A number of Tomb Raider games have been released for various mobile platforms over the years, from the engaging Java mobile trilogy, The Osiris Codex, The Quest for Cinnabar and The Elixir of Life, to cell phone versions of Legend, Anniversary and Underworld, to more recent titles like the iOS port of the original Tomb Raider and the new mobile titles Lara Croft Relic Run and Lara Croft GO. All are covered here. Follow these links for Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games. See here for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for iPhone, iPad and iPad Touch.
Game Info: This fast-paced, nostalgia-packed mobile game officially released on Lara Croft's birthday in 2023, following a soft launch in selected markets. Developed by Emerald City Games and now under the control of DECA Games, Tomb Raider Reloaded has a cartoon esthetic with top-down, roguelike gameplay.
Reloaded is divided into various areas based on locations in the original 1996 Tomb Raider, such as the City of Vilcabamba, The Lost Valley, Midas' Palace, etc. Each area contains 20-50 short, procedurally generated stages. Lara enters each map at the bottom of the screen and must navigate to the exit at the top, eliminating swarms of enemies, dodging traps, and solving puzzles as she goes. Swiping moves Lara on screen, and whenever she's stationary, she'll fire on the nearest enemy. Completing each stage earns rewards which can then be used to upgrade Lara's abilities and purchase supplies before moving onto the next location. Daily and weekly challenges, collectible relics, and upgradeable outfits and weapons, should keep players coming back for more.
The game is chock full of nods to past games, including an original orchestral soundtrack inspired by the classics; appearances by beloved NPCs like Anaya Imanu, Winston Smith, Kurtis Trent, and Werner von Croy; bosses like the iconic T. rex; and narration by Keeley Hawes, who voiced Lara in the Legend era. The developers have also promised selectable voice options by
classic Lara voice actors Shelley Blond, Judith Gibbins, and Jonell Elliott in a future update.
Reloaded is free to play and thus includes advertising and plenty of opportunities to spend real money on in-game perks and upgrades. As far as I know, the Netflix version is identical to the App/Play Store versions but without advertising or in-app purchases. So no annoying ads but also no opportunity to buy upgrades beyond what you can unlock in the game. If that sounds like a plus—and it does to me—go for the Netflix version. You'll need to log in with your Netflix credentials to play.
UPDATE (March 2023): In the last several weeks, there have been numerous reports of players losing progress after game crashes. Hopefully the devs are working on this and will reimburse people who've spent money in-game only to have all their progress erased. Players who've lost progress/money can request a refund through the App Store or Play Store, or contact trr-support@cdeentertainment.com to report issues.
Game Info: This turn-based puzzle game for mobile devices and Windows 8/10 was developed by Square Enix Montréal, creators of the critically acclaimed Hitman GO and Hitman Sniper.
If you don't own a compatible device, you may be able to play the game on Windows or Mac using the Andy Android emulator. Thanks to Roli from TombRaider.hu for this helpful suggestion. If you have Windows 8/10, you may want to try the Windows app instead. Check the reviews though, since it seems not to work on certain devices.
Visit Stella's Tomb Raider Blog to watch the first Lara Croft GO trailer as well as gameplay demos and developer interviews from E3 2015.
Game Info: This mobile adventure-runner was first launched in April on the Google Play Store in The Netherlands, with worldwide release following for other regions and platforms over the next few months. The game is free to play but includes in-app purchases. According to the developers, "Relic Run offers a massive amount of diversity in play, allowing for seamless transitions between acrobatic-inspired running, combat, vehicles, and epic boss fights, including but not limited to the return of the infamous T-Rex."
If you don't own a compatible device, you can play the game on Windows or Mac using the BlueStacks Android emulator. It's legal to use (for free apps or apps you have legally purchased) and allows for in-app purchases through the Play Store; however, it is not officially supported, so there may be some bugs or compatibility issues when playing. Check out my video tutorial on How to Install Lara Croft Relic Run with BlueStacks.
Release Dates: December 2013 (TR1 iOS), December 2014 (TR2 iOS), April 2015 (TR1 Android), October 2015 (TR2 Android)
Metacritic Score: N/A
ESRB/PEGI Rating: Teen/12
Game Info: These iOS and Android ports of the classic Tomb Raider games feature old-school action updated for touchscreen devices. They require iOS 7.0/Android OS 4.0. Check the product pages on the App Store and Play Store for compatible devices.
I don't own any sort of iThingy, so I haven't had a chance to try the iOS versions, but based on my experience with the Android versions, they are decent ports of the original game with enhanced graphics and touch controls. They look great, but as someone who doesn't play touchscreen games all that often, I find the controls a bit wonky. I suppose if you're willing to shell out the money, an external controller would help.
Tomb Raider 2 iOS screenshot courtesy of Rivendell.
Lara Croft: Reflections for iOS
Release Dates: Project Cancelled
Game Info: This turn-based card battle game was developed by Square Enix Japan (Smile Lab) and RenRen Games. The game was playtested in New Zealand and Australia in 2013 and originally slated for release in early 2014. The game was cancelled before worldwide release.
