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Which Tomb Raider Versions Should You Play? Remasters, Classics and Anniversary Explained

By Freedom251 Team · · 8 min read

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For most players starting the original six Core Design adventures today, the remasters are the most straightforward choice: Tomb Raider I-III Remastered covers the first three games and their additional campaigns, while Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered collects the next three. Both let you choose between classic-style and updated graphics; the collections also offer control options. Choose original-style Evercade cartridges if physical 32-bit console versions are the priority, and choose Tomb Raider: Anniversary only if you want a reimagining of the first adventure rather than its original game design.

At a glance

Name Best for Key distinction Checked
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Playing the first three Core-era adventures today Includes Unfinished Business, Golden Mask and The Lost Artifact; selectable graphics and control schemes Nov 2026
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered Continuing through The Last Revelation, Chronicles and The Angel of Darkness Selectable presentation and controls; some material was restored in Angel of Darkness Nov 2026
Tomb Raider I-VI Remastered digital bundle Getting all six games in one digital purchase Includes both collections’ six games and the I-III additional campaigns; compare the live offer with separate purchases Nov 2026
Evercade Tomb Raider Collection 1 Original-style physical console versions of the first three games Licensed 32-bit console games on cartridge, with display tweaks; requires compatible Evercade hardware Nov 2026
Evercade Tomb Raider Collection 2 Original-style physical versions of IV and V Includes a version of The Times bonus level; does not include VI Nov 2026
Tomb Raider: Anniversary A different interpretation of Lara’s first adventure A 2007 reimagining built with an enhanced Legend engine, not Tomb Raider I Remastered Nov 2026

No price or platform column is shown because current prices and a complete platform comparison are not established here. Storefront offers and physical stock can change; check the relevant listing before buying.

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Should I play the Tomb Raider originals or the remasters?

If you want to play the first six classic adventures with a current presentation and control choices, start with the remasters. If you specifically want the original-style physical console experience, the Evercade cartridges are a separate route—but they are not untouched original discs and do not cover all six games.

The remasters are collections of the classic games, not wholesale redesigns. Aspyr and the publisher describe selectable original polygonal and updated graphics, so you can switch the look rather than commit to one presentation. The I-III collection also offers modern controls adapted from the Legend, Anniversary and Underworld control schemes, with most inputs remappable. The IV-VI collection offers both tank-style and modern controls.

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That flexibility matters because the classic games’ movement and camera are part of how their puzzles and platforming work. A modern control scheme may feel more approachable to some players, while someone seeking the original movement rhythm may prefer tank controls. That is a preference, not a universal verdict: changing the controls does not turn the games into a remake, nor does it make every jump or interaction behave like a later action-adventure game.

The collections also make it easier to approach the games as a sequence. I-III Remastered arrived on February 14, 2024; IV-VI Remastered followed on February 14, 2025. The split is useful to understand before buying: the second collection is not an expansion for the first, but a separate collection of the later three Core-era releases.

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What games and expansions are included in each remaster?

I-III Remastered includes the first three numbered games and their associated additional campaigns. IV-VI Remastered contains the remaining three Core-era games, including the distinct and substantially revised remastered version of The Angel of Darkness.

Collection Main games Additional content identified in the publisher’s listings
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Tomb Raider I, Tomb Raider II, Tomb Raider III Unfinished Business, Golden Mask, The Lost Artifact
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered The Last Revelation, Chronicles, The Angel of Darkness Restored content in The Angel of Darkness; no equivalent I-III-style trio of Gold expansions is listed for this collection

For the first three games, the expansions are a meaningful part of the value proposition: a purchase is not limited to the three base campaigns. If choosing a six-game route, the digital I-VI bundle is listed by the publisher with all six games and those I-III additional campaigns. That does not prove the bundle is cheaper than buying both collections separately; compare the actual offers in your store and region at the time you buy.

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Is classic graphics mode the same as the original release?

No. It gives you the classic-style polygonal presentation inside a remaster, but the available evidence does not establish that it reproduces every original PlayStation, DOS or period PC version pixel for pixel or runs the untouched original executable.

The remasters’ main advantage is choice: switch between the original-style look and the updated visuals rather than treating one as the only authentic way to play. But “classic graphics” describes a presentation mode, not a blanket guarantee of identical rendering, behavior or performance across all the original versions and platforms.

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Updates also change what older descriptions of the remasters may say. In its August 20, 2026, Patch 3 notes for I-III Remastered, Aspyr said classic graphics mode now runs at 60 fps and added a brightness slider, along with clearer pickups in HD mode. That 60 fps figure is Aspyr’s published claim, not an independent benchmark; it should not be extended to IV-VI Remastered or to original releases. Aspyr’s October 6, 2026, Patch 4 notes report further bug fixes, including progression-related fixes. The existence of those fixes is a reason to consult current patch notes—not a basis for saying every issue has been eliminated.

What changed in The Angel of Darkness Remastered?

