10 Best Classic Tomb Raider Levels: Lara’s Greatest Missions

After almost 30 years since the debut of Tomb Raider and the archeologist Lara Croft, it’s safe to say there are plenty of levels across the mainline and spin-off titles — just take a look the Tomb Raider games in order. Ranking the 10 best classic Tomb Raider levels certainly wasn’t easy.

First created by a small team at Core Design in Derby, Tomb Raider has gone on to sell millions of copies. Currently, the series is in a bit of a resurgence, with its Netflix series recently renewed for a second season and another remaster, consisting of Tomb Raider IV-V–VI, coming February 2025.

Regardless of what series you follow and play, there are always favorites that differ from everyone else. This could consist of certain voice actors, music, levels, bosses, and more. The same applies to the franchise — so with this in mind, we’ve played through the first six mainline games and highlighted the 10 best Tomb Raider levels.

For more, you can read why Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness deserves another chance.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 10 Best Classic Tomb Raider Levels
3. The Bottom Line
4. FAQs
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 10 Best Classic Tomb Raider Levels
3. The Bottom Line
Show Full Guide
4. FAQs
5. References

10 Best Classic Tomb Raider Levels

10. The Serpent Rouge

Although Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness is a flawed game, mainly due to its rushed release, it still deserves another chance. One example is the fifth level, called The Serpent Rouge, where Lara has to infiltrate a nightclub in order to find some crucial items, as well as take down some security guards along the way. The level marks a departure from previous Tomb Raider games, as you don’t expect to be breaking into a nightclub in Lara’s first debut on the Sony PlayStation 2 — but it works for several reasons.

First, the music, composed by Peter Connelly and Martin Iveson, brings the environment to life, starting with the MIDI demo from its early beginnings. Additionally, the shootouts with the security guards are another highlight. Combined with the dancefloor lights and music, the action feels even more exciting as you duck and dive with an M-V9 handgun.

9. Great Pyramid

As you finish the previous level, you’re about to take the Scion, the first game’s MacGuffin, from an Atlantean machination. But before that, the antagonist Natla makes her villainous speech to Lara that it’s already over. A small scuffle breaks out, with Natla seemingly falling to her death. Lara finds herself on a platform, about to face a huge monster.

This marked the beginning of the final level of Tomb Raider, and what follows is a series of traps, lava, spikes, and slopes, culminating in a showdown with Natla herself. The Great Pyramid keeps players on their toes, showcasing how a level can continue to offer surprises while rewarding them at every successful point.

8. Desert Railroad

Although Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation is a fantastic game, its 35 levels can make it feel like a slog at times. But when you reach Desert Railroad a third through the game, it almost feels like a breath of fresh air. You find Lara on a train, avoiding enemies jumping onto the locomotive, as well as some coming out of the carriages.

You have to get from one end of the train to another in order to complete the level, using a crowbar and exploring certain rooms for extra ammo to help finish off ninjas and more. What makes this level so unique comes down to the fact that this hadn’t been done before in a Tomb Raider game.

You had to be even more careful with Lara’s jumps, as you may have her fall to her death beside the train as it goes past. We’d even go so far as to say that the infamous train level in Uncharted 2 could be traced back to Desert Railroad — the similarities are uncanny.

7. Nevada Desert

As soon as Lara slides down a slope, you feel as if you can go anywhere in Nevada. Eventually, you find yourself flicking switches at a dam, using explosives that open up new areas, followed by infiltrating a small base to take a quad bike and finish the level.

Nevada Desert is a masterclass in how a level can surprise you constantly but it never tries to trick you. While there is some slight backtracking, it’s forgiven for the reward of discovering a whole new section of Nevada, complimented with McCree’s music to evoke that sense of wonder, making you feel that you’re in a Bond film once again.

6. Venice

The second level of Tomb Raider II, released in November 1997, is iconic for several reasons. First, the music, composed by Nathan McCree, makes its mark here with ‘Venice’ playing as soon as you get into the speedboat.

You feel like you’re exploring the vast expanse of Venice, including its underwater mazes, with a feeling that these haven’t been seen for decades. It’s a level that can be played again and again — especially as you race against the clock to reach the end of the level, complete with a James Bondian jump through a corridor that feels lifted from Roger Moore’s debut in Live and Let Die.

