Lara Croft’s adventures have taken on a few different forms over the decades, but her move to the Embracer umbrella a few years ago has seen the series do some retrospecting while we wait for whatever the next new iteration brings. Notably, the first six games in the Tomb Raider franchise got spiffy remasters spread across two collections, allowing people to revisit the games that made Lara a star to begin with. The Switch version of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered already ran quite well on the hardware, but there’s now a Switch 2 version of the game to dig into. The best news is that it’s a free upgrade if you already own that original Switch release.
So, what’s new in this upgraded release? According to the sheet in front of me, we’ve got a docked mode running at 1440p and 60 frames per second and a handheld mode running at 1080p and 120 frames per second. I’m not really the sort that can distinguish the finer details, but given this collection ran at 1080p/60 frames per second docked and 720p/60 frames per second on the original Switch, I’m inclined to believe what I’ve been told here. Basically, docked players can look forward to a higher resolution, and handheld players get a boost to both resolution and framerate. No real reason not to go for this Switch 2 version over the Switch one if you need to choose. Which again, you don’t. Buy one, you get the other.
With this new release is a fairly substantial update to all versions, however. It adds a new Challenge Mode to the game that allows you to set modifiers and try to beat the various stages of each game as quickly and efficiently as you can. In doing so, you’ll earn points and unlock new costumes for Lara. Those costumes modify her abilities and parameters, which in turn might allow you to get even better runs going. The new costumes look pretty poor and don’t really fit in with the games’ aesthetics, but I suppose we can’t complain too much when they’re free. I actually think the Challenge Mode is a cool addition that experienced Tomb Raider players will likely get a kick out of.
Unfortunately, said Challenge Mode is a little buggy at the moment. Most of that manifests in the form of audio glitches, but I ran into more severe problems on rare occasions. I have some faith in Aspyr addressing anything significant as usual, but it’s a bit of a bummer to see the usual pattern manifest once more. From the look and designs of the new costumes and the presence of these bugs, the Challenge Mode update comes off like it wasn’t quite ready for primetime. Still playable enough, but don’t be surprised if you run into a few quirks here and there.
The core experience itself remains more or less as it ever was, albeit with the post-launch patches already applied and overall better performance. The first three Tomb Raider games represent Lara Croft at just about her peak relevance as an industry icon, but they are very much of their time, regardless of the work done on these remasters. The first game was a pioneer in 3D platforming, and its sequels on the same platform follow its rules closely. There’s a very deliberate style to the way things work in these games, and if you’re not used to how they play, you’ll probably be quite put off at first. You might even find yourself making the mistake of choosing the modern control method the remasters offer. Don’t do it, you’ll only make it harder on yourself in the long run.
That leaves you with coming to grips with the grid-based movement that the original series built itself around. Lara moves and jumps in set distances, and the world is built around them. Making progress in these games comes down to analyzing each environment and determining how you can make your way through it using those carefully measured moves. There are lots of traps, puzzles, and action bits that will require either quick reflexes or memorization to survive, so save often. Make lots of different saves, too. It’s easy to paint yourself into a corner, and the size of these stages makes it very unpleasant if you have to restart from scratch due to a misstep.
The three included games give you slightly different twists on the same basic set-up, and it’s interesting to consider how their designs reflect the fame of the franchise and the response to each game. Lara was a nobody when the first game arrived, and it’s probably the most similar to games like Prince of Persia in its setup. It’s mostly about raiding tombs, and the first half of the game leans hard into puzzles and platforming. The action does eventually pick up, though. With Tomb Raider II, Lara was now a pretty big deal. As such, the game pushes more into action movie territory, with lots of blockbuster set pieces and a heavier focus on combat. The third game saw the team try to find more of a balance while also pushing for bigger and more natural environments despite the limits of the hardware.
These games aren’t for everyone. Really, in spite of Lara’s rock star status, they never were for everyone. They’re demanding games that can be awkward to wrap your head around. Platforming relies heavily on positioning and split-second timing, and you’re often asked to deal with fairly lengthy sections between safe spots. The puzzles are sometimes proper head-scratchers. Combat can be a real bear (sometimes literally), and all three games require you to get quite skilled at it to deal with their endgame challenges.
With that all being said, those who do get into them will have a blast. All three are very meaty affairs, and the level designs are, on the whole, incredible. They’re clearly constructions of the PlayStation 1 era, but there’s a certain beauty and awe to them that cannot be denied. The process of unraveling what you need to do in each of them and then properly seeing the plan through is an incredible high. There are even cool secrets tucked away, some with tangible rewards and others simply there to fill out the atmosphere. I won’t say they don’t make them like this anymore, but it’s rare enough to relish the occasional return visit to these classics.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is even better on Switch 2 than it was on the original Switch. Docked players get a crisper image, while handheld players get across-the-board better performance. The new Challenge Mode update has some good ideas with choppy execution, and the fresh bugs it brings with it put a slight damper on this party. Nevertheless, this is a free upgrade for existing owners and easily the preferred version of the two if you’re playing on Switch 2. The games themselves can be love-or-hate affairs, but there’s an awful lot here to appreciate if you’re on the more positive side of that line.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch 2
Review Copy Provided by Aspyr
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