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How to Play Tomb Raider Games in Order: Every Era Explained

Start with the Survivor trilogy for a straightforward story route, or follow the classic games in release order and the Legend trilogy in narrative order.
Opened Runtime4 min Written byDocumentaryTube Team
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For the simplest story-focused route, play the Survivor trilogy in this order: Tomb Raider (2013) → Rise of the Tomb Raider → Shadow of the Tomb Raider. For the rest of the series, choose an era first: the classic games are best followed in release order, while the Legend-era story starts with Anniversary even though Legend came out first.

Which Tomb Raider order should you choose?

There is no single official chronology that places every main game and spin-off into one continuous timeline. Crystal Dynamics’ official guides present routes by era, so the most useful choice depends on whether you want the original release experience, a connected trilogy, or a beginner-friendly story.

  • New to the series and want a clear story arc: play the Survivor trilogy, starting with Tomb Raider (2013).
  • Want the original classic-era experience: play the six Core Design-era games in release order, beginning with Tomb Raider (1996).
  • Want the connected Legend-era story: play Tomb Raider: Anniversary, then Legend, then Underworld.

Release order means the order the games launched; narrative order means the order that best follows a particular era’s story. The Legend trilogy is the clearest case where those differ.

Classic Tomb Raider games in release order

The classic route covers six Core Design-era games. Crystal Dynamics’ official catalog lists the release years; playing in that sequence also lets you experience the series as its original audience did.

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  1. Tomb Raider (1996)
  2. Tomb Raider II (1997)
  3. Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998)
  4. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
  5. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
  6. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)

The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness have overlapping story elements, but the official classic-era guide says each game can also be enjoyed individually.

Legend-era games in story order

For the interconnected Crystal Dynamics trilogy, follow this narrative order:

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  1. Tomb Raider: Anniversary (released 2007)
  2. Tomb Raider: Legend (released 2006)
  3. Tomb Raider: Underworld (released 2008)

Anniversary is a remake of the original game and is more self-contained. Legend’s story continues into Underworld, which is why Anniversary comes first in the story route despite releasing after Legend.

If you would rather begin with the era’s recommended beginner-friendly entry or follow release order, start with Legend, then play Anniversary and Underworld. The official guide presents Legend as an accessible starting point.

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Survivor trilogy in story and release order

Play the reboot-era trilogy in this order:

  1. Tomb Raider (2013)
  2. Rise of the Tomb Raider
  3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Crystal Dynamics describes these games as Lara’s progression from an inexperienced adventurer to a confident Tomb Raider and says playing them in order enhances the overall narrative. Its official guide also notes that each is a standalone adventure, so you can start with one game without needing to have completed the others.

The trilogy changes emphasis as it goes: the first two games put more weight on combat, while Shadow is more exploration-oriented and has the series’ most extensive tombs, particularly in its downloadable content.

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Which collection covers the games you want?

Collections bundle specific eras; none of the listed bundles includes every Tomb Raider game. Check the current platform listing and edition before buying, since contents and availability vary.

Collection What it includes Best suited to
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Tomb Raider I plus Unfinished Business; Tomb Raider II plus Golden Mask; and Tomb Raider III plus The Lost Artifact. Released February 14, 2024, according to the official product page. Playing the first three classic games and their listed expansions.
Tomb Raider I-VI Remastered The official games catalog lists this as a 2025 collection of the six classic-era mainline games. Following the full classic release-order route.
Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Playing the Survivor trilogy in one bundle.

For the classic collection listings, consult the official Tomb Raider games catalog and the I-III Remastered product page. The Definitive Survivor Trilogy product page describes its progression from Yamatai to Siberia to Peru.

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Do you need to play the spin-offs?

No. The official catalog also lists Lara Croft games and mobile spin-offs, including Guardian of Light, Temple of Osiris, Lara Croft GO, Relic Run, and Reloaded. They are not required for the classic, Legend, or Survivor routes above, and the official guides do not establish a single placement for all of them in a franchise-wide chronology.

What about the upcoming Tomb Raider games?

Crystal Dynamics has announced Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, described as a reimagining of Lara Croft’s debut adventure, and Tomb Raider: Catalyst, described as a new chapter. The announcement initially gave Legacy of Atlantis a 2026 window and Catalyst a 2027 window; the current official catalog instead displays Legacy of Atlantis as 2027 and lists Catalyst without a year. Because those official pages differ on timing, treat both as upcoming until their launches are confirmed and check the official catalog and official announcements for current listings. The announcements do not establish where either game belongs in a complete franchise-wide chronology.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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