Tomb Raider (Game Boy Color video game)

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Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider (2000).png
European box art
Developer(s) Core Design
Publisher(s) THQ
Producer(s) Troy Horton
Designer(s) Darren Price
Artist(s) Matthew Charlesworth
Composer(s) Manfred Linzner
Bernhard Wodok
Series Tomb Raider
Platform(s) Game Boy Color
Release
  • NA: 7 June 2000
  • EU: 28 June 2000
  • UK: 30 June 2000
  • AU: 18 July 2000
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Tomb Raider (also known as Tomb Raider: The Nightmare Stone) is a 2000 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by THQ for the Game Boy Color under license from series owner Eidos Interactive. Following series protagonist Lara Croft as she searches ruins in South America for a powerful artefact, the gameplay features platforming and puzzle-solving on a 2D side-scrolling environment.

Contents

Tomb Raider was the debut entry for the series on Nintendo platforms, with it being described by developers and journalists as technically impressive for the platform. It sold well for THQ, and was praised by critics for its technical achievements and emulation of the main series gameplay in portable form. Two sequels were released: Curse of the Sword in 2001 and The Prophecy in 2002.

Gameplay

In Tomb Raider, the player controls Lara Croft though 14 levels spread across five areas. [1] In each level, the player must solve puzzles, jump over obstacles, and defeat enemies. Lara can perform up to 25 different moves, including ledge-grabbing, backflips, and cliff-diving. [2] The story of the game follows Lara's attempts to stop a group of treasure hunters from possessing the Nightmare Stone, a key capable of releasing the evil god Quaxet. [1]

Development and release

Tomb Raider was developed for the Game Boy Color (GBC) by series creators Core Design as the character's first title on Nintendo hardware. Eidos Interactive producer Mike Shmitt described the game as technically impressive for the platform given the character's origins on more powerful hardware. Lara's animations, numbering over two thousand, were rendered from the home console originals, with direct memory access used to make the animations work. Lara's model was 48 pixels, far more than other player characters on the console. [3] The music and audio were handled by Manfred Linzner and Bernhard Wodok of Shin'en; the GBC Tomb Raider was among the company's first projects. [4] [5]

Eidos Interactive licensed the property out to THQ. In a press release, Eidos's Jeremy Heath-Smith explained the partnership as due to THQ's extensive library of GBC titles. [6] Announced in November 1999, [7] Tomb Raider was released in North America on 7 June 2000 under the title Tomb Raider Starring Lara Croft. [6] It later released in Europe on 28 June, [8] in the United Kingdom on 30 June, [9] and in Australia on 18 July. [10]

Reception

During a report on the Australian release, THQ noted that the game had sold out in the region on release. [10] THQ positively noted the game as part of its second quarter fiscal report for 2000. [16]

The game received an average score of 79% at GameRankings, based on an aggregate of 10 reviews. [11] Frank Provo of GameSpot praised the levels, stating that each features a different gameplay theme, ranging from rope climbing in the temple levels to swimming in the caverns and dash-jumping over volcanic lava flows. [1] Critics also highlighted Lara's smooth and acrobatic animations, [14] [15] and the fact that the player can perform a wide variety of moves with the limited buttons of the Game Boy Color. [2]

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<i>Tomb Raider</i> Video game franchise

Tomb Raider, known as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider from 2001 to 2008, is a media franchise that originated with an action-adventure video game series created by British video game developer Core Design. The franchise is currently owned by CDE Entertainment; it was formerly owned by Eidos Interactive, then by Square Enix Europe after Square Enix's acquisition of Eidos in 2009 until Embracer Group purchased the intellectual property alongside Eidos in 2022. The franchise focuses on the fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft, who travels around the world searching for lost artefacts and infiltrating dangerous tombs and ruins. Gameplay generally focuses on exploration, solving puzzles, navigating hostile environments filled with traps, and fighting enemies. Additional media has been developed for the franchise in the form of film adaptations, comics and novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lara Croft</span> Fictional protagonist of Tomb Raider

Lara Croft is a character and the main protagonist of the video game franchise Tomb Raider. She is presented as a highly intelligent and athletic British archaeologist who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around the world. Created by a team at British developer Core Design that included Toby Gard, the character first appeared in the video game Tomb Raider in 1996.

