Raider

.

Atmosphere, exploration, and puzzle-solving blend into a pure raiding experience that still holds up.

Controls are grid-based and take practice, but once I settled in, each jump felt deliberate.

Save Crystals on console added tension, and Croft Manor doubled as a safe space to learn the rules before heading back underground.

My Verdict:

Tomb Raider (1996)

is the best starting point if you want the series’ fundamentals.

It remains a defining Tomb Raider entry for players who love precision and mood.

Tomb Raider: Chronicles

Best Tomb Raider for Bite-Sized Variety

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• Type of game
• Action-adventure, short-story anthology
• PS1, PC, Dreamcast, Mac
• Creator/s
• Core Design · Eidos
• Average playtime
• 7–12 hrs
• Best for

Fans who want variety (stealth, young-Lara, corporate heist)

Tightrope, pole swings, grapple gun, PC Level Editor What I liked Bite-sized adventures with experimental mechanics & fan-made PC levels

Tomb Raider: Chronicles

plays like four short tales about Lara Croft, and the format works. The chapter that stuck with me is Ireland. Young Lara Croft explores the Black Isle without weapons, creeping through a churchyard, lighting braziers for clues, and ringing a bell to open a hidden path. That tension-first approach gives the anthology its personality.

Each story leans into a different toolset.

Rome hides switches behind classic platforming. Russia adds underwater routes inside a submarine.

New York becomes a stealth heist with vents, lasers, and a grapple gun that turns offices into traversal puzzles. Levels are shorter than earlier entries, yet that brevity makes replays for secrets and gold rewards feel snappy.

• Pro tip
• If you are on PC, install the
• Level Editor
• and sort community levels by rating. In game, practice tightrope and pole swings before the
• New York stealth

sections.

On PC the official Level Editor extends the life of this video game. I lost hours trying fan missions that push the mechanics in smart ways.

My Verdict:

Pick Chronicles if you want variety in compact stories. It mixes puzzles, stealth, and experimental ideas while giving the classic era a neat epilogue.

FAQs What is the best Tomb Raider game?

Tomb Raider (2013)

is the best starting point and a standout entry overall. This reboot redefined the series with cinematic storytelling, intense survival moments, and approachable tombs that balance puzzles with action.

What style of game is Tomb Raider?

Tomb Raider is an action-adventure at its core. You’ll explore ruins, solve puzzles, and master traversal challenges while mixing in combat or stealth. What makes it special is how these pieces come together into one seamless raiding experience.

How many games are in Tomb Raider?

There are 12 mainline Tomb Raider games released between 1996 and 2018. On top of that, you’ll find spin-offs and the Remastered collections released in 2024 and 2025, which bring the classics back to modern platforms.

What’s the latest Tomb Raider game?

As of 2025, the most recent release is Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered (February 2025). The last mainline game remains

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

from 2018, though a brand-new entry is in development with Amazon Games.

Which Tomb Raider sold the most copies?

Tomb Raider (2013)

holds the crown with over 14.5 million copies sold. It is not just the reboot that revived Lara Croft, but also the series’ most commercially successful game to date.

What is the longest Tomb Raider game?

For completionists, Rise and Shadow can stretch to 30 to 40 hours with side content. Among the classics, Tomb Raider III and The Last Revelation are often remembered as the longest because of their sprawling, complex level design.