TOMB RAIDER CELEBRATES 29 YEARS SINCE ITS ORIGINAL UK RELEASE

[ 24 October 2025 ]

Tomb Raider was released in the United Kingdom on Thursday, 24 October 1996. Today marks twenty-nine years since British adventurer Lara Croft made her inaugural appearance on the Sega Saturn. The game's launch was accompanied by an 'out today' advertisement in the Daily Mirror, published on 24 October 1996, which is now preserved in the British Newspaper Archive in partnership with the British Library, and a release date listing in Computer and Video Games magazine.

Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential titles of its era, Tomb Raider follows British archaeologist and adventurer Lara Croft, who is commissioned by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla to recover a mysterious artefact known as the Scion of Atlantis. What begins as a professional assignment soon leads Lara into a perilous quest uncovering ancient secrets and long-forgotten civilisations.

The game was supported by a distinctive score composed by Nathan McCree. His blend of synthesisers and orchestral strings established a musical style that would define the next two Tomb Raider instalments. McCree later remastered the original soundtrack at Abbey Road Studios in London, and The Tomb Raider Suite was subsequently performed live by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The official biography of Lara Croft, written by Core Design, was included with the original Tomb Raider release, providing players with a detailed account of the character's background and motivations:

Lara Croft, daughter of Lord Henshingly Croft, was raised to be an aristocrat from birth. After attending finishing school at the age of 21, Lara's marriage into wealth had seemed assured, but on her way home from a skiing trip her chartered plane had crashed deep in the heart of the Himalayas. The only survivor, Lara learned how to depend on her wits to stay alive in hostile conditions a world away from her sheltered upbringing.

Two weeks later when she walked into the village of Tokakeriby her experience had had a profound effect on her. Unable to stand the claustrophobic suffocating atmosphere of upper-class British society, she released that she was only truly alive when she was travelling alone. Over the eight following years she acquired intimate knowledge of ancient civilisations across the globe.

Her family soon disowned their prodigal daughter and she turned to writing to fund her trips. Famed for discovering several ancient sites of profound archaeological interest she made a name for herself by publishing travel books and detailed journals of her exploits.

Take a trip down memory lane with a plethora of assets showcasing Tomb Raider, bolstered by content released as part of Tomb Raider 25, a celebration of 25 years of Lara Croft and Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider