Start with Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition if this is your first Survivor-trilogy playthrough. It is the opening chapter of Lara Croft’s rebooted story. Follow it with Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, which continues Lara’s development and bundles a larger set of story expansions, challenge modes and cosmetic extras.
The title “Tomb Raider: The 20th Anniversary Edition” is not the verified name of a separate game in the official material. The Nintendo release is called Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition; 20 Year Celebration is the named edition of Rise of the Tomb Raider. That distinction matters when you search a store, because the two editions are different games rather than alternate versions of one release.
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The short answer
| If you want… | Choose… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lara’s story from the beginning | Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition | It starts the Survivor trilogy and establishes the events that shape Lara’s later expeditions. |
| The sequel with the most bundled side content | Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration | It includes the base game, previously released downloadable content, Blood Ties, Lara’s Nightmare, Endurance modes, extra outfits and weapons. |
| A Nintendo version | Check the exact listing for your console | The cited listings identify Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on Nintendo systems and a Rise listing for Nintendo Switch 2. Availability and edition contents are platform-specific. |
| A PlayStation 4 version | Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration | The PlayStation edition includes the celebration bundle, Blood Ties PSVR support and PS4 Pro display/performance options. |
This recommendation is based on the official release order and the publishers’ descriptions of included content. The available material does not establish a controlled winner for combat, pacing, graphics, controls or accessibility, so those qualities should not be presented as objective differences between the editions.
Why the edition names are easy to confuse
The franchise has several similarly worded releases. The official franchise announcement describes the Nintendo package as Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and calls it the complete package of the original release. PlayStation’s product page uses Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration for the sequel’s collection.
#1 Best Overall
- Live the critically acclaimed, cinematic action adventure, re built specifically for next gen consoles
- Survive high octane combat, customize Lara's weapons and gear, and overcome grueling environments to uncover the island's deadly secret
- See Lara Croft like never before, with every bead of sweat, strand of hair, and article of clothing delivered in obsessive detail
- Endure a stunningly re imagined island, fraught with new, unforgiving storms, and alive with motion
- Own the complete Tomb Raider experience with all of the DLC, including the Tomb of the Lost Adventurer, six outfits for Lara, a digital mini art book, and the digital comic " The Beginning
In other words, “20th Anniversary Edition” is useful as a community search phrase, but it should not be treated as the confirmed title of the first game. When buying, match both the game name and the platform: Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is the 2013 reboot in its collected Nintendo edition, while Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is the follow-up adventure.
Story position: which game comes first?
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is the trilogy’s starting point
The official franchise page identifies Tomb Raider as the game that began the Survivor trilogy. Lara is not yet the experienced archaeologist seen in later stories; the first game presents the ordeal that turns her into a survivor. Playing it first gives context to her relationships, motivations and attitude toward future expeditions.
Rise of the Tomb Raider follows Lara’s transformation
The official description positions Rise after the events that made Lara a survivor. Its central expedition is therefore a continuation, not a parallel retelling. Starting with Rise will not make the plot impossible to follow, but it removes the intended progression from inexperienced explorer to determined tomb raider.
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- Play Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.
- Play Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration.
- Move to the trilogy’s later entry only after completing Rise, if you want the full chronological character arc.
If you have already finished the first game, there is no story reason to delay Rise; choose the celebration edition when you want the sequel and its collected expansions in one purchase.
What is included in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition?
The official Tomb Raider announcement describes the Nintendo Definitive Edition as “the complete package, optimized for Nintendo platforms and packed with all the content from the original release.” Its contents are broader than the base campaign alone.
Campaign and downloadable content
The package includes the original game and all previously released downloadable content. That means a new player does not need to identify and purchase the original add-ons separately for the edition covered by the announcement.
Rank #2
- Full game with 7 bonus missions
- 5 co-op challenge tombs
- Digital copy of original soundtrack
- All previously released outfits and skills
- New “Croft Fitness” outfit for the Tomb Raider in training
Outfits and multiplayer material
- Six bonus Lara outfits.
- Eight online multiplayer maps.
- Four multiplayer characters.
These multiplayer inclusions are part of the announced package. Whether online services, matchmaking or platform accounts are currently available is a separate, time-sensitive question; the announcement does not guarantee present-day service operation.
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Digital extras
- A digital version of the Tomb Raider: The Beginning comic.
- A digital copy of The Art of Survival mini-art book.
- The Final Hours of Tomb Raider developer video series.
Historical launch pricing
The official announcement gave the edition a regular launch price of $19.99 and described a launch discount that ended November 24. Those were historical launch terms, not a current price. Store prices, taxes, discounts and subscription access can change by country and date, so verify the live listing before purchasing.