5. St. Francis Folly

The fifth level of Tomb Raider, St. Francis Folly, takes the player to a new level of challenge through four different trials. These are inspired by Greek Gods, such as Zeus with lightning, Thor with his hammer, Atlas with an underwater puzzle, and Damocles with a room full of falling swords. St. Francis Folly exemplifies how the traps couldn’t have worked in a 2D world — with every puzzle; the required jumps and dodges can only work in a 3D area, ramping up the tension.

Do one wrong in this three-dimensional world and Lara could meet her demise in various ways. There’s also the added threat of encountering Pierre, another antagonist from the first game who is also looking for the game’s MacGuffin, the Scion. Overall, this level marks a turning point for the player, showcasing the game’s potential for more surprises to the player.

4. Tibetan Foothills

Some of the most memorable aspects of Tomb Raider II were Lara’s costume changes and the ability to drive vehicles. In Tibetan Foothills, which occurs around the three-quarter mark of the game, you get both of these, complete with a track by McCree for when you get on the snowmobile, known as the Skidoo.

You’re dodging boulders, spikes, slopes, and even other snowmobiles with guns attached that you can also control. This level had it all, with so much replayability that it’s a joy to play from start to finish. This Tomb Raider level has it all.

3. Old Mill

While Tomb Raider Chronicles is seen as the black sheep of the classic games, that’s not to say there are no memorable levels from the series’ final PlayStation 1 entry. The game is told from the viewpoint of four characters after Lara’s apparent demise in the previous game. The Ireland segment is told by Father Patrick Dunstan, who was once accompanied by a younger Lara to an island years ago.

In the Old Mill level, a demon called Vladimir Kaleta is hunting the Priest. Here, you have no weapons, so the main focus of these levels is solving puzzles and avoiding enemies, which takes the usual trope of a Tomb Raider level on its head. The gothic vibe and the demon make the Old Mill level stand out. Another highlight is the cutscenes, which pull you into the creepy narrative as Kaleta explains his origins with his distorted voice. Old Mill is a classic level that proved there was still life in the original PlayStation during the year 2000.

2. Lost Valley

One of the great aspects of early Tomb Raider games is being taken aback by what a level can bring, and it stays with you as a nostalgic memory for years. The third level of the first Tomb Raider game is a great example of this, where you think you’re only fighting off wolves and raptors in an underground cave with a waterfall.

But it’s not until you delve deeper that you uncover a ‘Lost Valley.’ At first, fighting against the Raptors feels inconsequential. But suddenly, a huge Tyrannosaurus-Rex appears, and Nathan McCree’s iconic ‘T-Rex’ theme plays, instantly ramping up the tension and the excitement. It’s arguably the most iconic moment in the first six games, and it helped to define what Tomb Raider could be capable of as more than a typical Indiana Jones clone.

1. Lara’s Home

Locking the butler in the freezer — need we say more? In Tomb Raider II, the training level, Lara’s Home, was expanded to cover the outside grounds, which included an assault course and a maze, as well as the debut of Lara’s trusted butler, Winston.

Created by Joss Charmet toward the end of the sequel’s development, the team recalled how Winston was envisioned as a harmless AI character who would follow Lara. However, in the years since, locking him in the freezer has become iconic unto itself, inspiring countless videos on the social network TikTok that have racked up hundreds of thousands of views.

The Bottom Line

Some entries in the best Tomb Raider levels list may have surprised you, while others, such as Lost Valley, may have been obvious to you. But tastes can differ, so Techopedia does not take responsibility for omitting your favorite level!

Thanks to the first remastered Tomb Raider trilogy, released earlier this year, some levels that fans used to think as frustrating, such as 40 Fathoms from Tomb Raider II and Aldywich from Tomb Raider III, have almost been given a reprieve thanks to the stunning remastered graphics every level received.

We’re curious whether some levels from Tomb Raider IV-V-VI will also see a similar sense of redemption. Nevertheless, these ten levels will give you a clear idea into what makes a great Tomb Raider level and why these games stand the test of time all these years later.

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