No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, that is indeed Tomb Raider running on a Game Boy Advance. This specialist version is called OpenLara, and is developed by a team of modders called XProger. Through a lot of hard work, and rewriting much of the game’s original code, they have managed to create a version of the game that runs on original Game Boy hardware, with obvious graphical downscaling.
Nevertheless, to see a fully 3D title running at all on a platform like this is incredible, and a testament both to the Game Boy modding community, and the strength of the hardware. While the Game Boy Advance did have its own versions of Tomb Raider, they were naturally not as ambitious as this and were mostly 2D pixel-based games.
Prior to this, the team over at OpenLara previously created a version of the game that runs entirely within a web browser, and with the renewed focus from this latest port, who knows what is next for the talented team. Perhaps the sequels could appear on GBA over time?
To see the game running in all its glory, check out the video below.
And for a detailed breakdown of the project, check out this fantastic video from Modern Vintage Gamer.
With the renewed interest in retro hardware thanks to recent projects like the Analog Pocket, who knows what the modding community will come up with next. If you’re still waiting on your Analog Pocket to arrive though (like me) why not check out our guide to the best Switch games to keep yourself busy.