<i>Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine</i> 1999 action-adventure video game

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<i>Tomb Raider: Chronicles</i> 2000 video game

Tomb Raider: Chronicles is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was first released for PlayStation, Windows, and Dreamcast in 2000, then on Mac OS the following year. It is the fifth installment in the Tomb Raider series. The narrative continues from Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation with archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft presumed dead, and three friends recall adventures from her early career. Gameplay follows Lara through linear levels, solving puzzles and fighting enemies. Some levels incorporate additional gameplay elements such as stealth.

<i>Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation</i> 1999 video game

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was first released for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1999, then on Dreamcast and Mac OS the following year. It is the fourth instalment in the Tomb Raider series. The narrative follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she races to imprison the Egyptian god Set after accidentally setting him free. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes, fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress.

<i>Tomb Raider III</i> 1998 video game

Tomb Raider III is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows platforms in 1998. Tomb Raider III is the third title in the Tomb Raider series and a sequel to Tomb Raider II. The story of the game follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she embarks upon a quest to recover four pieces of a meteorite that are scattered across the world. To progress through the game, the player must complete a series of levels that involve solving puzzles, traversing dangerous locations, and defeating enemies.

<i>Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness</i> 2003 action-adventure video game

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness is a 2003 action-adventure game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive for PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows. A Mac OS X port was developed by Beenox and published by Aspyr the same year. It is the sixth instalment in the Tomb Raider series, acting as a direct sequel to Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: Chronicles. The storyline follows Lara Croft as she attempts to clear herself of being the suspect of her former mentor Werner Von Croy's murder while investigating the activities of a black magic cult. The gameplay follows series tradition, with Lara navigating platforming environments while incorporating stealth and character growth elements.

<i>Tomb Raider: Legend</i> 2006 video game

Tomb Raider: Legend is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the seventh main entry in the Tomb Raider series and a reboot of the series that reimagined the origins and character of series protagonist Lara Croft. The game was released in 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and mobile phones. A PlayStation 3 port was released in 2011 as part of The Tomb Raider Trilogy.

<i>Tomb Raider</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

Tomb Raider is a 1996 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive as the debut entry in the Tomb Raider media franchise. It was first released on the Sega Saturn, followed shortly by versions for MS-DOS and the PlayStation. Later releases came for Mac OS (1999), Pocket PC (2002), N-Gage (2003), iOS (2013) and Android (2015). The game follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft, who is hired by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla to find an artefact called the Scion of Atlantis. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes while fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress. An expansion pack subtitled Unfinished Business was released in 1997, containing new standalone levels.

<i>Tomb Raider: Anniversary</i> 2007 video game

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and Buzz Monkey Software and published by Eidos Interactive in 2007 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, Wii and mobile phones. It was later ported to OS X in 2008 and PlayStation 3 in 2011. The eighth overall entry in the Tomb Raider series and second in the Legend trilogy, Anniversary is a remake of the first Tomb Raider game, originally released in 1996.

<i>Tomb Raider: The Prophecy</i> 2002 video game

Tomb Raider: The Prophecy is a 2002 action-adventure video game developed by Ubi Soft Milan and published by Ubi Soft for the Game Boy Advance. A spin-off of the Tomb Raider series, it follows protagonist Lara Croft as she explores multiple temples in search of keys to a world-destroying power. Gameplay features exploration, combat and platforming displayed from a top-down isometric perspective.

<i>Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword</i> 2001 video game

Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword is an action-adventure video game, part of the Tomb Raider series, developed by Core Design and published by Activision under license from Eidos Interactive. It was released for the Game Boy Color in 2001, and is a sequel to the first Tomb Raider for the same system. The next Tomb Raider game for a handheld system was Tomb Raider: The Prophecy for the Game Boy Advance.

