There are some incredible Tomb Raider games out there. In fact, many regard Lara Croft’s first outing, 1996’s Tomb Raider, as one of the best games of all time, spurning numerous sequels and birthing a whole franchise full of many videogames and trilogies, some of which are available on mobile and Nintendo Switch.
As we already mentioned, Tomb Raider entered our lives in 1996, the same year as the first Resident Evil game and Crash Bandicoot game – it truly was the year of gaming icons. Speaking of which, consult our Mario games, Zelda games, and Sonic games guides if you want to go on adventures with other memorable faces.
Here are the best Tomb Raider games on Switch and mobile:
Lara Croft: Relic Run – mobile
Lara Croft: Relic Run is a longstanding mobile game, with Square Enix having published it for iOS and Android back in 2015. As the name likely gives away, Relic Run capitalizes on the popularity of Temple Run, throwing Lara into an endless runner adventure, and trust us when we say it works really well. You get to run around various environments, getting a score based on how far you run – you also pick up coins when out for a jog, which you can then use to purchase new outfits and gear for Lara.
She’s on a quest to find her missing colleague, so she really does need some good equipment. Of course, there’s a bit more to the game than merely running through ruins and tombs, for you need to avoid obstacles while you’re at it. One wrong move and your run and rewards are gone. You need to make full use of the touch controls to keep Lara out of trouble.
The Lara Croft Collection – Switch
If you want something a bit different from the standard you’ve come to know from Tomb Raider, you might want to check out The Lara Croft Collection. While you still mostly have the quintessential Tomb Raider experience, there are some standout differences that mean these aren’t stereotypical Tomb Raider games.
In this collection, you get access to two of Lara’s adventures – Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris. Both of these games are multiplayer, which is a huge difference from the mainline games, in which it’s just Lara fighting against the world solo, especially as she has a bit of a habit of being stabbed in the back by her friends.
Plus, both games offer a top-down perspective, which also differs from other Tomb Raider games, and developers wouldn’t adopt this method again until 2023’s Tomb Raider Reloaded (more on that later).
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Let’s take a closer look at Guardian of Light, a 2010 title originally created for Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and iOS. As we already mentioned, it’s a multiplayer game, so you can embark on the campaign with a pal. However, if you prefer a bit of solo play, you can do the story on your own with the help of AI. The second controllable character is Totec, an ancient Mayan warrior.
Storywise, the pair must team up to try and stop Xolotl, an evil spirit, from getting his hands on the Mirror of Smoke. In true Tomb Raider fashion, you need to overcome traps, deal with enemies, and solve some puzzles. It’s a fun time that still holds up well to this day.
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
As the name likely gives away, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris takes place in Egypt, but what you might not expect is that the gods play a more important part than you merely being in one of their temples. You see, what first starts as a competitive expedition between you and your rival, Carter Bell, soon turns into a fight for survival as you must team together with the gods Isis and Horus. As for the big bad of this game, it’s Set. You know, the Egyptian god of deserts, storms, disorder, and violence? Yeah, good luck with that.
As the game goes on, you need to fight off enemies, complete puzzles, and explore your environment in search of the pieces of Osiris (the Egyptian god of the dead and the afterlife) in an attempt to stop Set from enslaving all of humanity – no pressure or anything. You’ve got this.
Tomb Raider Reloaded – mobile
The most recent Tomb Raider mobile game, Tomb Raider Reloaded, is a fun experience that was worth the long wait. As a top-down shooter, you get to control Lara through various levels as she searches for various artifacts and treasures. More specifically, Lara is trying to find the lost city of Atlantis, but, as long-time fans will know, this isn’t the first time Lara has tried to find the lost kingdom – it’s actually the third.
The combat is fluid and fun, but, most importantly, it features her iconic dual pistols, which are famously absent from the Survivor Trilogy. Mind you, given Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider are more about how Lara becomes the legendary Tomb Raider, we can forgive the absence of those guns.
However, returning to the game at hand, the controls can be a bit janky, so make sure you read our Tomb Raider Reloaded review to see if this is the game for you.
Lara Croft Go – mobile
Lara Croft Go is a great choice if you’re after a puzzle game that features turn-based mechanics. We have this gem thanks to the success of Hitman Go back in 2014. It’s a bit different from other games out there as you and the environment take it in turns to make a move – yes, the environment. Whenever you take a break from moving, obstacles and enemies can make a single move in an attempt to hinder you.
To navigate the 40 levels, you need to move Lara between nodes, doing your best to avoid the enemies and obstacles, as they can end your run. In true Tomb Raider fashion, there are levers for you to pull, which can open up new paths and cut off your enemies, making it easier for you to win. It’s a unique mobile puzzle game and a fun Tomb Raider game, so go and give it a try – there’s a reason it picked up the Best Mobile/Handheld Game accolade at The Game Awards in 2015, beating tough competition in the form of Fallout Shelter.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered – Switch
What can I say about this trilogy other than that it’s one of the most popular and successful trilogies in videogame history? Thanks to Aspyr, even more players can finally experience the glory courtesy of the Tomb Raider I-III Remastered collection, which we gave a cool eight in our Tomb Raider I-III Remastered review.
While each game features a different cast and story, they all share the same fundamentals in terms of gameplay, relying on exploration of environments, traps, puzzles, and enemies for you to fight as you navigate the levels. Better still, the remastered collection gives you the choice of experiencing the original graphics or playing through with an updated look; the latter does, admittedly, make navigating some levels a bit easier.
Tomb Raider
Let’s take a closer look at the game that started it all. Tomb Raider is the 1996 original, and it’s the first time the world got a look at Lara Croft. Without this game and the series in general, we wouldn’t have fan-favorite games such as Uncharted – without Lara Croft, there would be no Nathan Drake, and he’s one of PlayStation’s pride and joy.
So, for Lara’s first outing, you face off against all kinds of enemies, from humans to wild animals and even a dinosaur – yes, there’s a T-Rex living it large in Peru somewhere. Storywise, businesswoman Jacqueline Natla hires Lara to get an artifact in the mountains of Peru known as the scion.
As you can likely guess, Natla doesn’t exactly have noble intentions with it, so as the story unfolds, you must join Lara in putting a stop to her evil schemes.
Tomb Raider II
I’m just going to say it: one of the best things about Tomb Raider II is locking the butler in the freezer, but the remaster goes one step further, allowing you to actually freeze the butler – he turns blue and everything. Besides that, the artifact in Lara’s sights this time around is the Dagger of Xian, a magical dagger that a former Emperor of China used to command his army. Naturally, this means it’s off to China with you, but nothing is ever that simple, so the Great Wall of China is just one of several stops on this fun adventure.
Tomb Raider III
Admittedly, by the time you reach Tomb Raider III, you might feel some fatigue from the repetitive gameplay, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying another PlayStation classic. Things are slightly different this time, as instead of focusing solely on one artifact, Lara goes on a journey around the world to find the four pieces of a meteorite.
With that, you know all of the best Tomb Raider games on Nintendo Switch and mobile – we can but hope for a new Tomb Raider game soon. If you’re after similar games to Tomb Raider, we suggest you read our list of the best action games. Or, if you want to play something spooky, consider our horror games guide instead, where you can find zombies, aliens, ghosts, and more.