We must go back to 1996 to find the release of the first Tomb Raider video game franchise. The game was available on PC, PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles and was the first title to feature Lara Croft. The action-adventure video game was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive, with players assuming the role of Croft, an archaeologist-adventurer.
In the original Tomb Raider game, Lara Croft is hired by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla to find an ancient artefact called the Scion of Atlantis. The game boasted innovative 3D graphics and the gameplay and controls made Tomb Raider a pleasure to play, leading to several awards for the developers. Tomb Raider remains one of the best-selling video games of all time on the PlayStation and has since be rereleased for iOS and Android, the latter of which being the most recent addition of the original game.
Featuring a grid-based level design, puzzle solving, and battling enemies, Lara Croft quickly became a cultural icon. Tomb Raider was one of the first mainstream video games to have a woman as the only playable character. The creation of Lara Croft was based on several other characters, including Indiana Jones and Tank Girl. Not only is Croft a highly intelligent archaeologist but she is athletic and has a thirst for adventure and the success of Tomb Raider led to several more games in the Tomb Raider series.
Tomb Raider II was launched just a year after the original game, with Tomb Raider III, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, Tomb Raider: Legend, and Tomb Raider: Underworld all to follow. A look through the cover art of the games shows how Lara Croft has changed over the years and an improvement in video game design allowed the creators to bring her to life in new ways. For those who want to play the latest games starring Lara Croft, Shadow of the Tomb Raider was the most recent addition to the Tomb Raider catalogue and can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
Thanks to her popularity in the video games, Lara Croft has developed an enthusiastic fan base and become an idol for many people around the world. The character has six Guinness World Records to her name, including one that recognises her as the “most successful human video game heroine.” The reason for claiming the record was for “transcending the boundaries of video games and becoming a recognisable figure in mainstream society.” Lara Croft beat off competition from Street Fighter’s Chun Li, Donkey Kong’s Pauline, Dragon’s Lair’s Daphne, and Resident Evil stars Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield to win the record. The record was presented in 2006 but there is no doubt Lara Croft remains the queen of the action-adventure game.
Following the success of the video game, a movie was released, and Angelina Jolie took on the role of Lara Croft. The original movie was released as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001 and Jolie put in many hours of training for the role, understanding how important it was to get it right due to the lofty expectations of fans. The film received mostly negative reviews from the critics, but Jolie was praised for her role as Lara Croft and a sequel was soon announced, with Jolie as the lead in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life. Despite not being as big a success at the box office as the first film, critics noted improvements from the first instalment and Jolie once again received positive reviews for her portrayal of the character.
Fast forward to 2018 and fans still had a thirst to see Lara Croft in action on the big screen. Jolie had no intention of reprising her role in the movie and the baton was passed to Alicia Vikander. The film, called Tomb Raider, was directed by Roar Uthaug, and based on the 2013 video game. The movie received great praise for the action sequences, grittiness, and realism, with the film grossing a worldwide total of $274.7 million at the box office.
Tomb Raider 2 was quickly announced and was pencilled in for a March 2024 release date, but world events saw a delay in production. However, the fact another Tomb Raider movie starring Lara Croft is in production shows the character has lost none of her appeal and continues to sit at the top of the pile.
In addition to video games and movies, Lara Croft has featured as an action figure and has made appearances at many events. In fact, Lara Croft holds the Guinness World Record for the “most official real-life stand-ins” and this shows just how many women want to be like the character.
Lara Croft continues to appear in various forms of life, including iGaming. Microgaming are one of the biggest online casino game developers in the world and they have recently produced the Lara Croft: Temples and Tombs slot. This is the second Lara Croft themed slot following the success of Lara Croft: Tombraider. The the Lara Croft: Temples and Tombs slot was released in 2019 and this underlines the continued popularity of the character. Creating a top online slot game is demanding and a company such as Microgaming would not put in the resources and effort if it did not feel there was a market for another Lara Croft slot game. If you want to find out more about the slot or have an interest in online casinos in general, head over to playorbet.com. You will find comprehensive casino reviews and the latest bonus information.
So, with the upcoming movie release, the positive reviews of the latest video game, several Guinness World Records, and ventures into the iGaming sector, it is safe to conclude Lara Croft is still the queen of the action-adventure game. There has even been talk of a new Tomb Raider video game and with the series having celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024, a new game would be the perfect gift to fans.
