Tomb Raider

n/a

Tomb Raider

Publisher: Eidos (US/EU), Victor Soft (JP)

Developer: Core Design

Genre: Action

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code

ESRB

Sega

ELSPA

USK

Tectoy

Tomb Raider is a highly successful video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos in 1996. It was the first in a long line of Tomb Raider games. For some reason, Victor Soft, who published the game in Japan, pluralized the title to Tomb Raiders (トゥームレイダース).

Initially developed with the Sega Saturn in mind, the game was quickly ported to the Sony PlayStation and PCs.

Gameplay

At the time of release Tomb Raider was considered a revolutionary title, combining platforming, puzzle solving and action sequences together in a 3D environment, something that, until this point, had not been done before. It was often said to be a 3D alternative to Prince of Persia (until, of course, 3D Prince of Persia games were released). Tomb Raider was also notable for starring a female protagonist, Lara Croft.

Saturn Version

Despite being the target platform for the game, the Saturn version of Tomb Raider is widely considered to be the weakest of the three ports, primarily due to the way the Saturn hardware handles 3D graphics. There are also minor differences to level layouts (specifically some secret areas) because the Saturn version was rushed to launch three months before the PlayStation copy.

The Saturn Tomb Raider runs faster than its PlayStation counterpart in many situations, however the graphics are simpler (particularly when it comes to lighting - the Saturn lacks reflections on the save crystals as well as alpha transparency), and the game is unusually dark in comparison. Pre-rendered videos are also slightly smaller in terms of resolution, although the Saturn's D-Pad is regarded as being more suitable to this game than the PlayStation's.

History

Legacy

With the Saturn's failure to attract the greater market share, development for the sequels were focused on Sony's console, and Lara Croft became an unofficial mascot for the system. The Tomb Raider series would not see a return to Sega platforms until Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation on the Sega Dreamcast.

The original Tomb Raider was re-made in the 2007 release of Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary.

Promotional Material

JP flyer
TombRaider Saturn UK PrintAdvert.jpg

UK print advert
GR print advert

Physical Scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Ação Games (BR)

90

^[1]

CD Consoles (FR)

PAL

100

^[2]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

100

^[3]

Digitiser (UK)

93

^[4]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

78

^[5]

Fun Generation (DE)

PAL

100

^[6]

Gambler (PL)

83

^[7]

GameFan (US)

NTSC-U

90

^[8]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

78

^[9]

Hacker (HR)

94

^[10]

Hobby Consolas (ES)

94

^[11]

Intelligent Gamer (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[12]

Joypad (FR)

92

^[13]

Level (TR)

75

^[14]

MAN!AC (DE)

PAL

89

^[15]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

94

^[16]

Mega Fun (DE)

PAL

90

^[17]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

PAL

94

^[18]

Next Generation (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[19]

Player One (FR)

98

^[20]

Power Up! (UK)

88

^[21]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

76

^[22]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[23]

Saturn+ (UK)

PAL

97

^[24]

Secret Service (PL)

90

^[25]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

93

^[26]

Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)

PAL

92

^[27]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

67

^[28]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

90

^[29]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

97

^[30]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

97

^[31]

Videogame Advisor (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[32]

	90
Based on 32 reviews

Tomb Raider

Saturn, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Saturn, EU
Cover
Disc

