Tomb Raider
From Sega Retro
Tomb Raider | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Saturn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Eidos (US/EU), Victor Soft (JP) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Core Design (US/EU), Victor Soft (JP) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (56 tracks) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Action | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
Contents
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.
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.
Versions
Western Saturn version
Despite being the target platform for the game, the Western Saturn version of Tomb Raider is widely considered to be the weakest of the three ports, primarily due to not being optimized for 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 Western Saturn version's graphics are simpler (particularly when it comes to lighting - it 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.
Japanese Saturn version
The Japanese Saturn version was greatly improved, with more detailed environments, texture quality, longer draw distance, better water effects, and higher frame rate. The graphics were more detailed than the earlier PlayStation and PC versions.
Magazine articles
- Main article: Tomb Raider/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
also published in:Expand
also published in:Expand
also published in:Expand
Physical scans
ExpandSega Retro Average |
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90 | |
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Based on 33 reviews |
Saturn, JP (Satakore) |
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References
- ↑ File:CVG UK 180.pdf, page 49
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:CVG UK 181.pdf, page 74 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:CVG UK 181.pdf_p74" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Ultra Game Players, "January 1997" (US; 1996-12-31), page 54
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1997" (US; 1997-0x-xx), page 78
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "July 1997" (US; 1997-0x-xx), page 89
- ↑ Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 File:MeanMachinesSega50UK.pdf, page 28 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega50UK.pdf_p28" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:SSM_UK_13.pdf, page 70
- ↑ File:SSM_JP_19970131_1997-02.pdf, page 224
- ↑ Jump up to: 9.0 9.1 Saturn no Game wa Sekai Ichi~i~i~i!: Satamaga Dokusha Race Zen Kiroku, SoftBank Publishing, page 11 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf_p11" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Ação Games, "Março 1997" (BR; 1997-xx-xx), page 26
- ↑ CD Consoles, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 84
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Game Informer, "November 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 12
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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
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