What is included in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration?
Rise is the sequel, but the celebration edition is also a content collection. PlayStation describes it as including the base game, previously released downloadable content and several additions created for the 20-year celebration.
Major story and mode additions
- Blood Ties: a story-focused exploration of Lara’s childhood home and a Croft family mystery.
- Lara’s Nightmare: a mode built around confronting threats in the Croft estate.
- Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch: a Siberia-set story expansion.
- Cold Darkness Awakened: a scenario involving a breached weapons research base.
- Endurance: a wilderness-survival mode.
- Co-op Endurance: a cooperative version of the survival challenge.
Feral Interactive’s FAQ gives the story and mode descriptions above. They are useful for understanding what the package adds, but they do not turn the expansions into a second full-length campaign.
Difficulty, outfits and weapons
- Extreme Survivor difficulty.
- A celebration outfit and gun.
- Five classic Lara skins in the PlayStation description.
- Additional downloadable outfits and weapons on the Nintendo Switch 2 listing.
The Nintendo UK Switch 2 listing itemizes eight downloadable outfits, seven downloadable weapons and a Tomb Raider III-inspired Reimagined Antarctica outfit. Because that list is platform-specific, do not assume every number applies identically to the PlayStation release.
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The PlayStation 4 product page lists PSVR support for the Blood Ties experience and PS4 Pro display/performance modes. These are features of that PlayStation edition and should not be used to describe Nintendo hardware.
Rank #3
- Live the critically acclaimed, cinematic action-adventure, re-built specifically for next gen consoles
- Survive high-octane combat, customize Lara's weapons and gear, and overcome grueling environments to uncover the island's deadly secret
- See Lara Croft like never before, with every bead of sweat, strand of hair, and article of clothing delivered in obsessive detail
- Endure a stunningly re-imagined island, fraught with new, unforgiving storms, and alive with motion
- Own the complete Tomb Raider experience with all of the DLC, including the Tomb of the Lost Adventurer, six outfits for Lara, a digital mini art book, and the digital comic "The Beginning
Nintendo Switch 2 listing
Nintendo UK lists a Switch 2 version with a June 9, 2026 release date. Its itemized content includes Baba Yaga, Cold Darkness Awakened, Blood Ties, Lara’s Nightmare, Endurance and co-op Endurance, eight downloadable outfits, seven downloadable weapons, 35 expansion cards, Extreme Survivor difficulty, five classic Lara skins and the Reimagined Antarctica outfit.
“Expansion cards” are listed as part of that Switch 2 package; the listing does not establish that they are equivalent to a fixed number of missions. Treat them as a platform-specific content feature rather than adding them to the count of story episodes.
How the side content works
Blood Ties
Blood Ties shifts attention from wilderness traversal to Lara’s family history. It explores the Croft home and a family mystery, making it the most directly narrative addition for players interested in Lara’s background.
Lara’s Nightmare
Lara’s Nightmare uses the Croft estate as the setting for a threat-focused challenge. It is best understood as an additional mode rather than a replacement for the main expedition.
Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch
This Siberia-set expansion adds a self-contained supernatural thread to the regions and mythology established by Rise. It is included in the Switch 2 content list and in the previously released downloadable-content bundle described for the celebration edition.
Cold Darkness Awakened
The scenario takes place at a weapons research base after a breach. Its premise changes the kind of danger Lara faces and gives the collection another focused challenge outside the principal campaign.
Rank #4
- Live the critically acclaimed, cinematic action adventure, re built specifically for next gen consoles
- Survive high octane combat, customize Lara's weapons and gear, and overcome grueling environments to uncover the island's deadly secret
- See Lara Croft like never before, with every bead of sweat, strand of hair, and article of clothing delivered in obsessive detail
- Endure a stunningly re imagined island, fraught with new, unforgiving storms, and alive with motion
- Own the complete Tomb Raider experience with all of the DLC, including the Tomb of the Lost Adventurer, six outfits for Lara, a digital mini art book, and the digital comic " The Beginning
Endurance and co-op Endurance
Endurance asks Lara to survive in the wilderness rather than simply move through a linear story. The cooperative version lets two players attempt the survival challenge together where the platform edition supports it.
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Feral’s FAQ explains that Expeditions let players replay chapters, apply challenges and use cards to alter mission difficulty and rewards. This makes the card system a replay framework: the same underlying chapter can be approached with different constraints or incentives. It is useful for players who want to revisit missions after the story rather than only collect cosmetic items.