Release Dates: December 2002 (Pocket PC) and October 2003 (N-Gage)
Metacritic Score: N/A
ESRB/PEGI Rating: Teen/12
Game Info: Over the years, the original 1996 Tomb Raider has been translated onto various platforms. Although the box art on the N-Gage edition shows Angel-of-Darkness Lara, both of these games are actually TR1 slightly modified for mobile devices.
Rather than the full-motion video sequences between certain levels, these mobile versions have scrolling text narration, and all audible dialogue is replaced with subtitles. The N-Gage version also has a limited multiplayer mode called "shadow racing," in which players compete to have the fastest time and highest score. (There's a league table which is shown each time you try to beat someone's result.) When racing to beat someone else's score, you see a second Lara, which is a recording of that person's performance. When you make it onto the league table your own recording is made available for others to beat.
No Metacritic scores are available, but the general consensus is that these two games were mediocre ports at best. For an in-depth review, visit GameSpot.
Screenshots: If you've played the original Tomb Raider, you'll recognize these levels. The full-size screens aren't much bigger, but click any of the pix below to see them.
Special thanks to Krisse and Daniel for providing details about the game, and to JeuxVideo.com for some of the Tomb Raider screenshots on this page.
Tomb Raider: Underworld Mobile
Release Date: December 2008
Metacritic Score: N/A
ESRB/PEGI Rating: NR
There are two versions of Underworld for mobile phones: 2D and 3D. The games were created by Distinctive Developments and published by EA Mobile with Eidos Mobile. My walkthrough for the 2-D game is linked below, but at the moment I don't have a phone that will run the 3-D game (pictured at right).
For more info, including reviews and screenshots, check out these sites: IGN and Pocket Gamer.
I'm sorry to report that Tomb Raider: Anniversary for mobile phones is a rather cheap knock-off of the excellent TR mobile trilogy (below). Every one of the levels in this game was lifted from the Osiris Codex, Quest for Cinnabar or Elixir of Life. The graphics have been updated slightly, but the level maps, game mechanics, puzzles, etc., are exactly the same. So if, like me, you've already played the first three cell phone games, you'll probably be disappointed in this one.
The varied settings in the trilogy have been changed here to a rather repetitious series of South American ruins, inhabited by only two types of enemies: generic hostile tribesmen and their generic vicious dogs. And except for a few bits of text referring to Lara's quest for the Scion, there's no plot whatsoever in this game, nor is there anything relating to the storyline from the original Tomb Raider or the Anniversary edition. It's a shame, really, since those games are so rich with exotic settings and interesting plot points.
That said, if you haven't played the first three Tomb Raider mobile games, you might like this one. Some of the levels are still quite fun and challenging, even if they are retreads of past games.
Unlike the previous mobile Tomb Raiders, Legend was designed in 3D for high-end devices (at least for 2006). The game was developed by Fathammer and published by Eidos Interactive. I hope to have a walkthrough eventually.
Special thanks to Pocket Gamer for these screenshots. Click the pic above to view slightly larger images.
Tomb Raider: Puzzle Paradox
Release Date: December 2006
Metacritic Score: N/A
ESRB/PEGI Rating: NR
Game Info: This mobile puzzle game was developed by Iomo/Infospace, creators of the TR mobile trilogy (above). It is very loosely based on the Tomb Raider: Legend storyline. It involves solving progressively harder versions of three types of timed puzzles to reach the heart of a South American tomb.
One puzzle type, called "Trapped" requires you to arrange colored gems. In another, "Illumination", you must arrange mirrors, prisms and teleporters to direct beams of light. The third type, "The Vault" involves rapidly sorting rune stones by color and pattern. Solving a series of challenges results in a cut scene which advances the "plot." I use that word loosely, because this is basically a puzzle game, meant to keep you busy on the train or in the dentist's waiting room. It's not going to change your life, but it will help pass the time and give your thumbs—and your brain—a little exercise.
Tomb Raider Mobile Trilogy
Release Dates: November 2003-September 2004
Metacritic Score: N/A
ESRB/PEGI Rating: NR
Game Info: Eidos teamed up with Iomo Games to create a trilogy of java-based Tomb Raider games for the mobile phone platform. The three games, The Osiris Codex, The Quest for Cinnabar and The Elixir of Life, have unrelated storylines (and I'm being generous even calling them "stories") so gamers can enjoy them in any order. The action is somewhat limited by what you can do using a phone keypad, but the games still have a nice Tomb Raider feel, similar to the Game Boy Color games. There are plenty of artifacts to find, traps to bypass, enemies bent on stopping Lara, and of course numerous puzzles involving switches, movable blocks, and the like.
When the mobile games first came out, Eidos created a tie-in web site, where players could enter codes unlocked in-game to access level maps and item information online. These sites are no longer available, but you can find the item details, along with my own more detailed level maps, in the walkthroughs linked below.
Custom Search
