Playing Every Tomb Raider Games in Order Xbox Style: The Best Way to Experience Lara Croft

Honestly, trying to figure out the tomb raider games in order xbox players can actually play today is a total headache. You’ve got reboots. You’ve got "Definitive Editions." You’ve got those weird spin-offs that don't quite fit the vibe but are still technically Tomb Raider.

It’s a mess.

If you just go into the Xbox Store and search "Lara Croft," you’re met with a wall of tiles that doesn’t tell you where the story starts or where it ends. Do you start with the 1996 original that’s been remastered? Or do you jump into the 2013 grit-fest where Lara spends half the time falling off cliffs? Most people just pick the one with the coolest cover art and hope for the best. That’s a mistake. You’re missing out on one of the most evolution-heavy character arcs in gaming history if you don't play them with some semblance of a plan.

Lara Croft isn't just a set of dual pistols and a ponytail anymore. She's been through three distinct "lives" on Xbox hardware. If you want the full experience, you have to look at how these eras overlap.

The Survivor Trilogy: The Modern Starting Point

Most modern players should probably start here. This is the "Survivor" era. It’s the gritty, cinematic, bow-and-arrow version of Lara that feels a lot like Uncharted but with more trauma. Basically, it’s an origin story.

Tomb Raider (2013) is where it kicks off. On Xbox, you’ll find the Definitive Edition. It’s a 1080p remaster of the 360 game that actually holds up surprisingly well in 2026. Lara is young, terrified, and stuck on an island called Yamatai. It’s less about raiding tombs and more about surviving a cult.

Then you have Rise of the Tomb Raider. This was actually a timed Xbox exclusive back in 2015, which felt like a huge win for the green team at the time. It moves the action to Siberia. It’s bigger. The tombs are actual puzzles again, not just one-room side quests. It’s arguably the best game in the entire franchise because it balances the action and the "raiding" perfectly.

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Finally, there’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider. This one takes place in the jungles of Central and South America. Lara is basically a superhero at this point, but she’s also kind of the villain of her own story for a minute. It’s dark. The stealth mechanics are the star here. If you buy the Survivor Trilogy bundle on the Xbox Store, you get all three of these with all the DLC. It's the most logical way to play tomb raider games in order xbox gamers can access without digging through a bargain bin.

The Legend Timeline: The Forgotten Xbox 360 Gems

Before the 2013 reboot, we had the "LAU" era. That stands for Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld. These are the games developed by Crystal Dynamics after they took over from the original creators, Core Design.

• Tomb Raider: Legend (2006): This was the first time Lara felt "modern." It introduced the grapple hook and a much more sassy, James Bond-esque Lara. It’s short, snappy, and works via backwards compatibility on Xbox Series X|S.
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007): This is a remake of the very first 1996 game. It uses the Legend engine. If you want the story of the first game but can't stomach the "tank controls" of the 90s, this is your go-to.
• Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008): This was the first "true" next-gen Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360. It’s a direct sequel to both Legend and Anniversary. Yes, it’s a bit janky. Yes, the camera hates you. But the scale of the levels—especially the Thailand and Arctic Sea stages—is still breathtaking.

The cool thing about Xbox is that all three of these run better on a Series X than they ever did on the 360. Auto HDR and boosted frame rates make Underworld look like a much more recent game than it actually is.

The OG Classics: Tomb Raider I-III Remastered

We have to talk about the "tank" years. For a long time, you couldn't play the original 90s games on Xbox. You just couldn't. Then, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft dropped.

This collection is a miracle for preservation. It includes:

1. Tomb Raider I (The one with the T-Rex)
2. Tomb Raider II (The one in Venice)
3. Tomb Raider III (The one that is impossibly difficult)

These games are built on the original source code. They play exactly like they did on the PS1 or PC in 1996, but with a fresh coat of paint. You can toggle between the old blocky graphics and the new smooth textures with a single button press. It’s wild. But be warned: these games don't hold your hand. There are no waypoints. There are no "survival instinct" buttons to highlight items. You just have to use your brain. Or a guide. Usually a guide.

