Tomb Raider

n/a

Tomb Raider

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

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1997-01-24	¥5,8005,800	T-6010G
JP (Satakore)	1998-02-11	¥2,8002,800	T-9113G
US	1996-11-18		T-7910H
EU	1996-10-24^[1]		MK81086-50
BR	199x		193516

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.

Victor Soft developed an enhanced Japanese version of the game. They published the game in Japan, pluralizing 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.

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, released in 1997, was enhanced by Victor Soft, with more detailed environments, higher texture quality, longer draw distance, and improved water effects. This version also has a higher resolution and frame rate than the Western Saturn and PlayStation versions, and the environments were more detailed than the Western Saturn, PlayStation and PC versions. This version was optimized to take advantage of the way the Saturn handles 3D graphics.

Magazine articles

Main article: Tomb Raider/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

JP flyer
FR print advert
GR print advert

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #87: "October 1996" (1996-xx-xx)

Print advert in EGM² (US) #29: "November 1996" (1996-xx-xx)

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #89: "December 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
also published in:

Ultra Game Players (US) #93: "January 1997" (1996-12-31)^[3]

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #91: "February 1997" (199x-xx-xx)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #92: "March 1997" (1997-0x-xx)^[4]

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #95: "June 1997" (1997-0x-xx)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #96: "July 1997" (1997-0x-xx)^[5]

Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1997-03: "1997-03 (1997-02-14)" (1997-01-31)

Print advert in Saturn Power (UK) #1: "June 1997" (1997-xx-xx)

Print advert in Ultra Player (FR) #39: "Janvier/Février 1997" (199x-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Magazin (DE) #40: "März 1997" (1997-02-12)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Ação Games (BR)

90

^[10]

CD Consoles (FR)

PAL

100

^[11]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

100

^[2]

Digitiser (UK)

93

^[12]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

78

^[13]

Fun Generation (DE)

PAL

100

^[14]

Gambler (PL)

83

^[15]

GameFan (US)

NTSC-U

90

^[16]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

78

^[17]

Game Informer (US)

NTSC-U

86

^[18]

Hacker (HR)

94

^[19]

Hobby Consolas (ES)

94

^[20]

Intelligent Gamer (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[21]

Joypad (FR)

92

^[22]

Level (TR)

75

^[23]

MAN!AC (DE)

PAL

89

^[24]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

94

^[25]

Mega Fun (DE)

PAL

90

^[26]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

PAL

94

^[6]

Next Generation (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[27]

Player One (FR)

98

^[28]

Power Up! (UK)

88

^[29]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

76

^[30]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[31]

Saturn+ (UK)

PAL

97

^[32]

Secret Service (PL)

90

^[33]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

93

^[34]

Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)

PAL

92

^[35]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

67

^[36]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

90

^[9]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

97

^[37]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

97

^[38]

Videogame Advisor (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[39]

	90
Based on 33 reviews

Tomb Raider

Saturn, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Saturn, EU
Cover
Disc

Saturn, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Saturn, JP (Satakore)
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Saturn, BR
Cover
Manual

References

↑ File:CVG UK 180.pdf, page 49
↑ ^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
↑ ^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
↑ ^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

[:File:CVG_UK_180.pdf_p49-1] File:CVG UK 180.pdf, page 49

[:File:CVG_UK_181.pdf_p74-2] 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

[:File:UltraGamePlayers_US_093.pdf_p54-3] Ultra Game Players, "January 1997" (US; 1996-12-31), page 54

[:File:EGM_US_092.pdf_p78-4] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1997" (US; 1997-0x-xx), page 78

[:File:EGM_US_096.pdf_p89-5] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "July 1997" (US; 1997-0x-xx), page 89

[:File:MeanMachinesSega50UK.pdf_p28-6] 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_p70-7] File:SSM_UK_13.pdf, page 70

[:File:SSM_JP_19970131_1997-02.pdf_p224-8] File:SSM_JP_19970131_1997-02.pdf, page 224

[:File:SnGwSISDRZK_Book_JP.pdf_p11-9] 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

[:File:AcaoGames_BR_113.pdf_p26-10] Ação Games, "Março 1997" (BR; 1997-xx-xx), page 26

[:File:CDConsoles_FR_22.pdf_p84-11] CD Consoles, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 84

[digitiser1996-11-06-12] Digitiser (UK) (1996-11-06)

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

[:File:FunGeneration_DE_1996-12.pdf_p82-14] Fun Generation, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-13), page 82

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

[:File:GameFan_US_0412.pdf_p20-16] GameFan, "Volume 4, Issue 12: December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 20

[:File:GamePro_US_100.pdf_p112-17] GamePro, "January 1997" (US; 1997-xx-xx), page 112

[:File:GameInformer_US_043.pdf_p12-18] Game Informer, "November 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 12

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

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_062.pdf_p68-20] Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1996" (ES; 1996-xx-xx), page 68

[:File:IntelligentGamer_US_07.pdf_p85-21] Intelligent Gamer, "December 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 85

[:File:Joypad_FR_058.pdf_p82-22] Joypad, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 82

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

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1996-12.pdf_p72-24] MAN!AC, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-13), page 72

[:File:MegaForce_FR_54.pdf_p78-25] Mega Force, "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 78

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1996-12.pdf_p44-26] Mega Fun, "12/96" (DE; 1996-11-20), page 44

[:File:NextGeneration_US_25.pdf_p182-27] Next Generation, "January 1997" (US; 1996-12-17), page 182

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_069.pdf_p85-28] Player One, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 85

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

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1997-02_19970131.pdf_p187-30] Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 2" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 187

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1997-05_19970314.pdf_p98-31] Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 5" (JP; 1997-02-28), page 98

[:File:SaturnPlus_UK_05.pdf_p7-32] Saturn+, "Issue 5" (UK; 1996-12-19), page 7

[:File:SecretService_42_PL.pdf_p62-33] Secret Service, "Styczeń 1997" (PL; 1997-01-01), page 62

[:File:SegaPower_UK_86.pdf_p40-34] Sega Power, "December 1996" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 40

[:File:SSM_UK_13.pdf_p70-35] Sega Saturn Magazine, "November 1996" (UK; 1996-10-17), page 70

[:File:SSM_JP_19970131_1997-02.pdf_p224-36] Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-02 (1997-01-31)" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 224

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_02.pdf_p32-37] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Two" (UK; 1996-09-30), page 32

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_04.pdf_p60-38] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 60

[:File:VideogameAdvisor_US_0210.pdf_p41-39] 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

History

Legacy

Versions

Western Saturn version

Japanese Saturn version

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

References