<i>Toy Story 2</i> (video game) 1999 video game

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<i>Tomb Raider: Underworld</i> 2008 video game

Tomb Raider: Underworld is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive for Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS in November 2008. Later versions were released for mobile in December 2008, PlayStation 2 in 2009, and OS X in 2012. Various companies ported or developed the different versions. The ninth overall entry in the Tomb Raider series and third in the Legend trilogy, Underworld follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she searches for Mjolnir, an artefact key to entering the realm of Helheim, while confronting adversaries from her past. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels set across the world through platforming, fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress.

<i>The Rugrats Movie</i> (video game) 1998 video game

The Rugrats Movie is a traditional 8-bit 2D platform video game based on the movie of the same name from the Nickelodeon animated series, Rugrats. It was released for original Game Boy in November 1998 and for Game Boy Color in 1999. The game is also compatible with the Super Game Boy.

<i>Tomb Raider II</i> 1997 video game

Tomb Raider II is a 1997 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was first released on Windows and PlayStation. Later releases came for Mac OS (1998), iOS (2014) and Android (2015). It is the second entry in the Tomb Raider series, and follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft hunting the magical Dagger of Xian in competition with an Italian cult. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes while fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress, with some areas allowing for or requiring the use of vehicles. An expansion pack subtitled The Golden Mask was released the following year, containing new levels focused on Lara's quest to find a golden mask in Alaska.

<i>Shadow of the Tomb Raider</i> 2018 video game

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a 2018 action-adventure game developed by Eidos-Montréal and published by Square Enix's European subsidiary. The game is the sequel to Rise of the Tomb Raider and is the twelfth mainline entry in the Tomb Raider series, as well as the third and final entry of the Survivor trilogy. It was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in September 2018. Versions for Linux and macOS, and Stadia, were released in November 2019. After release, the game was expanded upon with downloadable content in both a season pass and as standalone releases.

<i>Tomb Raider I–III Remastered</i> 2024 video game

Tomb Raider I–III Remastered is a 2024 action-adventure video game developed and published by Aspyr. It is a remastered compilation of the first three games in the Tomb Raider series originally developed by Core Design: Tomb Raider (1996), Tomb Raider II (1997), and Tomb Raider III (1998). Remastered was released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 14 February 2024. The game received mixed reviews from critics.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Frank Provo (2000-06-09). "Tomb Raider GBC Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
  2. 1 2 3 Craig Harris (2000-06-13). "Tomb Raider". IGN. Archived from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
  3. ↑ "Tomb Raider: Lara Shines On Game Boy Color". Nintendo Power . No. 120. Nintendo of America. March 2000. pp. 72–76.
  4. ↑ "Music". Shin'en. Archived from the original on 5 July 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Shin'en". MCV UK . 17 September 2007. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  6. 1 2 Garrett, Mary Nelson (7 June 2000). "THQ Ships Tomb Raider Starring Lara Croft For Game Boy Color". THQ. Archived from the original on 12 December 2000. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Kennedy, Sam (19 August 2000). "First Look: Tomb Raider on GBC". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "News" (in German). THQ. Archived from the original on 19 August 2000. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "Big Adventure". Official Nintendo Magazine . No. 94. Future plc. July 2000. p. 15.
  10. 1 2 "Aussies say G'day to THQ Asia Pacific". IGN . 18 July 2000. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Tomb Raider Starring Lara Croft". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
  12. ↑ Kirrane, Simon (April 2000). "Tomb Raider". GamesMaster . Future plc (93): 88–89.
  13. ↑ "Tomb Raider". N64 Magazine . No. 41. Future Publishing. May 2000. p. 38.
  14. 1 2 "Tomb Raider". Nintendo Power . No. 132. Nintendo of America. May 2000. p. 125.
  15. 1 2 Alex (Summer 2000). "Tomb Raider". Planet Game Boy. No. 3. Future Publishing. pp. 18–19.
  16. ↑ "THQ Second Quarter Operating Loss Smaller Than Expected". THQ. 20 July 2000. Archived from the original on 18 June 2001. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
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