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The Narrative Order vs. The Release Order

If you’re a purist, you play by release date. But if you want a coherent story? That’s where it gets tricky.

Technically, the tomb raider games in order xbox players should follow for a chronological life story starts with the 2013 reboot. That is Lara's first adventure. Then Rise, then Shadow.

But here’s the kicker: The developers are currently "unifying" the timelines. They’ve stated that the future of Tomb Raider will treat the Survivor trilogy as the prequel to the 90s games. So, if you want the "Ultimate Chronology," the order looks like this:

• The Survivor Era (Tomb Raider 2013, Rise, Shadow)
• The Classic Era (TR I, TR II, TR III via the Remastered Collection)
• The Legend Era (Anniversary, Legend, Underworld)

It’s not perfect. There are some lore contradictions—like how many times her parents died and who killed them—but that’s just the nature of a 30-year-old franchise. Just roll with it.

What About the Isometric Games?

You’ll see two other games on the Xbox Store: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris.

These are not traditional Tomb Raider games. They are top-down, arcade-style shooters with heavy puzzle elements. They are actually fantastic, especially if you have a friend for couch co-op. Guardian of Light is widely considered one of the best spin-offs ever made. They don’t really "fit" into the timeline in a meaningful way, but they are great "palate cleansers" between the heavy, emotional story beats of the main series.

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Technical Performance on Modern Xbox Hardware

One of the biggest reasons to play these on Xbox specifically is the backwards compatibility program.

If you’re on an Xbox Series X, Shadow of the Tomb Raider runs at a silky smooth 60fps in 4K. It looks stunning. Even Tomb Raider: Underworld, a game from 2008, benefits from the hardware's ability to keep a stable frame rate and add HDR.

The Tomb Raider I-III Remastered collection also runs at 120fps if your TV supports it. Playing a game from 1996 at 120fps is a bizarre, fluid experience that feels like seeing the game for the first time again.

Why Order Actually Matters Here

You might think, "It’s just an action game, who cares?"

But Tomb Raider is one of the few series that really tracks the psychological evolution of a protagonist. In the 2013 game, Lara cries when she has to kill a deer for food. By Shadow of the Tomb Raider, she’s literally emerging from mud like Rambo to take down an entire mercenary squad with a knife.

If you jump straight into Shadow, she just seems like a cold-blooded killer. If you start from the beginning of the Survivor trilogy, you see the "why." You see the trauma that shaped her. It makes the "raiding" feel earned.

Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough

If you're ready to dive in, here is the most efficient way to do it without wasting money or getting confused.

1. Check Game Pass First: The Survivor trilogy (especially Rise and Shadow) cycles in and out of the service frequently. Don't buy them full price until you check the library.
2. Buy the Bundles: Square Enix (and now Embracer/CDE) frequently puts the "Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy" on sale for under $20. That is three massive games for the price of a sandwich.
3. Adjust the Controls for the Remasters: If you play the I-III Remastered collection, go into the settings and try the "Modern Controls." The "Tank Controls" are nostalgic but can be a nightmare for modern thumbs.
4. Play Anniversary instead of TR1 (if you're a casual): If the 1996 graphics are too much for you, Tomb Raider: Anniversary tells the exact same story with 360-era graphics and better movement.
5. Don't skip the DLC: Especially in Rise of the Tomb Raider. The "Baba Yaga" and "Blood Ties" expansions add a lot of depth to the Croft family history that explains a lot of her motivations in the later games.

The "Tomb Raider" name has been through a lot of hands—Eidos, Core, Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montréal—but the Xbox platform is currently the best place to see the whole picture. Between the remasters and the backwards compatibility, you have access to almost 30 years of gaming history on one console. Start with the 2013 reboot to get hooked on the story, then work your way back to the classics to see where the legend actually began.