Tomb Raider 1 Classic and Remastered

Initial Release: November 1996

Metacritic Score: Original game - 91 (details), Remaster - 76 (details)

ESRB/PEGI Rating: Original - Teen/12, TR3 Remaster - Teen (ESRB), Mature/18+ (PEGI)

Platforms: Sega Saturn, MS-DOS/Windows, PlayStation. Later: Macintosh, Nokia N-Gage, Pocket PC, PlayStation 3 and PSP (via PlayStation Network), iOS and Android. Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is now available on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games.

Spoiler-free Synopsis: Lara Croft is hired by Jacqueline Natla, CEO of Natla Technologies, to locate a mysterious artifact rumored to lie buried in a Peruvian tomb. With the gamer's help, Lara finds the artifact only to realize it's just part of a larger, more powerful object—the Scion, a relic from the lost continent Atlantis. Lara also learns she's not the only one after the Scion, and (surprise, surprise!) her new employer is not at all what she seems to be.

The game includes 15 extensive levels, in which Lara explores ancient ruins in South America, Greece, Egypt and ultimately Atlantis itself.

Tomb Raider  was one of the first games to successfully blend action and adventure genres. Gameplay centers on exploration and puzzle solving, but there's still plenty of combat as well. By today's standards the graphics and controls are a bit primitive, but I believe the story and gameplay stand the test of time.

Saving Your Game: PC and Macintosh versions include unlimited saves at any point in the game. PC, Mac and PS1 savegame files are available in case you make a bad save, want to skip a level without missing any items, etc. In the PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions, you must collect a save crystal each time you want to save your game. All save crystals are noted in the walkthrough. The iOS app has three save slots, which you can access through the passport. As far as I know, the Remastered version also includes unlimited saves on all systems.

Secrets: The number of secrets in each level varies (from 1 to 5). They consist of ammunition, medipaks, save crystals (PlayStation only) and the occasional weapon. A chime sounds when you locate a secret, and the statistics screen at the end of each level tells how many secrets were available in that level, along with how many you found. There is no bonus for finding all secrets in a level or all secrets in the game. As always, my walkthrough includes the locations of all secrets.

Bonus Levels: The original PC and Macintosh games received a four-level expansion called Unfinished Business. If you own the classic version, you can download Unfinished Business free. They're also part of the Remastered collection (below).

Classic Tomb Raider Games on New Systems: Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered (link to blog post) is the best way to play TR1 on modern computers and consoles, but if you need help with a legacy version, check out my classic TR1 Downloads page and/or visit Core-Design.com, a fantastic fansite dedicated to the original games.

See the mobile section for details on the iOS app, as well as the Pocket PC and Nokia N-Gage versions.

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft launched February 14, 2024, for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games.

Becoming an Expert Raider

If you've never played a Tomb Raider game before—or even if you have—I encourage you to check out my TR1 Controls and Gameplay Tips & Strategy pages. They include pointers on moving Lara through her environment, conserving health and ammo, using the menu and inventory systems, and much more.

If you prefer a video walkthrough to text with screenshots, I encourage you to check out my friend Eldincy's Tomb Raider Remastered Video Walkthrough or Classic Tomb Raider Video Walkthrough.

Tomb Raider Walkthrough/Strategy Guide

CROFT MANOR

Training Level: Lara's Home - Remastered

Peru Levels

Level 1: Caves - Remastered (archived classic guide)
Level 2: City of Vilcabamba - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 3: The Lost Valley -Remastered (classic guide)
Level 4: Tomb of Qualopec - Remastered (classic guide)

Greece Levels

Level 5: St. Francis' Folly - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 6: Colosseum - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 7: Palace Midas - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 8: Cistern - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 9: Tomb of Tihocan - Remastered (classic guide)

Egypt Levels

Level 10: City of Khamoon - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 11: Obelisk of Khamoon - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 12: Sanctuary of the Scion - Remastered (classic guide)

Atlantis Levels

Level 13: Natla's Mines - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 14: Atlantis - Remastered (classic guide)
Level 15: The Great Pyramid - Remastered (classic guide)