Saturn, JP
Cover

Saturn, JP (Satakore)
Cover

Saturn, BR
Cover

↑ Ação Games, "Março 1997" (BR; 1997-xx-xx), page 26
↑ CD Consoles, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 84
↑ Computer & Video Games, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-11-xx), page 74
↑ Digitiser (UK) (1996-11-06)
↑ Famitsu, "1997-01-31" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 1
↑ Fun Generation, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-13), page 82
↑ Gambler, "1/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ GameFan, "Volume 4, Issue 12: December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 20
↑ GamePro, "January 1997" (US; 1997-xx-xx), page 112
↑ Hacker, "12/1996" (HR; 1996-xx-xx), page 57
↑ Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1996" (ES; 1996-xx-xx), page 68
↑ Intelligent Gamer, "December 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 85
↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 82
↑ Level, "5/97" (TR; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ MAN!AC, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-13), page 72
↑ Mega Force, "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 78
↑ Mega Fun, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-20), page 44
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-11-01), page 28
↑ Next Generation, "January 1997" (US; 1996-12-17), page 182
↑ Player One, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 85
↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, November 16, 1996" (UK; 1996-11-16), page 1
↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 2" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 187
↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 5" (JP; 1997-02-28), page 98
↑ Saturn+, "Issue 5" (UK; 1996-12-19), page 7
↑ Secret Service, "Styczeń 1997" (PL; 1997-01-01), page 62
↑ Sega Power, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 40
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "November 1996" (UK; 1996-10-17), page 70
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-02 (1997-01-31)" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 224
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 11
↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Two" (UK; 1996-09-30), page 32
↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 60
↑ Videogame Advisor, "Volume 2, Number 10: October 1996" (US; 1996-0x-xx), page 41

[:File:AcaoGames_BR_113.pdf_p26-1] Ação Games, "Março 1997" (BR; 1997-xx-xx), page 26

[:File:CDConsoles_FR_22.pdf_p84-2] CD Consoles, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 84

[:File:CVG_UK_181.pdf_p74-3] Computer & Video Games, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-11-xx), page 74

[digitiser1996-11-06-4] Digitiser (UK) (1996-11-06)

[5] Famitsu, "1997-01-31" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 1

[:File:FunGeneration_DE_1996-12.pdf_p82-6] Fun Generation, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-13), page 82

[7] Gambler, "1/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:GameFan_US_0412.pdf_p20-8] GameFan, "Volume 4, Issue 12: December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 20

[:File:GamePro_US_100.pdf_p112-9] GamePro, "January 1997" (US; 1997-xx-xx), page 112

[10] Hacker, "12/1996" (HR; 1996-xx-xx), page 57

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_062.pdf_p68-11] Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1996" (ES; 1996-xx-xx), page 68

[:File:IntelligentGamer_US_07.pdf_p85-12] Intelligent Gamer, "December 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 85

[:File:Joypad_FR_058.pdf_p82-13] Joypad, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 82

[14] Level, "5/97" (TR; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1996-12.pdf_p72-15] MAN!AC, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-13), page 72

[:File:MegaForce_FR_54.pdf_p78-16] Mega Force, "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 78

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1996-12.pdf_p44-17] Mega Fun, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-20), page 44

[:File:MeanMachinesSega50UK.pdf_p28-18] Mean Machines Sega, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-11-01), page 28

[:File:NextGeneration_US_25.pdf_p182-19] Next Generation, "January 1997" (US; 1996-12-17), page 182

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_069.pdf_p85-20] Player One, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 85

[21] Power Up!, "Saturday, November 16, 1996" (UK; 1996-11-16), page 1

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1997-02_19970131.pdf_p187-22] Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 2" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 187

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1997-05_19970314.pdf_p98-23] Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 5" (JP; 1997-02-28), page 98

[:File:SaturnPlus_UK_05.pdf_p7-24] Saturn+, "Issue 5" (UK; 1996-12-19), page 7

[:File:SecretService_42_PL.pdf_p62-25] Secret Service, "Styczeń 1997" (PL; 1997-01-01), page 62

[:File:SegaPower_UK_86.pdf_p40-26] Sega Power, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 40

[:File:SSM_UK_13.pdf_p70-27] Sega Saturn Magazine, "November 1996" (UK; 1996-10-17), page 70

[:File:SSM_JP_19970131_1997-02.pdf_p224-28] Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-02 (1997-01-31)" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 224

[:File:SnGwSISDRZK_Book_JP.pdf_p11-29] Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 11

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_02.pdf_p32-30] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Two" (UK; 1996-09-30), page 32

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_04.pdf_p60-31] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 60

[:File:VideogameAdvisor_US_0210.pdf_p41-32] Videogame Advisor, "Volume 2, Number 10: October 1996" (US; 1996-0x-xx), page 41

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Tomb Raider

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Saturn Version

History

Legacy

Promotional Material

Physical Scans