Summary
For almost three decades now,Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft has been one of the most iconic characters in all of gaming. Coming out during the height of console mascots, Lara Croft quickly became a symbol of the power of the PlayStation, even though her games were ported to most platforms. With almost 20 games under its belt,theTomb Raiderfranchisehas well and truly earned its spot in the video game hall of fame. The beloved series' protagonist is its main draw, but Lara Croft isn’t constrained to just theTomb Raiderseries.
With an immediately recognizable look, a British accent, and a suave, sophisticated, and yet sassy personality,Lara Croft is easily one of gaming’s most iconic protagonists. While she often works best in her natural tomb-raiding habitat, she isn’t afraid of a change of scenery. Over the last 27 years, Lara Croft has appeared across the gaming industry, either as an Easter egg, an additional playable character, or as a cosmetic skin.
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All of Lara Croft’s Video Game Guest Appearances
One of Lara Croft’s very first appearances in another game series occurred all the way back in 1997, just one year after the firstTomb Raiderreleased. Inthe very firstShadow Warrior, a rudimentary sprite of Lara Croft can be found in a secret tunnel during the game’s fourth mission. After blowing up some explosive barrels next to a destructible wall, players will find Lara Croft chained up behind bars, and the player-character will remark that she’s “raided her last tomb.”
One of Lara Croft’s more substantial appearances outside of her own series came in a crossover with the underrated fighting gameBrawlhalla. In this crossover, Lara Croft is technically only a cosmetic skin that replaces the playable fighter Diana, though Diana’s base abilities fit Lara extremely well, giving her a bow and dual pistols. This crossover features skins based on both Lara’s classic look, and the more recent “Survivor” look based onCrystal Dynamics’Tomb Raiderreboot.
Lara Croft made a very similar appearance inFortniteall the way back in March 2021. Players could unlock three differentLara Croft skins inFortnite, one of them based on her classic polygonal character model, one based on the Survivor trilogy, and one that blended the originalTomb Raiderdesign withFortnite’s more cartoon-y art style. Players could also get a gold version of that last skin by completing some in-game challenges.Fall Guysalso brought its own Lara Croft skin to the table, with a handful of accompanying emotes and titles.
One of the more bizarre Lara Croft appearances outside ofTomb Raidercomes fromFinal Fantasy Brave Exvius, the free-to-play mobile RPG that first released in 2015. Only available through the limited-time Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris crossover event, Lara Croft appears inFinal Fantasy Brave Exviusas a standalone playable character, complete with her own moveset and unique skills and traits. Taking on the role of a Physical Attacker, Lara Croft has access to her automatic pistols, a shotgun, and some classic acrobatic moves.
The most recent Lara Croft appearance outside theTomb Raiderfranchise is happening right now, withLara Croft being available as a playable Operator inCall of Duty: WarzoneandCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This Operator bundle has quickly shot to fame online, featuring potentially the best design for a modernized version of Lara Croft’s original appearance, and featuring a spot-on performance by Keeley Hawes.