IV-VI Remastered contains The Angel of Darkness with publisher-documented restored material, so it is not simply a choice between the original release and an unchanged copy with new graphics. Those changes include a restored training route in Parisian Back Streets, purchases at Rennes’ Pawnshop and the Herbalist, voice lines, an evolving notebook and previously unused inventory items.

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These restorations are useful context if you are comparing versions or deciding whether the sixth game is worth revisiting. They do not establish that every idea originally planned for the game was restored, and they should not be described as a complete reconstruction of an intended original design. The collection also has selectable classic and modern controls; Aspyr’s first patch adjusted camera behavior with modern controls and refined interactions involving jump switches, ropes and torches.

For a player mainly interested in the first three games, this material is not a reason to buy I-III Remastered: it belongs to the separate IV-VI collection. For someone who wants the full six-game Core-era sequence, it makes the later collection more than a simple packaging add-on.

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Are the Evercade cartridges the same as the original console releases?

No. They are licensed, original-style 32-bit console versions adapted for Evercade hardware, and Blaze Entertainment describes display tweaks for modern screens. They are a physical-console option, not the same thing as an untouched PlayStation disc or Aspyr’s remastered presentation.

Collection 1 brings the first three original-style games together on one cartridge. Collection 2 covers IV and V and includes a version of the The Times bonus level, but it omits VI. That omission is important: buying both cartridges does not give you a complete physical set of the six Core-era games.

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This route makes sense if you already want compatible Evercade hardware and value cartridge-based play in an original-style presentation. It is less direct if your priority is the entire six-game series, the updated visuals, or the remasters’ selectable control approaches. Check hardware compatibility and the specific cartridge listing before purchase; the available product descriptions do not justify broader compatibility claims.

Is Tomb Raider: Anniversary a remake or a remaster?

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a distinct 2007 reimagining of the 1996 adventure, not the first game presented in I-III Remastered graphics. Crystal Dynamics describes it as built with an enhanced Legend engine and with newly paced gameplay.

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That difference should guide the choice. Pick I-III Remastered if you want the classic original game as a collection entry, with the option to change its look and controls. Pick Anniversary if you want another interpretation of Lara’s first adventure and are open to a different design and pacing. Calling both “the Tomb Raider 1 remake” obscures the fact that they are different games and experiences.

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Which version is worth buying for your situation?

Use your priority—not a claim that one edition is objectively best—to decide:

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  • You have not played the original trilogy: Choose I-III Remastered. It packages the first three adventures with their additional campaigns and lets you choose a visual style and control scheme.
  • You want the next three Core-era games: Choose IV-VI Remastered. It contains The Last Revelation, Chronicles and The Angel of Darkness, including documented restorations to the latter.
  • You want all six digitally: Check the publisher-listed I-VI bundle, then compare its current regional store price with the two collections bought separately. A bundle is convenient, but the available information does not establish that it is always the cheapest option.
  • You want cartridges and original-style console presentation: Consider Evercade Collection 1 for I-III or Collection 2 for IV and V, provided you have compatible hardware. Remember that Collection 2 has no VI.
  • You want a reworked version of the first adventure: Consider Anniversary, but do not buy it expecting the original game as it appears in I-III Remastered.
  • You are deciding based on older performance discussions: Check the I-III Remastered update history. Aspyr’s August 2026 notes changed the publisher-reported frame rate in classic graphics mode; that update says nothing by itself about the other collection or original ports.

Physical editions are another possible buying route, but availability is time- and region-dependent. Aspyr confirmed physical Standard and Deluxe editions for I-III Remastered and listed retailers; check the console version, contents, current stock and price before ordering. An old announcement or retailer page is not proof that a particular edition is still available.

What is the practical verdict?

For most people who want to play the classic six-game run now, the two remaster collections are the clearest starting point: buy I-III for the first half and its additional campaigns, then IV-VI for the later games and the revised Angel of Darkness. The digital I-VI bundle is worth checking if you want all six at once, but compare its live price rather than assuming a discount.

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Choose Evercade when the original-style physical-console route is the point, not because it is interchangeable with the remasters or covers every game. Choose Anniversary for a separate reimagining. Most importantly, “originals versus remasters” is not a single all-or-nothing decision: the remasters let you select presentation and controls, while the contents, later-game restorations, physical format and even the identity of Anniversary remain distinct reasons to choose one version over another.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the generative-AI voices still be in Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered?

Aspyr said an August 14, 2025 update included unauthorized generative-AI voiceover content introduced by an external partner. Aspyr subsequently removed it in an update; it should not be described as part of the current game.

How many trophies does Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered have?

Aspyr’s 2024 announcement described the collection as having 150+ trophies, along with boss health bars and photo mode. That was the publisher’s announced figure, not an independently recounted total across every platform.

What comes with the Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Deluxe physical edition?

Aspyr’s Deluxe edition description lists a physical game, SteelBook, an exploration map book of more than 80 pages, a collectible box and the original soundtrack. Check the edition and current regional retailer listing before buying, since availability and contents can vary by offer.

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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. Prices as of November 6, 2026 2:52 am GMT+0530.

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