Platform and availability considerations
| Edition or listing | Platform information established by the cited pages | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition | Nintendo systems, including the Nintendo announcement’s optimized Definitive Edition. | Confirm whether the store page is for the original Switch release, Switch 2 compatibility or another regional SKU. |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration | PlayStation 4; PlayStation page also describes PS4 Pro modes. | PSVR support applies to Blood Ties on the PlayStation edition. |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration | Nintendo Switch 2 listing dated June 9, 2026 in Nintendo UK. | The detailed outfit, weapon, expansion-card and Antarctica-outfit counts come from this listing and may not describe other platforms. |
Availability, subscription catalogs and prices are regional and time-sensitive. A store may show a different bundle, language option or upgrade path from the one described by a publisher page. Before checkout, verify the exact game title, edition label, platform, included downloadable content and whether any online or VR feature requires separate hardware or service access.
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Choose Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition when story context matters most
Pick the first game if you are new to Lara’s rebooted continuity, care about chronological character development or want to understand why the sequel presents Lara as a survivor. Its collected DLC and digital extras make it the appropriate entry point without requiring you to assemble the original release piece by piece.
Choose Rise when you have completed the first game
If you already know the opening chapter, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration gives you the direct sequel plus a substantial set of optional material. Blood Ties supplies family-history exploration, Baba Yaga and Cold Darkness Awakened add separate scenarios, and Endurance plus Expeditions provide replay-oriented modes.
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Hardware can decide the purchase before preference does. A Nintendo owner should check which Definitive Edition or Switch 2 listing is available in the local store. A PS4 or PS4 Pro owner can use the PlayStation celebration edition’s documented features, including Blood Ties PSVR support when the required equipment is available. Do not buy on the assumption that a feature listed for one platform automatically transfers to another.
Best Value
- Combines the base game, All seven DLC challenge tombs and all downloadable content.
- survive and thrive in the deadliest place on Earth: master an unforgiving jungle setting in order to survive. Explore underwater environments filled with crevasses and deep tunnel systems.
- become one with the jungle: outgunned and outnumbered, Lara must use the jungle to her advantage. Strike suddenly and disappear like a Jaguar, use mud as camouflage, and instill fear in enemies to Sow chaos.
- discover dark and brutal tombs: tombs are more terrifying than ever before, requiring advanced traversal techniques to reach them, and once inside they are filled with deadly puzzles.
- uncover living history: discover a hidden city and explore the biggest hub space ever found in a Tomb Raider game
Choose the smaller commitment
The first game is the simpler recommendation when you want one campaign before deciding whether to continue. The celebration edition is the broader package, so it makes more sense when you specifically want optional modes, replay systems and side stories rather than only the central sequel.
What the published evidence does not settle
The official pages establish order, edition contents, platform features and promotional descriptions. They do not provide a controlled, apples-to-apples assessment of combat feel, traversal controls, image quality, loading times, accessibility options, pacing or technical performance across hardware generations.
PlayStation’s 2016 page promotes “over 50 hours of gameplay.” That is a publisher/platform estimate with no stated playstyle, difficulty or completion methodology, so treat it as an approximate promotional figure rather than a guaranteed playtime. The same page refers to more than 85 award nominations; it does not identify the awards or bodies, and nominations should not be rewritten as wins.
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Consequently, the defensible choice is based on sequence, content and platform fit. A claim that one edition is objectively superior in every gameplay or graphical category would go beyond what the cited product information demonstrates.
A practical buying checklist
- Correct the title in your search: use Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for the first game and Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration for the sequel.
- Confirm the platform: match the store page to your Nintendo, PlayStation or other supported system rather than relying on a similarly worded listing.
- Read the included-content panel: look for the DLC, modes, outfits and platform-specific extras you expect.
- Check regional terms: verify currency, taxes, release status, language support, subscription availability and any required online, VR or cooperative service.
- Buy in story order unless you have already played the first game: the sequel assumes Lara’s earlier transformation.
- Keep expectations calibrated: published playtime and award figures are estimates or promotional claims, not guarantees of your own experience.
Verdict
For a first playthrough, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is the right starting point because it is the Survivor trilogy’s opening game and includes the original release’s downloadable content and digital extras. After that, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is the natural next purchase: it advances Lara’s story and packages Blood Ties, Lara’s Nightmare, Baba Yaga, Cold Darkness Awakened, Endurance, co-op Endurance and additional cosmetic and challenge content, with exact features varying by platform.
If you have already played the first game, choose Rise when the sequel’s collected side content is your priority. If you see “Tomb Raider: The 20th Anniversary Edition,” verify the underlying product name before paying; the official naming supported here is Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for the first game and Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration for the second.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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